http://www.wasteventures.org Waste Ventures' blog about all things waste. We track the emerging bottom of the pyramid solid waste management industry. posterous.com WasteVentureshttp://feedburner.google.com Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:39:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/zI9mjXMCi2k/what-are-the-considerations-for-waste-picker http://www.wasteventures.org/what-are-the-considerations-for-waste-picker <p> <p>Currently we are in the process of studying the major considerations for waste picker ownership of a garbage company. Together with our partner Basix, Tiffany has been working hard collecting and analyzing both primary and secondary data.</p> <p>We started with a polling of waste picker values, preferences, and major concerns in Indore where Basix works. Survey outcomes will then inform the process of structuring a legal entity that protects waste picker interests.</p> <p>Interestingly, preliminary findings indicate that waste pickers are overwhelmingly interested in increased income, and only then in savings and loans. Opportunities for leadership, respect, or recognition are valued by a significantly smaller portion of the population.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/what-are-the-considerations-for-waste-picker">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/what-are-the-considerations-for-waste-picker#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=zI9mjXMCi2k:sWHjEPxHdi8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=zI9mjXMCi2k:sWHjEPxHdi8:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=zI9mjXMCi2k:sWHjEPxHdi8:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/zI9mjXMCi2k" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/what-are-the-considerations-for-waste-picker Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:35:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/JoCpbsVBBU4/help-restore-500-waste-pickers-burnt-down-hom http://www.wasteventures.org/help-restore-500-waste-pickers-burnt-down-hom <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"> <a href="http://www.globalgiving.org/photo/PRO9834/help-restore-500-waste-pickers-burnt-down-homes/" class="grid7Photo"> <img class="hidden" src="http://cloud.globalgiving.org/pfil/9834/pict_grid7.jpg" height="405" alt="Help restore 500 waste pickers' burnt down homes" width="540" /> </a> <p>Early in the morning about a week ago a fire broke out in the waste picker slum called Ghazipur Dairy. Here hundreds of families live in plastic and bamboo shacks, meaning that the fire spread quickly. In only a couple of hours more than 350 families had lost their homes and all their belongings. This, during the coldest season of the year. Please help us support these families to rebuild their homes and protect them against the cold.</p></blockquote></div> <p>Help support our campaign to raise money for the waste pickers in Ghazipur who lost their homes last week. Pass this forward (share/like/tweet) and if you can please donate on GlobalGiving: <a href="http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-restore-500-waste-pickers-burnt-down-homes/">http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-restore-500-waste-pickers-burnt-dow...</a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/help-restore-500-waste-pickers-burnt-down-hom">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/help-restore-500-waste-pickers-burnt-down-hom#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=JoCpbsVBBU4:W845knT5xAQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=JoCpbsVBBU4:W845knT5xAQ:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=JoCpbsVBBU4:W845knT5xAQ:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/JoCpbsVBBU4" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/help-restore-500-waste-pickers-burnt-down-hom Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:33:39 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/ylQrqloulYo/new-site-aims-to-achieve-segregation-at-sourc http://www.wasteventures.org/new-site-aims-to-achieve-segregation-at-sourc <p> A new site called Kuppathotti (<a href="http://www.kuppathotti.com/">http://www.kuppathotti.com</a>) has been launched in Chennai to help local residents there segregate and get their recyclable waste picked up. Through an online service where residents request a pick-up, then get paid for the recylable materials that are weighed and collected at their door-step they hope to get IT-savvy residents involved in segregating and recycling their waste.<p /><div>It&#39;s definitely an interesting concept to engage upper middle class residents to separate and segregate their waste, engaging them in a collection system that feels &quot;modern&quot; and &quot;high-tech&quot;. This route of engaging and marketing to richer and IT-savvy residents might be a successful one. My question with the project would be whether they are in any way engaging existing kabadi-wallahs or waste pickers who are already active in collecting various recyclable materials? </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/new-site-aims-to-achieve-segregation-at-sourc">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/new-site-aims-to-achieve-segregation-at-sourc#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=ylQrqloulYo:vaMkLuyi9i4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=ylQrqloulYo:vaMkLuyi9i4:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=ylQrqloulYo:vaMkLuyi9i4:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/ylQrqloulYo" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/new-site-aims-to-achieve-segregation-at-sourc Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:45:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/tBfMo5FD8f8/msnbc-india-is-home-to-greatest-number-of-chi http://www.wasteventures.org/msnbc-india-is-home-to-greatest-number-of-chi <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <blockquote><div style=""><img src="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-111211-ragpick-cannon1.photoblog900.JPG" height="339" alt="" width="500" /><p>Channi Anand / AP</p><div><p>Indian rag picker children walk with rods fitted with magnets as they look for recyclable spare parts at an automobile yard on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Dec. 10. India remains home to the greatest number of child laborers in the world despite efforts by successive governments to address the problem through compulsory education and anti-poverty programs.</p></div></div></blockquote><div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/11/9369146-india-is-home-to-greatest-number-of-child-laborers-in-world">photoblog.msnbc.msn.com</a></div> <p>Don't forget to watch our video clip to see what we believe is the most effective way to get these children out of the dump yards and into school: </p><p><a href="http://bit.ly/uffyyR">http://bit.ly/uffyyR</a></p></div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/msnbc-india-is-home-to-greatest-number-of-chi">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/msnbc-india-is-home-to-greatest-number-of-chi#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=tBfMo5FD8f8:_bTQuMN_S5A:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=tBfMo5FD8f8:_bTQuMN_S5A:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=tBfMo5FD8f8:_bTQuMN_S5A:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/tBfMo5FD8f8" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1117628/Profile_pic_g_cropped.png http://posterous.com/users/he6XBVC1Wi8wW Tiffany Talsma tiffanytalsma Tiffany Talsma http://www.wasteventures.org/msnbc-india-is-home-to-greatest-number-of-chi Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:41:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/sK0QzCOQa9s/the-story-of-rajiv-and-100-000-of-waste-picke-51487 http://www.wasteventures.org/the-story-of-rajiv-and-100-000-of-waste-picke-51487 <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nCoEHtUrQ0g?wmode=transparent" frameborder="0" height="417" width="500"></iframe> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCoEHtUrQ0g&amp;context=C3bb492eADOEgsToPDskLrWea4V5TIjaMz1K4YPTCC">youtube.com</a></div> <p>We recently worked with the guys at Good Line to help us distill our story into less than three minutes of video. We believe this video is a great tool to communicate the urgent need for an environmentally friendly approach to solid waste management that includes the millions of vulnerable waste pickers toiling for a living in developing cities' garbage. We need your help to tell this story. Please share this link with everyone who might be interested in solutions for the 50 million people living from waste picking activities in countries around the world.</p> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/the-story-of-rajiv-and-100-000-of-waste-picke-51487">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/the-story-of-rajiv-and-100-000-of-waste-picke-51487#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=sK0QzCOQa9s:n8wyrob_Evk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=sK0QzCOQa9s:n8wyrob_Evk:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=sK0QzCOQa9s:n8wyrob_Evk:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/sK0QzCOQa9s" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/the-story-of-rajiv-and-100-000-of-waste-picke-51487 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:24:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/6atnfWUSOmE/waste-ventures-featured-as-one-of-50-world-wi http://www.wasteventures.org/waste-ventures-featured-as-one-of-50-world-wi <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="" src="http://assets.wwf.org.uk/img/green_game_changers_16257.jpg" /> </div> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/working_with_business/green_game_changers/50_innovations_to_inspire_business_transformation_.cfm">wwf.org.uk</a></div> <p>We were very happy to see that Waste Ventures had been featured as one of 50 innovative green game-changers by the World Wildlife Fund. To read the full report on all game-changers download it from here:</p> <p><a href="http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/working_with_business/green_game_changers/50_innovations_to_inspire_business_transformation_.cfm">http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/working_with_business/green_game_changers/50...</a></p> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/waste-ventures-featured-as-one-of-50-world-wi">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/waste-ventures-featured-as-one-of-50-world-wi#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=6atnfWUSOmE:1ZWW0VkDi44:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=6atnfWUSOmE:1ZWW0VkDi44:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=6atnfWUSOmE:1ZWW0VkDi44:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/6atnfWUSOmE" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/waste-ventures-featured-as-one-of-50-world-wi Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:22:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/QVEk-xvxP-A/delhi-hospital-dumps-bio-medical-waste-at-ope http://www.wasteventures.org/delhi-hospital-dumps-bio-medical-waste-at-ope <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"><embed src="http://ibnlive.in.com/specials/swf/ibnlive_vod_player_india.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="360" flashvars="flv=12_2011/medicalwaste_juhi.flv&amp;embed=&lt;object classid='clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000' codebase='http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0' width='640' height='360' id='IBNLive' align='middle'&gt;&lt;param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always' /&gt;&lt;param name='allowFullScreen' value='true' /&gt;&lt;param name='movie' value='http://features.ibnlive.in.com/videos/embed/207710/C1520A46F5A03B820B85FADC2E7111C8385B6EFE0E8D09D692202B007C9F6465250AF9776187481B42E0EC7A9A0B83F19C6669118A745B72F748D25EA7C37F771F369666643F1CF16F73C8550A5390E5619C0BCFF9DF76/12_2011/medicalwaste_juhi5_271x181.jpg' /&gt;&lt;param name='quality' value='high' /&gt;&lt;param name='bgcolor' value='#ffffff' /&gt; &lt;embed src='http://features.ibnlive.in.com/videos/embed/207710/C1520A46F5A03B820B85FADC2E7111C8385B6EFE0E8D09D692202B007C9F6465250AF9776187481B42E0EC7A9A0B83F19C6669118A745B72F748D25EA7C37F771F369666643F1CF16F73C8550A5390E5619C0BCFF9DF76/12_2011/medicalwaste_juhi5_271x181.jpg' quality='high' bgcolor='#ffffff' width='640' height='360' name='IBNLive' align='middle' allowScriptAccess='always' allowFullScreen='true' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' /&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&amp;embedUrl=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/delhi-hospital-dumps-biomedical-waste-in-open/207710-3.html&amp;Image=&amp;tweeterUrl=http://twitter.com/share?url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/delhi-hospital-dumps-biomedical-waste-in-open/207710-3.html&amp;tweetertext=text=Delhi+hospital+dumps+bio-medical+waste+in+open&amp;facebookUrl=http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/delhi-hospital-dumps-biomedical-waste-in-open/207710-3.html&amp;t=Delhi+hospital+dumps+bio-medical+waste+in+open&amp;cTitle=&amp;cId=207710&amp;branding=&amp;brandLink=&amp;popupAds=&amp;cCategory=Cricket|NE&amp;imageBranding=&amp;cCountryIp=|&amp;cRuntime=110&amp;cFormats=preroll|postroll&amp;cTest=false&amp;adsProvider=" width="500"></embed> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/delhi-hospital-dumps-biomedical-waste-in-open/207710-3.html">ibnlive.in.com</a></div> <p>This is just on example of the way lack of enforcement of India's Federal Waste Management Rules set in 2000 is putting the health of waste pickers and their families under great risk.</p> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/delhi-hospital-dumps-bio-medical-waste-at-ope">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/delhi-hospital-dumps-bio-medical-waste-at-ope#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=QVEk-xvxP-A:x8FYhQ02E0A:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=QVEk-xvxP-A:x8FYhQ02E0A:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=QVEk-xvxP-A:x8FYhQ02E0A:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/QVEk-xvxP-A" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1117628/Profile_pic_g_cropped.png http://posterous.com/users/he6XBVC1Wi8wW Tiffany Talsma tiffanytalsma Tiffany Talsma http://www.wasteventures.org/delhi-hospital-dumps-bio-medical-waste-at-ope Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:44:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/Myufv5cim2w/three-women-rag-pickers-go-missing-in-dump-in http://www.wasteventures.org/three-women-rag-pickers-go-missing-in-dump-in <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"> <p>HYDERABAD: Three waste pickers, who went to collect recyclable plastic from the Jawahar Nagar dumping yard on the city outskirts, were feared to have been buried under heaps of garbage after the trio went missing since on Tuesday.</p> <p class="txt">According to police, three women from Yellareddyguda in Kushaiguda went to collect plastic from the garbage on Tuesday morning but did not return. The three women are Shantamma, Andalu and Ankamma.</p> <p class="txt">Kushaiguda police inspector V Srikanth Goud said the relatives of the three missing women went searching at the dump yard and found the bags they carried to collect plastic. The three women, however, were not found and it is suspected they might have come under garbage heaps which keep sliding from the top occasionally.</p> <p class="txt">Police with help of municipal authorities launched a massive search using heavy machines and removing garbage heaps but could not trace the missing women. &ldquo;It is not sure whether the women came under the sliding garbage mountains at the place where their bags were found,&rsquo;&rsquo; an official said. Officials said the women might die if they got trapped under the garbage pile or even due to suffocation. At some places, the garbage heaps keeps on burning and if the women got buried there, it is even difficult to find their remains.</p> <p class="txt">In May 2010, three children from Alwal got buried under heaps of garbage and their bodies could not be traced even after a massive search operation. Just a few days before the death of the three children, a woman rag-picker also got buried under the garbage and her body could not be traced.</p> <p class="txt">Municipal officials said rag pickers trespass into the dumping yard from the rear side with security deployed at the main entrance. They said the lure to get good amount of recyclable plastic and other resalable material from the garbage attract rag-pickers to venture inside.</p> <p class="txt">Kushaiguda police registered a missing case and are assisting municipal authorities in tracing the bodies.</p> </blockquote> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/three-women-ragpickers-go-missing-in-dumpyard/205215-60-121.html">ibnlive.in.com</a></div> <p>Waste pickers such as these women that went missing on Tuesday, are the very reason that India has better recycling rates than countries like Germany. However, they put their lives at risk to achieve this. Worse, their children are left to help support the family, and will likely not be able to afford the time for school.</p> <p>This cycle of poverty, engendered today by the dangerous working conditions of waste pickers, can be interrupted with Waste Ventures' model. Women like Shantamma, Andalu and Ankamma would not have to go to the dumpsite, and would be able to collect the segregated waste in a clean manner directly from people's doorsteps. They would be guaranteed safe access to valuable recyclables, and earn 3 times more than before by selling organic waste to be processed into compost and collecting a household fee for service.</p> <p>Events such as this one serve as a reminder of the urgency with which we need to bring our model to waste pickers working under these conditions.</p> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/three-women-rag-pickers-go-missing-in-dump-in">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/three-women-rag-pickers-go-missing-in-dump-in#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=Myufv5cim2w:-Ov8SCf0RNw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=Myufv5cim2w:-Ov8SCf0RNw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=Myufv5cim2w:-Ov8SCf0RNw:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/Myufv5cim2w" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1117628/Profile_pic_g_cropped.png http://posterous.com/users/he6XBVC1Wi8wW Tiffany Talsma tiffanytalsma Tiffany Talsma http://www.wasteventures.org/three-women-rag-pickers-go-missing-in-dump-in Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:48:00 -0800 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/mlwqAv0O-Pw/bbc-world-challenge-finalist-makes-biogas-fro http://www.wasteventures.org/bbc-world-challenge-finalist-makes-biogas-fro <p> <blockquote> <p><img src="http://www.theworldchallenge.co.uk/images/finalists/1_3.jpg" alt="" width="400" /></p> <div class="textContent"> <p>Food waste from restaurants in the heritage town of Mamallapuram in South India had become a big problem, leaving the tourist destination covered in rubbish and increasing the risk of disease. Indian NGO 'Hand in Hand' set up a project with local people to collect food waste from households, hotels and restaurants, and turn it into biogas - which is then used to generate electricity via a 10kW power station. The project now consumes about a ton of food waste every day - waste that would once have found its way into landfill. The project is self-sustaining, providing training and employment for locals to become 'Green Friends' - town wardens whose job is to keep the streets clean and the lights on.</p> </div> </blockquote> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.theworldchallenge.co.uk/top/1/Trash-To-Gas">theworldchallenge.co.uk</a></div> <p>In yet another step forward for good waste management in India, a biogas project located in south India run by NGO Hand-in-Hand has been nominated finalist in the BBC World Challenge.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/bbc-world-challenge-finalist-makes-biogas-fro">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/bbc-world-challenge-finalist-makes-biogas-fro#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=mlwqAv0O-Pw:JWP_yHrDmFI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=mlwqAv0O-Pw:JWP_yHrDmFI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=mlwqAv0O-Pw:JWP_yHrDmFI:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/mlwqAv0O-Pw" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/bbc-world-challenge-finalist-makes-biogas-fro Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:46:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/BDP2_qa1GeA/national-geographic-best-environmental-photos http://www.wasteventures.org/national-geographic-best-environmental-photos <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Media_httpimagesnatio_uigpc" height="422" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/wasteventures/wiogdDzhsDdyDtpzrJpxaxJEvudsqAIjqzphGAmqpsxDyBsovemDwpoheJvg/media_httpimagesnatio_uIGpc.jpg.scaled800.jpg" width="600" /> </div> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/10/pictures/111027-best-nature-pictures-2011-environment-animals-science/?source=link_fb20111027news-bestenvironmentalphotos#/best-nature-pictures-2011-kids-garbage_42580_600x450.jpg">news.nationalgeographic.com</a></div> <p>National Geographic has just named the best environmental photo of the year, and it's an setting which we're all too familiar with. Their choice is an image that displays the plight of millions of children across the world who live on or around dump yards, picking waste to sell for recycling. </p><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="" src="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/10/pictures/111027-best-nature-pictures-2011-environment-animals-science/?source=link_fb20111027news-bestenvironmentalphotos" /> </div> </p></div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/national-geographic-best-environmental-photos">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/national-geographic-best-environmental-photos#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=BDP2_qa1GeA:soLq61xwBTQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=BDP2_qa1GeA:soLq61xwBTQ:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=BDP2_qa1GeA:soLq61xwBTQ:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/BDP2_qa1GeA" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/national-geographic-best-environmental-photos Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:39:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/tNQQcXNR-x8/waste-pickers-in-ahmedabad-recycles-paper-for http://www.wasteventures.org/waste-pickers-in-ahmedabad-recycles-paper-for <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"><p>Hansa Parmar, 40, used to gather paper waste from Ahmedabad streets to make a living for her family. To earn a meagre Rs 35-40 a day, Parmar and around 45,000 more women members of Gitanjali Co-operative walked around 10 km a day and collected paper waste to sell to a wholesaler.</p> <p>Now these women have found a dignified job that pays double - Rs 90-100 per day. They make designer covers, notepads, pens made of paper and rough pads for corporates like Accenture and Staple.</p><p>To begin with around 50 women associated with Gitanjali Co-operative, part of Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), are involved in this venture. They make the articles in a factory room like trained professionals.</p><p>Chairperson of SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre Reema Nanavaty said this intervention was essential as the waste paper collecting job was not stable.</p><p>"During the recession in 2008 we observed that their income was affected drastically - by 75%. So, it was important to find a decent source of income for them to support their families. Experts from Accenture trained 50 women," she said. <br />Notepads and spring files made by members are also supplied to companies in USA and UK.</p><p>Minal Trivedi, manager of SEWA's Waste Pickers' Initiatives said that while professionals from Accenture helped them do the work faster and more accurately, now it was a challenge to provide integrated service at compatible rates to survive in the business.</p><p>Parvati Solanki, a member, said: "The professional trainers explained to us that out of sympathy clients may place an order a couple of times. But it is only through efficient work and professional attitude that we can bag more orders and survive competition."</p></blockquote> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ragpickers-in-ahmedabad-pick-up-a-dignified-living_1596000">dnaindia.com</a></div> <p>It will be interesting to follow the work of SEWA as they try to compete on a commercial basis with recycled paper products.</p></div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/waste-pickers-in-ahmedabad-recycles-paper-for">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/waste-pickers-in-ahmedabad-recycles-paper-for#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=tNQQcXNR-x8:1K7lnlLvmxI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=tNQQcXNR-x8:1K7lnlLvmxI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=tNQQcXNR-x8:1K7lnlLvmxI:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/tNQQcXNR-x8" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/waste-pickers-in-ahmedabad-recycles-paper-for Mon, 25 Jul 2011 21:40:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/JFdIQzwtG00/going-global-exploring-opportunities-for-wast http://www.wasteventures.org/going-global-exploring-opportunities-for-wast <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <p><em>This is a blog post by John Engler, one of our four summer fellows working with us this summer. To read an introduction of John and the rest of our fellows check out <span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/long-due-introduction-of-our-summer-fellows">this post</a></span>.</em></p><p /> <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"><p class="documentDescription">When I first spoke to Parag about working for Waste Ventures for the summer, I had assumed that I would go to India. Several months later, I am in Medellín, Colombia, over 15,000 kilometers away from New Delhi. </p> <div class="plain"><p>My project is part feasibility study and part market entry strategy--essentially, I am trying to figure out if the Waste Ventures blueprint could work in Latin America, and if so, how. The project started slowly as I struggled to make contacts and schedule meetings, but my network has grown and with it my understanding of Colombia's solid waste sector.</p><p>It is clear that Colombia is a very different country than India. Wages are higher. Environmental regulation is more robust. The nonprofit sector is weaker, and the public sector is stronger. Wastepickers are more organized. The market for compost products is less developed. These distinctions have implications for the Waste Ventures model: it will have to be adapted to work successfully in the Latin American context. Waste Ventures may have to consider partnerships with organizations in the public and private sectors, and will possibly have to cultivate its own compost market among local farmers. Additionally Waste Ventures will have to negotiate with politically-powerful state-owned waste management companies that dominate the sector here. But while the model may need to be tweaked, I am convinced that it can flourish here and be as transformational as it has been in India.</p><p>With the progression of my investigation, I have reflected upon the simple brilliance of the Waste Ventures model. It overcomes market failures that lead to mismanagement of solid wastes, channeling the surpluses generated by doing so towards some of society's poorest and most vulnerable members. And while it takes some doing to get the model going--political will, social organization, and resources to incubate--once in motion, the model is both self-sufficient and profitable. I truly hope we can find a way to make it work in this part of the world!</p></div></blockquote><div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/talking-trash/archive/2011/07/25/going-global-exploring-opportunities-for-waste-ventures-in-colombia">socialedge.org</a></div> <p></p></div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/going-global-exploring-opportunities-for-wast">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/going-global-exploring-opportunities-for-wast#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=JFdIQzwtG00:VXeON6ZKWkU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=JFdIQzwtG00:VXeON6ZKWkU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=JFdIQzwtG00:VXeON6ZKWkU:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/JFdIQzwtG00" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/going-global-exploring-opportunities-for-wast Fri, 22 Jul 2011 02:13:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/CdZuQaIlzUE/action-movie-field-visits-new-post-by-our-sum http://www.wasteventures.org/action-movie-field-visits-new-post-by-our-sum <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <p><em>This is a post by Silpa Kaza, one of the Summer Fellows working with us this year. For an introduction of her and the other fellows - check out </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/long-due-introduction-of-our-summer-fellows"><em>our company blog</em></a></span><em>.</em></p> <p /> <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"><p class="documentDescription">Field visits at Waste Ventures are like action packed movies. The two field visits that I have gone on were full of corruption, high speed motorcycle/jeep rides, threats, politicians, ragpickers, alliances, contracts and lots and lots of garbage. I feel like I am at intermission in an Indian movie, waiting to see how the obstacles are overcome in the second half of the movies for a feel good ending consisting of clean cities and empowered ragpickers.</p> <p>The first field visit to Osmanabad, Maharashtra with Dr. Sanjay Gupta from Waste Ventures left me sitting at the edge of my seat as we went from one location to another, finding and fighting corruption. Sanjay is fearless when it comes to confronting politicians and knows how to place pressure on them to act. It feels like intense game theory with multiple levels of potential action depending on how the politician reacts. The first day of the visit, we saw waste processing machinery that simply had the metal casing but no machine inside. A local politician claimed that he had purchased the whole machinery but that the mechanical portions had been stolen when in fact he had only purchased the casing and pocketed the difference. We found some small waste collection vehicles that had been sitting outside a mechanics shop for over a month and a half because a politician only paid for some replacement parts and then pocketed the difference. Sanjay confronted the local government officials and used more influential, higher level politicians to push the local government to act.</p><p>Janseva, the NGO in Osmanabad, faces numerous political barriers, from being asked for bribes to not receiving payments on time from the Municipality. Most of the staff is from within 100 km of Osmanabad, sacrificing comfort and time with family to work seven days a week. Despite working so hard, starting their day at 6am in the firestation yard where the tractors are, local politicians create trouble for the waste collectors and harass the NGO members, disrupting services from time to time. I was able to see the other side of managing waste through a politician’s perspective on my second field visit, while evaluating a potential city in Andhra Pradesh for us to work in. My co-intern and I rolled through the streets of Kurnool with the Municipal Health Officer, Dr. Ranga Reddy, learning about citizens’ perspectives, threatening to shut down restaurants and vendors unless they start using garbage cans, calling sanitation inspectors on the spot to take care of littered roads, and investigating the relationships between ragpickers and scrap dealers. Dr. Reddy is passionate and determined to make the city more hygienic and healthy and has plenty of tractors to collect waste, nearly 400 employees just for solid waste management, 40 acres of land for dumping and potentially composting, etc etc. He is currently collecting waste from 60% of the households. But he also has 100 garbage collecting tricycles laying in the Municipal Corporation’s yard, rusting away because he does not have the funds to hire workers to use those tricycles for the remaining 40% of the city.</p><p>Gamana, an Andhra wide NGO with a field office in Kurnool, has been and is ready to continue spreading awareness to households about segregating waste but has stopped because the Municipality does not have the ability to process waste separately yet. Gamana is also incredible at organizing ragpicker communities into formal cooperatives to manage both waste collection and processing. There is plenty of enthusiasm and capability on the ground; however, a lack of operational capital prevents a fully integrated waste management solution.</p><p>Waste Ventures is the key to both of these cities, using its influence to manage political instability to ensure smooth operations on the ground as well as potentially filling a funding gap. These field visits got me quite inspired, seeing such passionate, invested individuals working with citizens and ragpickers to make waste related livelihoods more dignified while also cleaning up cities. Project development will take time but with Waste Ventures’ intervention, I have faith that ragpickers and cleanliness with prevail and overcome corruption and other barriers to have a happy ending.</p></blockquote><div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/talking-trash">socialedge.org</a></div> <p></p></div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/action-movie-field-visits-new-post-by-our-sum">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/action-movie-field-visits-new-post-by-our-sum#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=CdZuQaIlzUE:UWyg2CI57rA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=CdZuQaIlzUE:UWyg2CI57rA:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=CdZuQaIlzUE:UWyg2CI57rA:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/CdZuQaIlzUE" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/731106/wasteventures_logo_thumb_2_.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4SDy8ItaDBUR Waste Ventures wasteventures Waste Ventures http://www.wasteventures.org/action-movie-field-visits-new-post-by-our-sum Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:11:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/SMgpA2lSltc/long-due-introduction-of-our-summer-fellows http://www.wasteventures.org/long-due-introduction-of-our-summer-fellows <p> <p>This is a long overdue post for us, for the past month and a half we've some great additions to our team here in Delhi as well as in Latin America. During the past weeks they have been working with us on all elements of our business - developing our work in Osmanabad, preparing materials for investors and working on our business plan.</p> <p>This year we've had four fellows working with us and they'll share some of their experiences over the next few weeks on our blog. But first, here are their introductions:</p> <p><strong>Robert LeBlanc</strong></p> <p>I'm currently pursuing my MBA at Harvard Business School (HBS). Prior to enrolling at HBS, I worked in management consulting and private equity, based in Toronto, Canada.</p> <p>I joined WV for my summer internship to experience business at the BoP first hand. Ever since studying corporate strategy, international development and environment at McGill during my undergrad, I've been fascinated by the possibility of developing enterprise solutions to global issues, like pollution. WV, with it's innovative approach to fully-integrated waste management, might be one such solution. And that's really why I'm here, to see if it may be, to experience an incredible emerging market (India) and to learn from talented, dedicated people (Parag and the rest of the WV team).</p> <p>Also, on a more personal level, I'm here to see if work in this space is really for me. Since undergrad, I've always felt that I wanted to work at the BoP in emerging markets, but, having taken a purposeful sidetrack in the corporate sector to build my skill set, I've never really tried. I've never actually worked for a social enterprise in an emerging market. So, I figured I should at least try working for one before launching a full scale career in the space post-MBA...</p> <p>Beyond this personal question of "is this work for me?", I'm most curious about the economics of the WV model. Coming from a consulting and investing background, I'm curious just what kind of return profile a genuine, owner-operated, BoP social enterprise can generate. What economic returns can the model yield? What social and environmental returns can it create? What are the tradeoffs? What can the different stakeholders tolerate across all three parameters? I hope to dig very deep into these questions over the rest of the summer. I'll report back on my findings in a couple months...</p> <p><strong>Silpa Kaza</strong></p> <p>My name is Silpa Kaza and I am currently pursuing a Masters of Public Administration in International Development at the Kennedy School. Originally from India, I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and have been on the East Coast or abroad for the past eight years. My academic background is in mechanical engineering and economics, and professionally I have worked on domestic healthcare policy simulations at the National Bureau of Economic Research as well as in waste management operations with a small environmental NGO in Gujarat, India. I am quite excited to be tying my disciplines and experiences together at Waste Ventures this summer.</p> <p>Waste management became quite a personal issue to me during my time in Bhuj, Gujarat. Watching cows eat plastic bags because food was tied up inside, seeing plastic bags clog gutters, inhaling toxic fumes from waste that was burned daily, watching children play with garbage, and many other sights and experiences led me to work on waste issues. I also had the privilege of working with waste pickers in Bhuj and worked to understand both the generation and management of waste. I want to take the grassroots knowledge I gained in Gujarat and take it forward to other parts of India where Waste Ventures is expanding.</p> <p>I am interested to see how the Waste Ventures model can ensure financial sustainability in addition to both social and environmental impact. Because my background has been research/NGO heavy, I want to learn about the potential of the private sector to address public sector issues without compromising social or environmental goals. I am hoping this summer I will be able to explore the connection between grassroots knowledge and scaling up Waste Ventures to address waste issues in a socially conscious manner.</p> <p><strong>Rachana Patel</strong></p> <p>I&rsquo;m Rachana Patel and I&rsquo;m a 3rd year student at the University of Michigan Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, a dual-degree MS/MBA program with the School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE) and the Ross School of Business. &nbsp; My passion lies in creating behavior change around waste minimization, particularly in the U.S. &nbsp;I learned about innovative business solutions to reducing waste-to-landfill while interning last summer at TerraCycle. &nbsp;This summer, I seek to understand the broader spectrum of waste issues in developing nations in contrast to developed nations in order to see where one system may inform the other. &nbsp;This has brought me to India to Waste Ventures where I am excited by the possibilities of simultaneous environmental and social improvement. &nbsp;I hope to learn about how waste is perceived here in India as opposed to the U.S. and how attitudes may be changed such that they effect beliefs and ultimately behavior around waste management.</p> <p><strong>John Engler</strong></p> <p>I have over 5 years experience in the nonprofit sector, and have worked on projects including environmental education, integrated waste management, and community development, both in North America and Central America. Most recently I have earned an MBA from Duke University and I am currently supporting Waste Ventures as it considers expansion into Latin America.</p> <p>I joined Waste Ventures for the summer so that I could learn more about social enterprise and the possibility of generating triple bottom line returns. I am particularly interested in discovering more about the types of regulatory structures that support the growth of social enterprise, and the process by which a segment of the social sector which has historically been dominated by charity can move towards self-sufficiency.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/long-due-introduction-of-our-summer-fellows">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/long-due-introduction-of-our-summer-fellows#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=SMgpA2lSltc:DiWMaK2e5Rw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=SMgpA2lSltc:DiWMaK2e5Rw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=SMgpA2lSltc:DiWMaK2e5Rw:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/SMgpA2lSltc" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/long-due-introduction-of-our-summer-fellows Tue, 21 Jun 2011 22:18:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/q0XwoJTPgXU/the-love-and-hate-intersection-parag-shares-h http://www.wasteventures.org/the-love-and-hate-intersection-parag-shares-h <p> <p>A while back, Parag spoke at the <a href="http://www.tedxashokau.com/">TEDxAshokaU</a> conference, he shares his conflicted relationship as well as key learnings with universities and their ability to support real change:</p> <p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8rUygZXoyC4?wmode=transparent" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="417" width="500"></iframe></p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/the-love-and-hate-intersection-parag-shares-h">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/the-love-and-hate-intersection-parag-shares-h#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=q0XwoJTPgXU:l6H5HWDDQyw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=q0XwoJTPgXU:l6H5HWDDQyw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=q0XwoJTPgXU:l6H5HWDDQyw:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/q0XwoJTPgXU" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/the-love-and-hate-intersection-parag-shares-h Sun, 29 May 2011 23:20:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/VwjVuTIkIJA/organic-vs-inorganic-fertilizer-parkin-farms http://www.wasteventures.org/organic-vs-inorganic-fertilizer-parkin-farms <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <p>This morning this illustrative table from the <a href="http://parkinfarms.com/2011/05/30/organic-vs-inorganic-fertilizer/">Parkin Farms</a> showed up on our Twitter feed:</p> <p><a href="http://parkinfarms.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/organic-inorganic.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-308" title="Organic Inorganic" src="http://parkinfarms.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/organic-inorganic.jpg?w=500&amp;h=164" height="164" alt="" width="500" /></a></p> <p>Even though solid waste compost is not a direct fertilizer but rather a soil conditioner as it doesn't have as high micronutrient content as fertilizer, it has great benefits for both soil biodiversity and the water retention capacities of the soil.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/organic-vs-inorganic-fertilizer-parkin-farms">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/organic-vs-inorganic-fertilizer-parkin-farms#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=VwjVuTIkIJA:AU95oN2lLx0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=VwjVuTIkIJA:AU95oN2lLx0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=VwjVuTIkIJA:AU95oN2lLx0:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/VwjVuTIkIJA" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/organic-vs-inorganic-fertilizer-parkin-farms Thu, 26 May 2011 23:39:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/UB6p6aJH1iE/three-most-important-lessons-learned-while-ch http://www.wasteventures.org/three-most-important-lessons-learned-while-ch <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <p>As we've previously announced we've just created, with our partner Jan Seva, the first contract for integrated solid waste management by waste pickers in India. Through the process of getting Osmanabad off the ground as well as running our pilot project in Bokaro, we've captured and learned quite a bit of what it takes to change a sector such as this.</p> <p>In <a href="http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/talking-trash/archive/2011/05/24/changing-the-game-in-indian-solid-waste-management-2013-lessons-learned">his latest post at his SocialEdge blo</a>g, Parag shares some of the most important lessons learned:</p> <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"> <p class="documentDescription">Those who follow Waste Ventures newsletter will have heard the news that we created the first waste picker-managed integrated solid waste management system in India (we thought it was only the first in Maharashtra until we did a little research and discovered that while there are waste picker managed collection systems, this is in fact the only primary collection-to-processing waste full contract awarded to waste pickers). In creating the project, we went through a lot of trial-and-error. Here are some of the things we learned:</p> <div class="plain"> <p>1) Ensure the appropriate political support to minimize lead time and mitigate risk</p> <p>At the end of the day, like many basic services, waste falls under government purview and the municipality must provide the concession to collect waste.<span>&nbsp; </span>Prior, Waste Ventures primarily focused on finding the local partner but this would yield little result unless there was a government connection.<span>&nbsp; </span>We also learned that the political hierarchy is strictly observed and therefore, it was better to go top down rather than bottom up as ultimate approval would come from the Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly rather than the Chief Officer.<span>&nbsp; </span>As such, Waste Ventures has made great strides to involve public officials at the state level both in elected and administrative office that has paved the way in multiple states in India.<span>&nbsp; </span>The added benefit in implementation has been the higher-level elected and administrative officials protect against lower-level bureaucrats from obstructing the project.</p> <p>2) Structure investment towards processing waste rather than collecting it</p> <p>Most contractors are interested in the collection aspect of a municipal waste contract.<span>&nbsp; </span>Given payment of approximately $20 per ton of waste collected, this adds up to a large sum that is also often associated with the under belly of waste management.<span>&nbsp; </span>At Waste Ventures, we much prefer the processing side &ndash; it has the potential to create a higher margin and relies on market forces rather than government payment as we create compost or biomass briquettes from the organic waste that we sell to local farmers and recycle the inorganic waste which again connects to larger recycling units.<span>&nbsp; </span>However, it is important that our local partners also conduct the collection aspect of waste management as this offers quality control on the waste inputs for the processing.<span>&nbsp; </span>However, we minimize collection expenses to the municipality in a transparent manner and in exchange, ask that the municipality provide as much equipment as possible in the collection of waste.<span>&nbsp; </span>(Municipalities are more likely to have a budget to provide capital equipment rather than an operating budget).<span>&nbsp; </span>For example in Osmanabad, the municipality has provided three-wheelers to assist in the collection.<span>&nbsp; </span><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p> <p>This allows us to focus investment into the processing of waste which is more palatable to investors as it is higher margin and least susceptible to political risk.</p> <p>3) Create strong baselines for measurement for municipalities, funders, and the CER process</p> <p>One of the first things we have done once we have gotten on the ground is to conduct a baseline survey of the area as it stands now.<span>&nbsp; </span>This provides us critical data as to the status quo so we can effectively measure the change in cleanliness we have brought about to the municipality who will want demonstrable change as quickly as possible (particularly to counter those with their own vested interests in seeing the project fail).<span>&nbsp; </span>Secondly, gathering information on the current status of waste pickers including salary and activity level allows us to effectively measure the social and environmental impact we are having so we can ensure we are effectively creating livelihoods and increasing amounts being recycled and composted.<span>&nbsp; </span>Finally, to validate our project for carbon credits, we are setting up UNFCCC-approved measures so we may track the waste being processed &ndash; particularly organic waste composted and the amount of methane we will avert so the cooperative may claim carbon credits.<span>&nbsp; </span>The process both certifies emissions reduced and provides additional revenue from the CER process.<span>&nbsp; </span></p> <p>We are just starting this process but already, we see the application of the above learnings bearing fruit in the other 34 municipalities we are considering.</p> </div> </blockquote> Read more and comment at Parag's blog at <a href="http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/talking-trash">socialedge.org</a></div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/three-most-important-lessons-learned-while-ch">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/three-most-important-lessons-learned-while-ch#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=UB6p6aJH1iE:MzfGYDKH0uc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=UB6p6aJH1iE:MzfGYDKH0uc:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=UB6p6aJH1iE:MzfGYDKH0uc:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/UB6p6aJH1iE" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/three-most-important-lessons-learned-while-ch Thu, 26 May 2011 00:19:41 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/-_HZHzbSBrA/where-social-innovation-really-happens-inaugu http://www.wasteventures.org/where-social-innovation-really-happens-inaugu <p> <div><span>When reading social entrepreneurship newsletters and magazines you might get the feeling that a lot of innovation in the space happens in places like Silicon Valley, London or maybe even Mumbai and Bangalore. However, at Waste Ventures the innovations we make happen are all in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.&nbsp;</span></div><p /><div>In one city we work in, which I'm pretty sure you've never heard about before, we recently got to be part of a great social innovation. In this city waste pickers have for the first time, not just been part of a collection system or been subcontractors to a commercial operator, they have been given the full formal contract for an integrated solid waste management system - involving collection and processing.&nbsp;</div><p /><div><iframe marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="google-map" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=osmanabad,+maharashtra&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.137829,102.832031&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Osmanabad,+Maharashtra,+India&t=h&ll=20.591652,80.991211&spn=32.005611,51.416016&iwloc=A&output=embed" marginwidth="0" frameborder="0" height="640" width="800"></iframe><br /> <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=osmanabad,+maharashtra&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.137829,102.832031&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Osmanabad,+Maharashtra,+India&t=h&ll=20.591652,80.991211&spn=32.005611,51.416016&iwloc=A&source=embed">View Larger Map</a></div><p /><div></div><p /><div>Innovation might get you thinking about new products or services, but the key innovation here is that we have begun integrating an informal group - waste pickers - and capitalized on skills that were previously left unrecognized. By relying on waste pickers, who have based their livelihoods on collecting, segregating and recycling waste we can build a more effective collection system - collecting more of the trash and doing so at lower cost) collection system. Furthermore by innovating on the processing end - recycling &amp; composting - we can increase the earnings of the waste pickers and provide them a way to take themselves out of poverty.&nbsp;</div><p /><div>The contract was given last week, and the day before yesterday the formal inauguration was held. Now the long road of implementation starts - handcarts to be purchased, processing site to be developed and systems for monitoring and evaluation put in place.&nbsp;</div><p /><div>We're all very excited about getting even deeper into this project and at the same moving forward with the many other municipalities (already 34!) that have expressed interest in working with us. &nbsp;</div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/where-social-innovation-really-happens-inaugu">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/where-social-innovation-really-happens-inaugu#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=-_HZHzbSBrA:OOPSCJr9OQw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=-_HZHzbSBrA:OOPSCJr9OQw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=-_HZHzbSBrA:OOPSCJr9OQw:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/-_HZHzbSBrA" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/where-social-innovation-really-happens-inaugu Mon, 16 May 2011 23:29:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/vwkvq3Duf18/showcase-how-one-organization-in-bangalore-is http://www.wasteventures.org/showcase-how-one-organization-in-bangalore-is <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"> <p>Sarasa Satish is a waste picker. Every morning, she starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. going door to door, collecting throwaway materials from houses in the Rajendra Nagar slums of Bangalore, India.</p> <p>Bangalore produces more than 3,000 tons of waste each day. There are irregular and inefficient waste collection services. Among the rejects that waste pickers collect and have to dump, most are taken to unregulated dumps on the city's outskirts.</p> <p>On top of working in an unrecognized industry, waste pickers usually come from lower Indian castes once officially regarded as "untouchables." Many are still unfairly stigmatized as thieves and low-lives.</p> <p>In January, CHF [a humanitarian aid organization] opened Kasa Rasa, a 2,500-square-foot waste management facility that can process 1.5 tons of recyclable material each day. Meaning "from waste to resources," Kasa Rasa gets its waste from roughly 1,000 surrounding homes. At its center, recyclable waste is segregated and organic waste is composted. Both are then sold to recyclers.</p> <p>"Before, they had to segregate waste in a back alley or vacant lot," [Brian English, a CHF country director in India] said. "But now they have a legitimate space with toilets, shade and ventilation," among other amenities, he said.</p> <p>Better business begins with the physical space provided by the centers. Informal waste pickers can only deal with as much material as they can carry in their sacks. They're further limited by the space they have to sort it out. The recycling centers give waste pickers more room to work, so they can sell more material and make a bigger wage.</p> <p>The CHF centers purchase the recyclables at publicly listed prices.</p> <p>The business model for "Trash to Treasure" is simple. The city provides the land, CHF uses money donated from Caterpillar and the Gates Foundation to buy the facilities, and the waste pickers' salaries are paid by two fees. One is a monthly fee from households for collecting waste and the other is from selling recyclables and organic waste to collectors.</p> <p>Before Satish collected waste, she would have to travel miles away from her slum to do housekeeping. When she became a waste collector under the CHF program, it offered her a few things the last job couldn't. For one, she was closer to her child. But she also got to take part in a self-help group. More than 80 women from "Trash to Treasure" are involved in such groups.</p> <p>The self-help groups give the women a chance to address problems ranging from preventing abuse at home to managing their daily finances. Each one includes about 10 women who pool 100 rupees in a revolving fund. The fund can be drawn from by any member for necessary needs like health costs. English estimates that these funds have helped the workers save a total of a couple thousand dollars a year, a significant amount for people making as little as these women do.</p> </blockquote> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">read the full article at <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/05/16/16climatewire-foundations-try-to-legitimize-indias-invisib-79578.html?pagewanted=2">nytimes.com</a></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/showcase-how-one-organization-in-bangalore-is">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/showcase-how-one-organization-in-bangalore-is#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=vwkvq3Duf18:Aky_B601cEU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=vwkvq3Duf18:Aky_B601cEU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=vwkvq3Duf18:Aky_B601cEU:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/vwkvq3Duf18" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1117628/Profile_pic_g_cropped.png http://posterous.com/users/he6XBVC1Wi8wW Tiffany Talsma tiffanytalsma Tiffany Talsma http://www.wasteventures.org/showcase-how-one-organization-in-bangalore-is Tue, 10 May 2011 05:17:00 -0700 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WasteVentures/~3/0GJlOyeKPW8/searching-for-simplicity-from-talking-trash-o http://www.wasteventures.org/searching-for-simplicity-from-talking-trash-o <p> <div class="posterous_bookmarklet_entry"> <blockquote class="posterous_long_quote"><p class="documentDescription">Birbal, a famous Indian courtier in the court of the Mughal King Akbar, was coming back to the palace in the dark. He saw a man searching for something under a street lamp, and stopped to help him. 'What have you lost?' asked Birbal. 'A ring from my finger.' As they could find nothing, Birbal naturally asked: 'Are you sure you dropped it here?' 'No,' was the answer. 'I dropped it over there, but it's dark there and light here. I am searching where I can see,’ said the man.</p> <div class="plain"><p>&nbsp;In the past couple months, Waste Ventures has been ‘roadshow’-ing our work to attract both grants and investment into the waste picker groups.<span style="">&nbsp;</span></p><p></p> <p><span style="">&nbsp;</span>One message permeates the feedback we receive time and time again: simplify simplify simplify.</p> <p>It’s good advice – not to add complexity where a clear idea can be expressed.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>However, this only goes so far in an inherently complex system.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>And this is where I found my first surprise… as we would go through our intervention with potential supporters, we often hear an exclamation of how intricate the system is.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>While it is partially complementary about how much we have thought through the needs within the solid waste management system, I’ve also noticed a slight undertone of hesitancy with the complexity which surprises me.<span style="">&nbsp; </span></p> <p>At the Schwab Foundation, I would purposely spend a couple days on the ground with our potential finalists so I could peel back the onion of complexity.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>Granted, as I was presenting the finalists to jury members like the head of the India Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia I needed to know the ins and outs but understanding the complexity was also something I reveled in, enjoyed, and appreciated.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>It told me the entrepreneur had battle scars in trying to create systems change and had learned and adjusted accordingly.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>A well-crafted <span class="highlightedSearchTerm">social</span> enterprise would be analogous to a good book where you see a few different streams that suddenly come together to create a synergistic ‘denouement’ that would create an ‘Aha!’ in our mind like conducting the due diligence on the Mann Deshi Mahila organizations that had<span style="">&nbsp; </span>a banking unit, a business school, and a bank/ property scheme that beautifully brought together skills, capital, and land rights to empower women in enterprise in rural Maharashtra.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>In fact, I would go so far to say that a simple <span class="highlightedSearchTerm">social</span> enterprise makes me quite skeptical.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>I don’t know how many livelihood enterprises I have seen that talk about micro-franchising or artisanal craft building that expect these magic words to automatically lead to scale and an accelerated path-to-profitability.<span style="">&nbsp; </span></p> <p>Waste Ventures model is complex.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>We incubate cooperatives of waste pickers that collect and environmentally process municipal waste.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>To do that operationally, we assist municipalities, we engage local organizations, and we help to raise investment.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>We have to engage on all levels as 1) to shift municipal solid waste management structurally and 2) since there are currently few ecosystems builders like ourselves (we are trying to encourage more). &nbsp;Waste management is tough. &nbsp;There are no easy solutions and plenty of key failure factors. &nbsp;We are driven by the promise of change for the poorest-of-the-poor and the dramatic effect it will have on local environments and global climate change. &nbsp;The prize is worth it.</p> <p>I can reconcile my former desire for complexity at the foundation and the magnetism of simplicity for investors.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>As an investor, a simple strategy and process leaves little room for snags to encumber the system.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>In the long run, we hope to attract commercial investors by having different players in the eco-system handle various parts such as vocational training for waste pickers, financing for cooperatives, government liaison entities, and so forth.<span style="">&nbsp; </span>We have already disaggregated the ecosystem creation of waste picker-led cooperatives (through Waste Ventures) and the <span style="">&nbsp;</span>investment of capital into the waste picker cooperatives (through Waste Capital Partners).<span style="">&nbsp; </span></p> <p>As we build the field together, we're hoping we can be the light for those brave funders/ investors searching in the dark for a structural solution rather than being content finding feel good solutions under the lamp post of simplicity. </p></div></blockquote> <div class="posterous_quote_citation">via <a href="http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/talking-trash">socialedge.org</a></div> <p></p></div> </p> <p><a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/searching-for-simplicity-from-talking-trash-o">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.wasteventures.org/searching-for-simplicity-from-talking-trash-o#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=0GJlOyeKPW8:tKmjwKuI1zI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=0GJlOyeKPW8:tKmjwKuI1zI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?a=0GJlOyeKPW8:tKmjwKuI1zI:I9og5sOYxJI"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/WasteVentures?d=I9og5sOYxJI" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WasteVentures/~4/0GJlOyeKPW8" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/487410/twitterProfilePhoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5erLYVouMuxb Linus Kendall linuskendall Linus Kendall http://www.wasteventures.org/searching-for-simplicity-from-talking-trash-o