By Nuru Ahmed
In recognition of efforts being made by different people and entities which are leading the way in sustainable practices and that showcase the important role recycling plays in creating an environmentally stable planet, the theme for this year’s Global Recycling Day (GRD) will be “Recycling Heroes.”
Ranjit Baxi, Founding President of the Global Recycling Foundation (GRF), commented: “Through focusing on Recycling Heroes, the GRF will encourage the world to look at the positive impact that individuals, communities and businesses are having on the future of our world, as well as highlight what still needs to be done.”
“Recycling heroes surround us every day, from the big names such as Greta Thunberg and Leonardo DiCaprio to the unknown heroes like a couple from the United Kingdom who built a recycling center on their driveway to inspire their local community to recycle unusual items. In 2020, the GRF wants to showcase all of these “heroes big and small as well as cities, such as Ljubljana, and businesses who are championing innovative recycling practices around the world,” he said.
The Recycling Heroes campaign also aims to showcase the diverse, innovative and passionate ideas around recycling that people are driving forward across the globe. With the awards competition launch via social media in January, the GRF will soon be announcing more details.
Competition winners from across all continents will receive $1000 towards their recycling initiatives, and the GRF will promote their work across the world.
With the continuing global devastation of forest fires, floods and droughts, the world needs to save carbon emissions in order to reduce the effects of climate change. The recycling industry saves over 700 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions every year. This is projected to increase to 1 billion tons by 2030.
Ranjit Baxi, the Founding President of the GRF said: “The first two Global Recycling Days were enormously successful in raising the profile of this vital issue, and last year we reached in excess of 600 million people. We hope that the third annual Global Recycling Day will showcase just how many of us are working together towards a more sustainable future. Our Recycling Heroes show just how human innovation and ingenuity can reverse the tide of waste and ensure a brighter future for the planet.”
Launched in 2018, GRF has so far reached over 600 million people across the world through activities and media hits in 2018 and 2019, with a target to reach one billion people by 2020. This success has also been accompanied by celebrations of around 50 Global Recycling Day events in six continents across the globe.
On Global Recycling Day which will take place on March 18, 2020, cities and organizations all over the world will take part in the annual initiative which raises awareness about the many ways we can all turn ‘waste’ into a valuable resource.
On this day, there will also be a range of activities and celebrations taking place including events in United States of America, Brazil, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Holland, United Arab Emirates and India, amongst several other countries.
Global Recycling Day was created to celebrate the importance that recycling plays in preserving the earth’s primary resources (water, air, coal, oil, natural gas and minerals). Aiming to bring people together and champion ways to put our planet first, GRD highlights the need to consider recyclable materials as resource rather than waste, celebrating the power of the “Seventh Resource” the goods we recycle every day.
