Exchanging Unwanted but Reusable Goods For Waste Collection and Sorting

The African Project encourages incentivized waste collection and sorting 

 Illegally dumped waste is so rampant in townships due to the inability of official refuse collectors to keep up with the amount of waste coming from residents' households and businesses.

On the other side, residents feel like they have no choice other than to go and dump their continuously piling waste illegally. 

This resultantly leads to the waste finding itself in our oceans affecting marine life and causing serious marine and inland environmental pollution

To avert this there is a need for the empowerment of Environmental Activists like myself. I appreciate this platform for offering me an opportunity to share with the world what I think can be done to easily get the access waste that waste removers can not keep up with most from the overpopulated high-density suburbs and informal settlements

A project I named The Afri-Can project which is still at a planning stage was a creation that came to me after I saw a lot of plastic and glass bottles, metal cans, plastic shopping bags, and all other forms of waste lying around every time I take a walk in my neighborhood. 

It is then when I thought that if those responsible for waste collection in those areas can partner with Environmental Activists, Waste Management, and Recycling Companies to help us create awareness and also give some sort of incentive to school kids and the unemployed residents who collect and sort waste our neighborhoods will forever be clean. 

My idea involves creating an internet game shop that only uses unwanted computers and game consoles, and if possible food hampers and school kits, and uniforms for both kids and adults who can bring an agreed amount of sorted waste at the facility. 

We can also add a second-hand clothing shop in the same facility where people can donate their unwanted clothing and shoes.

A lot of people would appreciate picking up and sorting plastics and other waste and exchanging it for a second-hand winter jacket, pair of takkies, jeans, or any other clothing item. 

Why unwanted Computers and game consoles?

E-Waste is a big problem on the opposite side of high-density suburbs and informal settlements. Most people struggle with where to put their old cellphones, computers and game consoles, and other electronic devices (if they don't want to sell them as second-hand goods)

That is why I  am proposing that instead of selling them to e-waste recyclers or second-hand goods users they can donate them to The Afri-Can Project and or similar organizations that are fighting illegal dumping and plastic-free oceans and communities so that they can be put to good use where kids will get internet browsing time or internet gaming time if they bring bags of sorted Cans, Plastic or glass waste.

I am cognizant of the fact that this might be considered child labor by children's rights activists but I feel like the benefits will be worth the labor as many parents can't afford to buy game consoles or computers for their kids.

For unemployed adults, food is a scarce resource and it will be beneficial if companies that are involved in the manufacturing and packaging of their products in plastic, glass or metal packaging can as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility set aside funds to buy food hampers that they can give to those unemployed people who are willing to earn their meals after doing this noble cause of cleaning their neighborhood by collecting and sorting illegally dumped waste they find in their streets

In conclusion, allow me to say "Our seas require everyone's concerted effort to keep them clean."

If you have read this article and you have resources mentioned above that can be used to incentivize waste collection consider yourself sitting on the solution to save our environment and marine life.

Be the change you want to see by contributing even the things you consider as garbage.

Your trash can be someone's treasure so before dumping any of your unwanted possessions think of how can that be reused and make a difference 

Let's all not forget to Reduce, Rethink, Repair, Reuse and finally Recycle!!

To contact The Afri-Can Project visit http://evergreen-enviro-solutions.mozello.com