The U.S. Department of State and partners from the LAUNCH: Beyond Waste Forum have announced a challenge to identify 10 innovative, game-changing ideas that show great promise in transforming current waste-management systems and practices.
Because the ultimate goal of LAUNCH: Beyond Waste “is a sustainable future for planet Earth and its inhabitants,” the challenge invites proposals “focused on minimizing waste and/or transforming waste into new products,” according to forum organizers. LAUNCH seeks to transform waste from a byproduct with a negative impact to a resource and asset for society.
Innovations that address waste issues, in the developing world and elsewhere, “can contribute to more effective waste-management practices for the health and well-being of global citizens and the environment, thereby helping to alleviate conflicts that stem from resource inequality and poverty,” said the State Department.
Challenge proposals may be submitted in different categories, including innovative design for zero-waste solutions, waste-elimination, waste-transformation and waste-mitigation technologies, as well as waste reduction–focused education, business and financial strategies with the potential to reduce or eliminate waste at a household, community, office building, campus or industrial level.
Proposals should clearly demonstrate the potential to positively affect various waste-management outcomes, such as reduced costs for waste processing, reduced toll on human health associated with waste, reduced local environmental impacts and creation or improvement of economic opportunity for individuals or communities.
Source: iipdigital.usembassy.gov