There is too much trash in the world. Most of it is made up of plastic. And it is hurting people living in poverty. And God’s creatures. And everyone else as well. Something has to be done.

Enter The Rubbish Campaign.

Tearfund, Renew Our World and many others are launching an international campaign for a strong global plastics treaty – treaty negotiations started well last year and aim to finish by the end of next year. Launching on March.

Here’s video from Tearfund explaining the campaign:

Please email Jack Wakefield jack.wakefield@tearfund.org if you’re interested in joining in, at or after launch. 

Tiyanjana Banda wants to do something about the problem of solid waste in Malawi. He sees it as a blessing in disguise thanks to a machine he has designed that will turn plastic waste into building blocks:

I have developed a Social Enterprise that will create employment for young people as well as reduce deforestation and manage waste.

I need funds to fabricate machines that I have designed. The machines will help me turn all plastic and biodegradable waste into money, through the production of construction material and Biomass alternatives.

Waste is a very huge problem for Malawi especially in the major cities of Malawi. We considers waste a blessing in disguise as it is resource that is freely accessible and can be used as a resource for many environmentally friendly products such as bricks, blocks among other infrastructural materials. The process of coming up with such products, create Jobs for young people in the production chain as well as rid the environment of waste, odour and diseases that come along with it. Not only does the reuse of waste especially plastic rid the environment of waste, but also helps curbing deforestation demanded by the brick making industry as well as save on green Gas emissions through the cement production industry.

These machines will cost US$2,000 to fabricate, and there is an additional cost of US$1,500 for a building to house them. Tiyanjana is seeking to raise the funds on a GoFundMe page here.

Last year I was privileged to have visited Angola for two weeks. Traveling around the country made a deep impression on me and changed my view of Angola. Despite extreme poverty, there are bustling cities, beautiful houses and growing churches.

But the one thing that struck me most was the rubbish. Especially plastic rubbish – everywhere. I found it hard to watch the way Christian leaders throw plastic bags and bottles out of cars and buses.

It made me wonder, do they not care for God’s creation? And if they don’t care for creation, do they care for themselves and their neighbourhoods? Their careless actions saddened me. The vast majority of the Angolan population is Christian. How could there be so much rubbish in a country with so many Christians?

But Angola is not unique. What I experienced there is the same throughout Africa – just visit my own city, Pretoria in South Africa, or Nairobi, in Kenya which I often visit. So naturally I am extremely excited about Tearfund’s Rubbish Campaign. It calls on companies to stop selling plastic products in communities where waste is not collected and motivates Christians to reduce their plastic use.

Find out more at
www.tearfund.org/en/about_you/action/

and do your part: Put it in the bin! (Better, try to buy without plastic in the first place!)