Mexico City based Ecolana has been announced as one of 10 global winners in the 2020 Global Recycling Day #RecyclingHeroes competition.
Ecolana is a social impact company and digital platform that focuses on inclusive recycling initiatives. The team has won $1,000 to put towards its various recycling programs designed for consumers and brands.
Ecolana is both a digital platform and a learning tool for businesses. Its platform houses a recycling guide, composed of a map and a waste-materials dictionary, that advises consumers on how and where to recycle. In its capacity as a learning tool, it empowers consumer brands to develop their own recycling programs. Last year, Ecolana helped to recycle over 1,500 tonnes of waste and since launching, they have helped over 200,000 people in Mexico to recycle.
The #RecyclingHeroes competition, which was launched in February 2020, encouraged people from across the globe to nominate individuals, business or communities that set examples and push boundaries with their recycling initiatives. The competition received over 2,000 nominations across world.
Ranjit S. Baxi, Founder and President of the Global Recycling Foundation, said: “We are proud to celebrate and recognize Ecolana and the work they do towards bettering the planet and securing a greener future for all.
“Education is an important part of the larger recycling picture, and Ecolana’s contribution towards teaching both consumers and companies proper recycling processes is hugely commendable. By helping both consumers and businesses throughout Mexico develop inclusive recycling practices, they are true #RecyclingHeroes.”
On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the third annual Global Recycling Day took place, with individuals, businesses, cities and organizations marking the day with events and activities on social media, in their homes, and in their local communities. Plenty of businesses and individuals also supported the day online via social media. Early calculations show that #RecyclingHeroes and #GlobalRecyclingDay reached over 237 million people on social media alone.
THE TEN WINNERS WERE:
Plogging Club – Nigeria
A movement inspiring young people across Nigerian campuses to take action for the climate through exercise that combines jogging with picking up litter and recyclables.
Reform Africa – Uganda
Tackles waste disposal by transforming plastic waste into sustainable, waterproof and durable bags, employing youths to collect the plastic waste, and single mothers who wash and tailor the products.
U-Recycle – Nigeria
A youth-led non-profit organization working to promote a circular economy in Nigeria through reinforcing a sustainable recycling culture, and investing time and resources into educating schools and communities about the value of recycling.
Zizo Ezi Foundation – South Africa
A non-profit programs that operates in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, working with school children in rural areas to teach them about the benefits, as well as the do’s and don’ts, of a clean eco future.
Anuya Trivedi, Founder of Greenbuddies – India
An programs that creates eco-designed, cost effective ‘Recycled Play Stations’ for children out of tyres and other reusable scraps.
Aribe Bajwa, Founder of Youth Social Ambassadors – Pakistan
A youth-based programs working towards community empowerment, focusing specifically on environmental causes, including planting 300,000 plus trees and providing training and awareness sessions on the conservation of the environment at different institutions.
Made by TREID – Philippines
Made by TREID extends the life of old clothes and uniforms to reduce environmental waste by transforming them into higher valued products such as multifunctional, fashionable shoes and bags, home accessories and new fabric, while also providing job opportunities to disadvantaged people.
Ecolana – Mexico
A social impact company focused on inclusive recycling practices in Mexico. On one hand it is a digital platform with a recycling guide (a map and a waste-materials dictionary) that advises consumers on how and where to recycle. On the other, it helps consumer brands to develop their own recycling programs.
Cappabue National School – Ireland
This small school in Cork is raising awareness of climate change with their viral rap video ‘One Small Change,’ a response to polluted beaches in Co Cork.
Nick Oettinger, Managing Director, Founder of The Furniture Recycling Group – UK
The Furniture Recycling Group is helping to tackle the UK’s mattress landfill problem, diverting 400,000 mattresses away from landfills each year. The company has recycled more than 1.5 million mattresses since launching, and is continually investing in research to make recycling mattresses more viable and more efficient.
About the Global Recycling Foundation
The Global Recycling Foundation supports the promotion of recycling, and the recycling industry, across the world in order to showcase its vital role in preserving the future of the planet. It will promote Global Recycling Day as well as other educational programs, awareness projects and innovation initiatives which focus on the sustainable and inclusive development of recycling.
