Australian Entrepreneur Hailed for Cleaning Philippines' Trash-Strewn River €“ but Will It Last?

credit:

"People used to go swimming in it, and then how grateful [they] are for the work that we're doing in conjunction with the government and other organizations," Mike Smith tells This Week in Asia.

Smith is the Australian founder of Zero Co, a company that makes plastic-free products, and he spent six weeks in the Philippines in 2023 looking for the country's most polluted water systems.

He found the Taguig-Pateros River south of Manila to be particularly polluted, and he organized a team of more than 250 environmental rangers and volunteers to clean it up, Australia's News Network reports.

"That was a light bulb moment," Smith says.

"If we want to have the biggest possible impact on this problem, then let's go to the source of the problem."

According to the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the country is the third-largest source of ocean waste in the world.

Philippines discards an estimated 3.3 kilograms of plastic waste per person into the ocean, with more than 4,800 rivers emitting more than 350,000 metric tons of non-degradable litter.

"People used to go swimming in it, and then how grateful [they] are for the work that we're doing in conjunction with the government and

Read the Entire Article

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Celebrating Scotland's Change Makers: Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2024 Winners Announced

Celebrating Scotland's change makers: Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2024 winners announced.The coveted Social Enterprise of the Year 2024 award was presented to Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust.The...more

Cop29

With growing global commitment from non-State actors, our shared aim is to advance resilience, equitable finance, and scalable net zero and nature-positive solutions for a thriving, inclusive...more

Sfd Receives $300000 State Grant For Ppe

Governor Kathy Hochul awarded $25 million in state funds to improve facilities and response capabilities for volunteer firefighters.The funding, provided through the Division of Homeland Security and...more

Shortlist Revealed For the Uk's Management Publication of the Year

The shortlist for the inaugural Management Publication of the Year has been announced at the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) annual conference.The award celebrates research and...more

Colorado Voters Repeal State Constitution's 2006 Same-Sex Marriage Ban
Foundation: Rose Community Foundation

Colorado voters repeal state Constitution's 2006 same-sex marriage ban.Amendment J, referred to the 2024 ballot by the Colorado General Assembly, had 63.6% of the vote as of 9 p.m.November 5,...more

Biodesign Cultivates Community Partnerships to Broaden Understanding of Health Equity

Stanford Biodesign hopes to impart a new generation of innovators with the instinct to seek out multiple perspectives and lived realities.At The Arc San Francisco, the fellows shared dinner with...more

Kingston Business School and Lidl Launch Innovative Retail Management Degree Apprenticeship

Kingston Business School and Lidl launch innovative retail management degree apprenticeship.A total of 51 participants have now commenced Retail Leadership BSc (Hons) studies.It is the first-degree...more

Stonecrest Business Park Among Projects to Benefit From $9.65M in State Grant Funding

The funding will support two key initiatives in the immediate Ellwood City area.$500,000 will go toward the construction of a new industrial building at Stonecrest Business Park, aimed at attracting...more

Multi-Stakeholder Action Drives Sustainable Rice and Shrimp Farming Through Nature-Positive Solutions

Multi-stakeholder collaboration is essential for food systems transformation.The Integrated Rice and Shrimp Farming initiative in the Mekong Delta brings together farmers, businesses, civil society...more

Indigenous People Face Voting Obstacles From Discrimination
Foundation: Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

The Southern Poverty Law Center's Vote Your Voice program is providing grants to grassroots organizations.Indigenous Americans face barriers to voting that most Americans do not, the group says.About...more