Ciudad Saludable: Helping Others Turn Trash in to Cash!

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 Señoras y Caballeros,

 While reading through a few profiles on PBS’ “New Heroes” website, I have stumbled across a story of a woman from Lima, Peru who has truly inspired my personal efforts for social change. Albina Ruiz started to notice a true problem with Peru’s government and there lack of action towards the country’s accelerated waste management problem.  Basically, many cities in Peru produce more than 600 metric tons of garbage daily. The municipal government, on the other hand, can only process about half of its city’s waste a day (leaving the other half piling up in crowded streets, parks, lakes and reservoirs). To add to the potential environmental threat this is causing the citizens of Lima, a majority of these individuals are suffering from extreme poverty. Instead of waiting for the government to step in-one woman took a chance.

 Albina established “micro-businesses” to provide a solution to the detrimental city problem. Spearheading a campaign to clean up the city, she divided the tasks and motivated the unemployed to step forth as bonafide entrepreneurs, as you will, to capitalize on the daunting project. Wait, I know what your thinking…Why did he use the word capitalize when all these people will be doing is picking up trash? Answer: Recycling= $$$ (well maybe not three dollar signs, but enough to provide for people who are considerably below the poverty line- surviving on less than $1 dollar a day.) Please click on the picture below. The short video will provide you with way more insight:

                                                                                               

One thing that I took from Albina’s story was the proof that you don’t have to be rich to make a revenue generating, yet socially responsible business plan. If more people can understand that it is not all about pure gain but more about how you use the resources you have to make sound judgment, than this would achieve a less “consumption-able” world.

 I write about these stories to change perception of thinking.  I want people to be inspired to look outside and see what is going on around us. I plan to create a foundation that will provide support for others to participate in actions of social change. Please contact me or comment on my blog if you are interested!

 Until next time,

Taylor