In plastic we trust
It’s cheap, it’s disposable, it’s durable, comes in all shapes and colors, and it’s everywhere. Annually eight million tons of plastic with a guaranteed average lifespan of 500 years ends up deep in the ocean. The toxic particles of plastic stay in the environment and cause global pollution, threaten biodiversity, and challenge human food security. The rising toll of plastic waste is more alarming when considered with the issue of natural resource depletion.
Plastic obsession
For ages waste generated by people had minimal environmental impact: people have been using bio-derived materials such as rubber, animal horn, or eggs. Industrialization, growing population and invention of first synthetic plastic trumpeted the beginning of the so called Kingdom of plastics. Following the WWII plastic, byproduct of oil refining and coal distillation, became a mass production and consumption item. Plastics was packaged and sold as embodiment of freedom of choice, variety and progress. In order to make it more durable and reshape into anything, its structure has been changed and twisted so much that eventually it became resistant to degradation.
What about Armenia?
Armenian mountains, fresh air, forests and lakes, newly laid hiking trails make this a dream destination for eco and agro-tourists, but the plastic bags found in the river streams, gorges, and even on the branches of the trees spoil this impression. According to Waste Atlas non-commercial initiative in 2013 plastic waste comprised 9.8% of the whole waste produced in Armenia (annually 368.618 tons).
The affection for plastic doesn’t have a long history in independent Armenia. Plastic bags became popular only in the 1970s and were a sign of rich Western life for Soviet citizens; people would carefully wash those bags, renovate and reuse them. Instead people would carry string bags called avoska(rus. авоська- maybe bag) that could handle 70kg weight, since there were no plastic bags being sold at every cashier desk in the Soviet Union. Cloth bags that were decorated with pins, stickers or photos of Abba, Beatles and Vladimir Visotskiy were also popular grocery bag versions.
Although Armenia has several laws regarding the protection of the environment and solid waste management, according to Armenian Environmental Network not only country lacks enforcement of these laws but also none of the hundreds of landfills and dumpsites around the country meet the minimal accepted industry standards for sanitary waste management.
To date, several sustainable waste management projects were implemented by USAID and UNDP, Armenian Environmental Network as well as by different grassroots initiatives (including Toprak petq chi and Plastic Storming). However, awareness of why and how to recycle and reduce waste footprint remains minimal. In fact, there is no proper solid waste management and recycling infrastructure in the country, which makes it even more difficult to reduce improper littering practices. For me this issue is a complex one and touches SDGs 4, 11 and 12 at the same time.
Me
Hi, I am Ruzanna. I come from Armenia, where the community is so small that almost everyone turns out to know each other. The power of small communities helps to identify social issues easier. One of them as you’ve already guessed is the plastic waste.
I have a Masters degree in Peace and Conflict studies from Malmo Hogskola. After my graduation I’ve focused on social startups and SDGs. I have worked in business sector, in media and in IT industry. Through different projects in Armenia and abroad, I have been a strong advocate of SDGs 4, 11, and 12 for the last 3 years.
I have been actively involved in a local social venture incubator, UNDP’s Kolba Innovations Lab, during my internship period last year. The lab is a great space for innovators from different walks of life to identify social challenges and test ideas with human-centered design in mind. In collaboration with EU, Kolba lab is implementing #inno4dev project. They crowdsource ideas on different SDGs, hold ideathons, summer camps, and startup cups, involve government though Open Government partnership initiatives and much more.
During my time in Kolba Lab I organized a mapathon for accessible places. The concept behind was simple: gamify a social issue. We used an app called accessible places, engaged moms, children, NGOs and people with disabilities and kicked off a quest to find and map accessible places in our quite inaccessible city.
What my experience in Kolba Lab has taught me, is that innovation doesn’t happen within a small group of citizens. NGOs, business entities, government officials and active citizens are critical elements to any change and it is important to create a platform for their communication and involvement in the process of creation. And that is what I am looking forward to in UNLEASH - unique space for co-creation with focus on social issues.
Currently I work on the evaluation of solid waste management situation in Armenia. Based on the results an action plan will be developed to involve recycling scheme into the new national program of SWM and to include the 3R’s in a school curriculum. During UNLEASH, I expect to get feedback and insight on my ideas of “gamifying” awareness on plastic issue, also mingle with other teams and have my contribution to their ideas.
I look forward to meeting as many of the 1000s of talents as possible, network with mentors and speakers, to elevate ideas, share experience and be a part of the network of innovators.
