Recycling & Upcycling
(Courtesy of Maria Zaharatos)
The Middlebury Institute of International Studies
The story of how one non-profit is bringing climate change awareness to children with engaging books and educational materials.
Tote bag designs by Cael Parker.
Virginia Commonwealth University
ModiMask is the solution to the excess medical mask waste produced by the Covid 19 pandemic that takes used masks and repurposes them into durable handmade tote bags and backpacks.
(Images from the picture book courtesy of Maria Zaharatos, Shelby Atherton, Ruby Walker)
The Middlebury Institute of International Studies
An inspiring and empowering story about a young girl in Ecuador on a journey to discover what communities across her country are doing to increase sustainability and combat plastic waste.
Found in the Goodwill bins, costing less than $5, and customized with paint pens by myself (left), and my friend Surana (right) [@Suranamacfarlane] Instagram. These beat-up Nike sneakers exemplify the endless potential that lies in pre-loved items. (Madison Paulus)
George Washington University
This story delves into my relationship with fast fashion, thrifting, and the ethical and environmental implications of each.
Each basketball season, UConn's Office of Sustainability and UConn Athletics partner to host a Green Game Day at Gampel Pavilion to promote recycling and engage with the community. (Maggie Singman)
University of Connecticut
How the world of athletics can lead the charge in addressing climate change at the game day level and beyond.
A discarded mask was one of the many types of litter resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Andy Mabbett/Creative Commons 4.0)
Northwestern University
From neighborhood cleanup to city-wide effort, Cleanup Club Chicago organizes volunteers in an effort to address plastic litter pollution.
Fashion designer, Ngwane Liz poses at Down Beach Limbe wearing an up-cycled dress from her "NWF" collection. (No Waste Factory)
Mandela Washington Fellow
The cost of staying fashionable goes beyond the price tag to the environment. Sustainable Fashion designer Ngwane Liz is reversing the fast fashion trend by patching pieces of tossed clothes into new garments.
Nelson Boateng, founder and Chief Executive Officer of NelPlast Eco Ghana Limited, stands in front of some of his award-winning bricks made from recycled plastic. (Photo courtesy Nelson Boateng)
Mandela Washington Fellow
A former tech worker turned eco-entrepreneur in Ghana works to intercept plastics on the way to the landfill by repurposing the plastic into an award-winning building product.
George Washington University
Through fashion, Brazilian designer Daniel Davilla detects the intrinsic beauty of “junk” and molds it into a garment that appeals to all audiences.
(Photo by Hannah Richter/ University of Chicago)
University of Chicago
Composting is a growing practice that diverts food waste from greenhouse gas-producing landfills; Chicago colleges provide a case study into how this practice can be implemented more broadly today.