Abstract
The possibility of recovering discarded materials and selling them for revenue leads many individuals worldwide to engage in waste collection. This situation is observed in New York City, where waste pickers collect discarded beverage containers in the streets. Although contributing to recycling in the city, these workers face political and social obstacles. This study aims to investigate actions that support waste pickers worldwide, as well as their potential for exchange. Some specific goals are to examine the development of a Brazilian project in the context of recycling in the USA, and to evaluate the social and environmental outcomes of a design and art collaborative action. The methodology for this research-and-practice based study comprises a theoretical review, a field research to gather qualitative data, and a case study of an action promoted within the scope of this work. When analysing the results of this study, the contribution of design and art action is evidenced, and three important findings are highlighted: the relevance of a sense of identity for waste pickers; the importance of waste pickers being visible within the urban environment; and the potential for changes in the interactions between waste pickers and other citizens. Finally, this study accomplishes the goals of employing design and art to promote a socio-environmental action based on a collaborative model, and of evaluating the outcomes of this experience exchange between a Brazilian project and a NYC based organization.
Highlights
Over the last ten years, the US recycling industryWaste management is crucial for the functioning of has mushroomed on both the formal and inforcities
Some examples are Wilson (2007) affirms that the recovery and trade of the concern for public health raised during the sanitary discarded materials is a key activity that connects the movement in the late 1800s and the pressure for the pres- urban poor in many parts of the world to waste manervation of natural resources influenced by the environ- agement, creating the ‘informal sector’
This study focuses on the situation of individuspace cleaning is a public health concern and that local als who engage in informal waste collection both governments are responsible for managing the city waste in Brazilian cities and in New York City, USA
Summary
Waste management is crucial for the functioning of has mushroomed on both the formal and inforcities. Environmental preservation is an important Brazilian cities, the workers who autonomously collect driver influencing current practices, such as making recy- recyclables in the streets are known as ‘catadores’ and cling mandatory. A significant number of this population live on My Carroça, which is a social, artistic and cultural movethe streets, where they develop their survival ment initiated in Brazil in 2012; (ii) Sure We Can, which repertoire that involves material collection and is a non-for-profit recycling center operating in NYC recycling, what is known as ‘catação’. Gowan (1997) points out that informal waste picking is a results of a collaborative design and art action in procommon practice in many cities in the United States, moting socio-environmental development
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