Abstract
Grassroots innovations for sustainability can take various forms, including novel models for comprehensive waste management. This article examines the contributions of the University Solid Waste Management Program with a Zero Waste approach, a grassroots innovation established by the community of a university campus associated with a non-governmental organization. The program was developed in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in a political and economic context marked by unsustainable and inequitable practices, but with a long history of social struggle for the construction of alternatives. In analytical terms, we study the formation and mutual influence of the sustainability niches of both organizations from the perspective of strategic niche management theory, as well as the benefits resulting from such development.
Highlights
Two billion metric tons of urban solid waste are generated annually on Earth [1]
The objective of this article is to examine the contributions of a university solid waste management program with a zero waste approach that emerged as a grassroots innovation established in the community of students, workers, and academics of a university campus, in association with a non-governmental organization (NGO)
To what extent does the transformative power of this grassroots innovations (GI) contribute to the transition to sustainability in the university? we identify the elements developed by the Zero Waste Program (ZWP) and their contribution to the development of sustainable innovation niches from the perspective of strategic niche management
Summary
Two billion metric tons of urban solid waste are generated annually on Earth [1]. A third are managed insecurely, especially in poor countries where in spite of economic resources for the operation of waste management being able to represent up to 20% of municipal budgets, low coverage rates of collection, recovery, and final disposal are still common [2]. Improper waste disposal damages the environment because it pollutes the soil and groundwater and emits contaminant gases in the atmosphere [3,4], causing health risks. This situation will worsen in the future, as the estimated generation of waste in 2050 will reach 3.40 billion tons per year [2]. Various initiatives have emerged with important benefits, mainly in the recovery and transformation of waste in countries of the Global South, and some show innovative examples of grassroots participation and have contributed to the making of public policies and the improvement of management systems [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
