The more I look, the more I see elegant and inspiring examples of innovation in waste at the grassroots level in the informal sector. Waste is a wonderfully complex problem worthy of a lifetime’s inquiry

Katrina Mitchell is the Co-Founder of Be Waste Wise and a Strategist, Planner and Researcher at Katrina Mitchell LLC. Katrina has been engaged in waste management since 2008 when she began studying the informal recycling sector in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Since then she has sought to create a global dialogue with thought leaders, experts, activists, and grassroots practitioners who recognize the power and growing importance of waste pickers, junk shops, scavengers — the informal sector – to solve the global waste crisis. She has a Masters in Urban Planning from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affair. She has provided strategy, planning and research to many social innovators and has analyzed industry clusters and the green economy for regional economic development.

Contributions

	Interviews with Julie Kearns & Moana Simas May 24, 2017 from our Video Panels We organized a couple of conversations this week with two people working in the space of consumption in very different ways. Read More
	2015 Global Waste Survey April 1, 2015 from our Surveys Please take the 2015 Global Waste Survey to tell us what you want to know or discuss about waste in 2015.Read More
	Advice for solving plastic pollution February 20, 2014 from our Video Excerpts "There are solutions out there. If we can put a man on the moon and send rovers to mars, we can solve plastic pollution." ~ Bill FrancisRead More
	Are bio-plastics a solution to ocean garbage patches? February 20, 2014 from our Video Excerpts "Bio-plastics have a role, but there is no standard to say what makes a bio-plastic which truly degrades in the ocean." ~ Nicholas MallosRead More
	Is the Ocean Cleanup Array Viable? February 20, 2014 from our Video Excerpts "They should consider designing it to work at a river mouth or even upstream where there is a potential concentrated plastic pollution source." ~ Bill FrancisRead More
	Why cannot we just clean up all plastic in the oceans? February 20, 2014 from our Video Excerpts "The oceans are so huge. Cleaning them up is like sifting the Sahara desert by using a kitchen strainer." ~ Bill FrancisRead More
	What can each of us do to reduce plastic pollution? February 20, 2014 from our Video Excerpts "As I learned more and more about plastic recycling, I discovered that it has its own drawbacks. So, I started reducing my own personal plastic as the first step ." ~ Beth TerryRead More
	Can one person really make a difference to plastic pollution? February 20, 2014 from our Video Excerpts "When people see you do it, it becomes part of the norm. So, take your own bag to the store and bring your own bottles." ~ Beth TerryRead More
	Difference between Plastic Pollution and Marine Debris February 20, 2014 from our Video Excerpts “Plastic pollution isn’t just about plastic in the oceans but the entire life-cycle of plastics, from when it’s first made, through all the pathways until it becomes plastic pollution” ~Nicholas MallosRead More
	Amplifying Voices to Bridge the Waste Solutions Expertise Gap – Results from our 2013 Global Dialogues on Waste January 3, 2014 from our Blog, The 2013 Global Dialogue on Waste Through our 2013 global dialogues on waste, we amplified 20 hours of time from the best in waste into 500 hours of education. Twenty seven experts from...Read More
	Methods to Increase Participation in Recycling October 21, 2013 from our The 2013 Global Dialogue on Waste, Video Excerpts CONTRIBUTORSRead More
	Integrating the Informal Waste Recycling Sector in Latin America October 3, 2013 from our Articles, The 2013 Global Dialogue on Waste "When designing solutions for inteftrating informal waste recycling, we need an adequate understanding of how the overall system is currently working including both formal and informal elements". - Jane Olley This panel explored how solid waste management is different in the Global South, and in particular in Latin America and the Caribbean, and considers the benefits of integrating the informal sector into municipal waste management strategies.Read More
	Managing Plastic Waste and Mitigating the Garbage Patches July 31, 2013 from our The 2013 Global Dialogue on Waste, Video Panels   Are we becoming a plastic society? Plastic seems all pervasive and unavoidable. Since the 1960s our use of plastic has increased dramatically, and subsequently, the portion of our garbage that is made up of plastic has also increased from ... Read More
	Recycling in North American Cities June 5, 2013 from our The 2013 Global Dialogue on Waste, Video Panels The panel addressed recycling in North American cities, and how to improve the collection and processing of recyclables at the municipal level. Additionally, it will provide insights into the opportunities and trends for recycling within waste management in the North ... Read More