2020 has been an exceptional year for everyone. It feels like the world has been paused as it battles an outbreak across the globe and the undiscovered. For many of us, that is a time to retreat to the security of our houses and await the world to open. However, for some, this isn't an alternative. Their job should continue for the most essential workers, such as waste workers. In all our efforts in Indonesia, there is one thing that is certain waste workers are an unnoticed frontline for our COVID-19 epidemic. Workers in developing economies such as Indonesia are...

  In December of this year, we launched our quarterly electronic newsletter. We invite you to join us to receive updates similar to this shortly. In the year 2023, McKinsey & Company embarked on a path to create an independent, nonprofit, McKinsey.org, and started to look into areas in which it could make a significant impact on the global challenges like the recycling and waste challenges faced by cities all over the world. This time, McKinsey.org leaped to help make this vision a reality by launching local pilot programs in its initial project Rethinking Recycling. With the help of top...

  Changes in behavior are on the center of international discussion as never before, yet remains elusive in reality. Innovative strategies developed in emerging economies settings, such as The Civic Response Teams approach to managing waste in India have the potential of helping communities across the world. In the past, a lot of organizations took approaches to behavior change from countries with high incomes and attempted to transfer them to countries with low and middle incomes. In recent years these days, NGOs in emerging economies are developing their behavior changes that are precisely specific to the populations they are serving...

  As with many non-profits across the globe, we started 2023 with grand expectations and big plans for how we could transform social and environmental systems in the world. We know well that 2020 could instead be a road with seemingly unsurmountable challenges. Our 2020 goal: Expanding recycling thinking all across Buenos Aires The Rethinking Recycling program located in Buenos Aires' Barrio 31, locally known as "ATR - A todo Reciclaje, was closed in the year with a successful method for sustainable recycling programs for informal settlements. In just one year, we took the new recycling program to the doorsteps...

  What a recent trip to Bali is triggering our innovative scaling strategies What specifically does Delterra do to repair broken recycling and waste management systems? Take a trip to a neighborhood that is urban located in Bali, Indonesia, where Delterra has been working for the last three years to develop solutions to the issue of waste. Delterra's leadership team, Indonesia team, and partners recently came together to discuss how best to expand the pilots across Bali and throughout Indonesia and other countries within the region. The Bali you won't see on social media. Bali is famous worldwide for its...

  The volume of human waste is increasing and is predicted to rise by 70 percent until 2050. It is urgent to lessen the pressure on the environment and communities worldwide, especially those who are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. For starters, waste collection must be more efficient, and the recovery of the value derived from the waste stream must be increased. How can digital tools help? As Delterra's project manager in digital innovations, I've observed firsthand what can be achieved when tools are developed and implemented extensively and inclusively. I've also noticed some obstacles holding us from achieving our goals....

  The amount of garbage produced globally continues to increase at an alarming rate. We've all seen the horrifying images of coastlines covered with garbage and turtles consuming plastic bags. We need every bit of help we can get to manage our waste and reduce it. That's why analog waste collection systems increasingly rely on digital tools to accelerate solutions. A few months ago, in a post, I reviewed the most promising options available and asked you through an online poll to determine which one you believe has the most significant potential to impact waste management with digital tools. Our audience members said...

  What is required to change how households and companies view separate waste fundamentally? What principles of behavioral planning apply to the new collection services for recyclables or organic materials? The use of behavioral design is widely used in businesses to enhance the experience of customers. Targeted interventions have proved efficient and straightforward, resulting in remarkable outcomes. What if I had to oversee the transformation of behavior from scratch as part of creating public services on a municipal level? In this post, I'll discuss my experiences of implementing change in behavior in Delterra's Rethinking Recycling program in an average-sized Argentinian city. Here,...

  Plastic recycling has gained considerable importance on the international agenda in the past few years. As compared to the relatively low presence and focus on international gatherings on these issues just a few years ago, it's fantastic to see that more than 2,000 delegates, including officials from more than 150 UN nations who attended INC-1, which took place in Punta del Este in Uruguay and lasted for an entire week. In March 2022 in 2022, in March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly agreed to start negotiations to create an international legally binding agreement managing plastic throughout the entire...

  The world's community of nations met in Paris this week, and more than 1,700 participants from 170 countries gathered to discuss a UN global treaty that will fight the effects of plastic pollution. This is a historic chance to end the problem of plastics and create the future world we envision to live in tomorrow. As Delterra is a UNEP-accredited environmental non-profit, Delterra was delighted to participate in the discussions at the UNESCO location and on various other occasions throughout the day. In Paris, I was ecstatic to be along with Delterra team members Shannon Bouton, the President, and CEO;...