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Series
4: Programme 11 (of 11) - 'Green Endings' |
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Being wasteful seems to be an integral
part of our consumer world. Waste disposal is
big business but the environmental cost is too
high. To reduce the impact on the earth’s
natural resources we must reduce the amount of
waste produced, re-use the products we make and
recycle the materials we consume. This programme
includes stories about ways in which plastic,
paper, electronic and organic waste are being
recycled into new consumer goods or returned to
the soil in a way that is beneficial. |
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Plastic
Fantastic - Italy |
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Disposing of plastic waste derived
from petrochemical sources is a growing global
problem. It is not known whether some plastics
will ever completely break down in landfill sites;
incinerating plastics is an environmental hazard
and there is still comparatively little recycling.
Now an Italian company has developed a technology
to produce an easily biodegradable plastic from
starch obtained from commonly grown cereal grains
and vegetables. This material is just as useful
and versatile as plastics from petrochemical sources. |
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| Fine
Point - UK |
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The world's annual consumption
of plastic materials has increased around twenty
times since the 1950s to almost 100 million tonnes
today. At just one school in south London it is
estimated that pupils and staff use nearly 1000
plastic cups a day at the water coolers and in
the dining hall. |
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Breaking
Up - Spain |
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Discarded mobile telephones (cell
phones) are a subject of rising concern around
the world. Most have a useful life of only around
six years. With 100 million mobile phones expected
to be discarded in Europe alone by 2005, this
means that the volume going to landfill or incineration
presents a growing threat to human and environmental
health. However, by collecting old mobile phones
and recycling them, the Tragamovil Initiative
in Bilbao, Spain, is removing the hazards posed
by toxic substances such as cadmium and mercury
from the waste stream and covering costs by recycling
any useful metals that can be retrieved. |
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| Ecopod
- UK |
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Constructed entirely of recycled
paper and environmentally friendly materials,
the Arka Ecopod is a radical departure in coffin
design. With non-toxic, pollution-free burial
guaranteed, choosing an Ecopod ensures one's passing
doesn't cost the earth – either ecologically
or financially. Produced by a dynamic and ethical
family firm based in Brighton, UK, the Ecopod
is both robust and attractive. |
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Paper Profits
- Zimbabwe |
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The work of collecting paper for
recycling in the Zimbabwean city of Mutare is
creating jobs, increasing environmental awareness
and supplying industry with required raw material.
The initiative involves a partnership between
community groups, the City Council and local businesses.
As part of a broader environmental management
project, it is supported by Local Agenda 21 (LA21)
funding. |
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| The
Worm's Turn - Argentina |
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Worms that live in the soil are
the farmer's and gardener's friends. They consume
dead organic matter and turn it into rich and
fertile humus with added natural nutrients. One
species of worm, the Californian Red Worm, is
particularly productive at making humus, reproduces
vigorously, is easy to breed and has good longevity.
In Argentina farmers are increasing their incomes
by learning how to set up wormeries to transform
animal and crop wastes into humus. |
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