Pollution

Editor's note: Naina Subberwal Batra is the chairperson and CEO at the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, a Singapore-based non-profit that has offices in 13 countries around the world, including Vietnam. AVPN has over 487 members from 32 countries and undertakes field building activities in Asia while providing a range of networking and learning services to support its members and followers to create meaningful social impact.   We are drowning in plastics. Unless we change our behavior, there will be more plastic by weight than fish in the ocean by 2050. Solving this crisis requires us to do more than just banning plastic straws. We need a paradigm shift. We must adopt deep structural changes to our plastic production and consumption patterns in order to move away from the extractive linear model of ‘take, make, use and dispose’ towards a ‘closed-loop’ circular economy – an economy that is intentionally restorative. … [Read more...] about From waste to resource: If we are to keep plastics out of the ocean, we must transition to a circular economy

Editor's note: Naina Batra is the chairperson and CEO at the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, a Singapore-based non-profit that has offices in 13 countries around the world, including Vietnam. AVPN has over 487 members from 32 countries and undertakes field building activities in Asia while providing a range of networking and learning services to support its members and followers to create meaningful social impact.   Most consumers are not aware of the ill impacts of plastic or how to recycle. At-source separation of waste is minimal and while this is changing in some parts of the country, the scale and level of success are still unknown. Overall, financial and technical support in plastic waste management is insufficient. Investment in modern recycling facilities will require private sector participation. However, many challenges exist in coordinating multi-stakeholder cooperation. For instance, public-private partnership projects that exceed more than … [Read more...] about Situational context, bottlenecks of plastic waste management in Vietnam

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is enveloped in haze caused by nearby bushfires on Dec 10. — AFP/VNA Photo SYDNEY — Australia's biggest city is facing a "public health emergency" over the bushfire smoke that has choked Sydney for weeks, leading doctors warned Monday after hospitals reported a dramatic spike in casualty department visits. Hundreds of climate change-fuelled bushfires have been raging across Australia for months, with a "mega-blaze" burning north of Sydney destroying several homes overnight and fires near Perth threatening towns. More than 20 medical groups including the Royal Australasian College of Physicians – which represents 25,000 doctors and trainees – released a joint statement Monday calling on Australia's government to address the toxic air pollution. "The air pollution in NSW is a public health emergency," the Climate and Health Alliance said. "Smoke from bushfires has produced air pollution … [Read more...] about Toxic Sydney bushfire haze a ‘public health emergency’