Australian Entrepreneur Hailed for Cleaning Philippines' Trash-Strewn River €“ but Will It Last?

credit: CREATIVE COMMONS / FLICKR / TAX CREDITS

"People used to go swimming in it, and then how grateful [they] are for the work that we're doing in conjunction with the government and other organizations," Mike Smith tells This Week in Asia.

Smith is the Australian founder of Zero Co, a company that makes plastic-free products, and he spent six weeks in the Philippines in 2023 looking for the country's most polluted water systems.

He found the Taguig-Pateros River south of Manila to be particularly polluted, and he organized a team of more than 250 environmental rangers and volunteers to clean it up, Australia's News Network reports.

"That was a light bulb moment," Smith says.

"If we want to have the biggest possible impact on this problem, then let's go to the source of the problem."

According to the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the country is the third-largest source of ocean waste in the world.

Philippines discards an estimated 3.3 kilograms of plastic waste per person into the ocean, with more than 4,800 rivers emitting more than 350,000 metric tons of non-degradable litter.

"People used to go swimming in it, and then how grateful [they] are for the work that we're doing in conjunction with the government and Read the Entire Article

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Opens Children'S Area with Water Coaster

"The world's first water coaster for kids." That's what Cedar Fair, owner of Schlitterbahn New Braunfels, Texas, is banking on with its newest attraction: Schatze's Storybrook Park, a children's...more

Hindman Presents for World Creativity and Innovation Day

A professor at the University of Texas at Austin has developed a play therapy approach that she says could help millions of children around the world, the Austin American-Statesman...more

Mtu: 'Excellence in Research, Innovation, and Scholarly Activity'

If you're looking for a four-year degree in Ireland, Munster Technological University is the place for you. The school, which has campuses in Cork and Kerry, is the first university in the...more

Neta Foundation Joins Forces with Springhood Ventures to Foster Children'S Health

One of the world's largest not-for-profit foundations has teamed up with a venture capital firm to invest $50 million in a fund that aims to improve the health of children around the world,...more

Video Games Can Have a Positive Impact on Children €“ If They Are Designed Right, Says New Study

"For decades, people have often assumed that playing video games is somehow bad for children, undermining their well-being," UNICEF's Bo Viktor Nylund says in a press release. "But our new study...more

Meijer Makes $3M Donation for Michigan'S First Children'S Rehabilitation Hospital

"As a family-owned company, we are humbled to give to organizations that provide hope and healing to so many families." So says Meijer CEO Rick Keyes in announcing a $3 million donation to help...more

Zain showcases efforts to foster thriving local entrepreneurship ecosystem

If you're an aspiring entrepreneur in Kuwait, you may want to check out Zain's accelerator program. The telecommunications company launched the program 14 years ago and has since helped hundreds...more

The Growth of Social Enterprises €” For-Profit Businesses That Tackle a Social Problem

"Having a purposeful job actually does transform someone's life," says Edwin Walsh, who runs a social enterprise in Australia called Assembled Threads. "You actually are moving someone from...more

Westlock Community Foundation Helping Students Pursue Educational Opportunities

A new scholarship fund in Canada will help high school students who want to further their education, the CBC reports. The Westlock Community Foundation in Alberta received a $26,800 donation from...more

Community Foundation Celebrates 100 Years of Local Impact by Looking Ahead ...
Foundation: Lancaster County Community Foundation

In 2024, Lancaster County, Pa., will celebrate the 100th anniversary of a group of "visionaries" who "came together to shape a better future for Lancaster County," says Sam Bressi, president and CEO...more