IFC, Karo Sambhav launch “E-waste Hum Le Jayenge”

Electronic waste, known as e-waste, is an ever-increasing problem worldwide. Levels of electronics consumption are high in both developed and developing countries, and many consumer electronics are designed with short life spans. Once an electronic item has reached its end of use, what happens? While some electronics are recycled, many are discarded in landfills. Even those that are recycled face a dubious fate. Who is ultimately responsible for fixing our e-waste problem?  Electronics are filled with chemicals and substances that are harmful to human health and the environment, including toxic metals, flame retardants, and persistent organic pollutants. If not recycled, these chemicals can contaminate landfills and enter the water supply through leachate. Even the recycling of e-waste is problematic.

Women are responsible for half of the world’s food production; in most developing countries, women produce between 60 and 80% of food. Yet they own just a fraction of the land on which they live and work.  This week at COP27, where food security and gender are high priorities, I spoke with Esther Mwaura Muiru​, global advocacy director at the Stand for Her Land campaign and Dan Glickman, former United States secretary of agriculture.  They shared unique insights, based on their expansive advocacy and policy careers, on how women’s land rights and supportive policies can bolster climate resilience, food security, and sustainability in communities.

Wallmakers has completed The Pirouette House, a brick residence in Thiruvananthapuram driven by circular principles.