ReCha Evidently Embodies Our Theme
Environmental degradation, excessive carbon emissions, landfill overflow, the cost of virgin plastics on the natural environment, the growing demand for recycled plastics, and the urgent need for local economic growth… These are all the concerns our new ReCha initiative addresses. And these are indeed some major concerns.
One of the most dire of these must be the looming environmental horrors of landfill overflow. Due to the fact that virgin plastic production is not slowing promptly enough and the habit of recycling is still far from second nature, we are staring down the barrel of a loaded shotgun.
In the Cape Metropole, we have only two landfills to bury the gargantuan quantities of waste we create and transport daily. At the rate we are moving down this path, it is imagined that within 9 years, those landfills would have either reached or exceeded their legal capacity.
What this means for most communities in the Cape Metropole, is the reality of runaway dumping, on every available piece of land. If you had to visualise this, it is actually terrifying. Imagine your bins are filled, and the truck no longer comes around. What would you, as someone who understands the danger of litter, be forced to do? Now imagine what someone who doesn’t, would do. So it is conclusively, quite a serious concern.
Thankfully though, our ReCha initiative is quite the answer to addressing a significant portion of this problem. Let’s see what the statistics reveal.
Within 4 months of operation, it has fostered the inception of 10 micro enterprises that have collectively diverted 190 000 kgs of waste from landfills. The goal in the near future is to establish 60 new ReChas and expand to a further total of 100 ReChas by June 2025, to directly create 300 job opportunities, and to directly impact more than 1500 livelihoods. A major goal is to divert more than 13.4 Million kilograms of waste from the 2 landfills mentioned.
If this is anything to go by, at this rate we could probably have a strong, long-term solution on our hands, and the negative effects of this issue could be drastically reduced.
Since this is an ongoing initiative, and since it affects us all, no matter where we live, the initiative needs as many role players as possible. Whether you want to become a ReCha, support a ReCha by recycling your waste with them or donating all your relevant waste to someone who could do with an income, all your support in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
This is a cause that needs us all. We are all responsible for making sure our remaining landfills don’t overflow and pollute our neighborhoods. And since the proof of concept is indubitably conclusive, and there’s an unprecedented demand for recyclables, this is an investment no matter your role in this process.
So if you know which role you are prepared to play, or know someone open to the concept, let’s get in touch today!
