In January 2021, Only One members are supporting an emergency solidarity fund for vital recycling workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Why this matters
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the way we handle our waste — threatening the health of the seas and the lives and livelihoods of recycling workers on the frontlines.
15 million waste workers continue to provide critical collection services at great risk to themselves and their families. They are the last line of defense between plastic waste and the oceans.
Project impact
5-10 grants will be distributed to grassroots organizations supporting waste workers around the world
Safety gear will be provided to waste workers risking their lives every day to protect people and the ocean from waste
Meal kits will be provided to waste workers and their families; who often work without basic income, or a social safety net if they get sick
Around the world, a drastic increase in the use of masks and gloves, plummeting oil prices leading to cheaper virgin plastic products, and the breakdown of recycling infrastructure are leading to a host of environmental, social, and cultural challenges.
More about GAIA
GAIA’s network of grassroots member organizations has been at the forefront of creative solutions to waste and pollution for twenty years. They believe in local organizing that addresses waste at the root of the problem with leadership from communities most impacted.
In response to the urgent and dire needs of waste workers around the world, GAIA launched the Emergency Solidarity Fund earlier this year. They have used gifts to provide mini-grants to those groups worst hit by the crisis to support their organizing and mutual support programs, prioritizing the most urgent needs such as the provision of food and personal protective equipment for heavily impacted waste workers. Through critical gap funding in this time of need, the Emergency Solidarity Fund can sustain the momentum of the programs their members have started around the world and help prepare us for a just recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
