Stories of Truth and Success for International Zero Waste Month

GAIA Asia Pacific hosts digital and big screen film fest

In a time when disinformation is the norm, it has become a rare opportunity to find points of truth. Global crises, especially waste management problems, are undeniably evident almost everywhere. It continues to propagate in communities consequently affecting their environment, livelihood, and health. With the government bodies and large-scale corporations not taking action to address the problem, it becomes a vicious cycle with no clear end.

This is why in continuing the observance of International Zero Waste Month, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific is hosting the Zero Waste Film Fest available online and in cinemas this January. The festival screens full-length features and documentaries as well as short films from the wide network of the alliance: Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, to mention a few.

With the goal of properly educating the population with science-based and community-oriented facts, the stories examine the roots of waste pollution and how community members are fighting for their lives to make changes. It also solidifies GAIA’s vision that Zero Waste is possible when communities and the government work together through a number of case studies from across the Asia Pacific region.

“We hope to make this more than just an eye opener but also a trigger for people to tap on their communities and knock on businesses and corporations so they can start making changes towards the Zero Waste vision. The answer is already there, we just have to utilize resources and help everyone know that there are alternatives to polluting systems.” Froilan Grate, GAIA Asia Pacific Coordinator said. The alliance believes that with an improved mindset and action toward waste management, there is a great opportunity for greater problems to be solved such as that of climate challenges.

Stream the featured films of the virtual film fest via Zero Waste TV from January 9 to 31, 2023. Join in the fun of watching it on the big screen with like-minded game changers on January 27, 2022, from 6 to 9:30 PM  at Trinoma Activity Center in Quezon City.

The International Zero Waste Month is made possible in partnership with the following media outlets: Advocates (Philippines), Bandung Bergerak (Indonesia), Business Ecology (China), The Business Post (Bangladesh), The Manila Times (Philippines), Pressenza (Global), Rappler (Philippines), Sunrise Today (Pakistan), The Recombobulator Lab (Global), and Republic Asia.

Zero Waste Month celebrations originated in the Philippines in 2012 when youth leaders issued a Zero Waste Youth Manifesto calling for, among other things, the celebration of a Zero Waste Month. This was made official when Presidential Proclamation No. 760 was issued, declaring January as Zero Waste Month in the Philippines. It was then promoted widely by NGOs and communities that had already adopted this approach to manage their waste.

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GAIA is a network of grassroots groups as well as national and regional alliances representing more than 1000 organizations from 92 countries. For more information, visit www.no-burn.org and zwmonth.zerowaste.asia or follow GAIA Asia Pacific on social media: Facebook,  Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.