Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

With the support of international and local organizations, ISSD breaks through stereotypes and promotes innovative solutions in solid waste management with the objective to enhance public awareness and environmental status in Armenia. ISSD‚ project Recycle it!‚ launched in 2018, is Armenia‚ largest non-public initiative for separate collection of recyclable waste from organizations/households/events and public areas. It organizes collection and recycling of waste; provides environmental trainings; and concludes protocols on recycled volumes and environmental impact to partners. To date 225,000kg of waste was diverted to recycling instead of landfilling and dumping. The project has 400 partner organizations and 296,500 beneficiaries.

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Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

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Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

The Recycle It! project was designed to empower youth with up-to-date, practical, knowledge about the environment and climate. The regular school education focuses on very theoretical and abstract environmental issues, if any. Within the project, ISSD organises training and targeted events (e.g. waste competitions and clean-up) for children and young adults aiming to increase their awareness of the environment and climate change and how they can contribute to improve them. Young people are strongly encouraged to participate in ISSD‚ activities, and the Recycle It!‚ project offers qualified and unqualified jobs (e.g. training leaders, technical experts, coordinators) as well as voluntary positions (graphic designers, SWM experts) for young people, both from Armenia and abroad, to participate in applied activities and gain valuable experience. The current average age of the project staff is 27. Moreover, the project has arranged interactive workshops for young adults on concept note development of their own green projects. For many of the former participants in the Recycle it! the activities have provided a concrete green career starter. Few similar opportunities exist in Armenia. Several young leaders have also participated in training of trainers in the environmental field, within which they obtained additional skills and expertise to train youth from rural areas. The team works with youth from Yerevan (capital of Armenia) and 7 regions mainly coming from climate-vulnerable communities. 
Recruitment for paid and voluntary positions within the project is carried out on an equal basis and without consideration to gender, age, background, race, religion or sex. ISSD is led by one woman and one man. The project is managed by a woman. 50% of the environmental trainers are women. 70% of the training participants are women. ISSD has engaged over 300 volunteers from 10 countries (75% women). Overall, ISSD pays extra attention to women‚ ‚ specific needs while undertaking activities in rural areas. 
Armenia's population is dominantly white (99,9%), however, ISSD has hosted several people of color from other countries as volunteers and/or short-term international experts.

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