Climate Curve

Link: LinkedIn:

Primary Project Category:

How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

['Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)']

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

One Step Greener’s work is deeply rooted in empowering underrepresented and climate-vulnerable communities in the Global South, particularly migrant workers and women from underserved urban populations who are often excluded from the formal climate economy. Our operations intentionally shift informal waste labor into dignified, formalized roles within the circular economy.

We employ and train migrant and underprivileged community members in material sorting and progressively upskill them to participate across higher-value segments of the waste value chain—such as quality control, data-enabled traceability, logistics coordination, and recycling operations—moving beyond street-level collection. Through structured training in waste management best practices, safety, and operations, workers gain transferable skills that enable long-term careers and pathways to entrepreneurship in waste management.

Women form the backbone of our impact: over 80% of workers on our sorting lines are women from underprivileged communities. For many, One Step Greener provides their first formal employment, first bank account, and first digital wage payment. This financial inclusion enhances women’s mobility, independence, and decision-making power at the household level, while positioning them as essential climate actors driving emissions prevention through circular waste systems.

Website:

https://www.onestepgreener.org/

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to prevent greenhouse gas emissions from waste by enabling segregation at source, recovering materials through scientific waste management, and integrating them into the circular economy—combining on-ground infrastructure, digital traceability, and community-led behaviour change to stop open burning and landfilling of recyclable waste in India.

Link: Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/1stepgreener/

Link: Twitter:

https://twitter.com/StepGreener

Link: Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/onestep_greener/