South Africa - Waste - reusing and recycling.

I'm currently in South Africa. I've really noticed the extremes of waste and recycling in Pretoria. From Starbucks to the townships and how those throw away items by some are a source of income to others. There's a lot more that can be done though. Houses have recycling bags for collection, but I've witnessed on many occasions both general waste and recycling being tipped into the same bin.

Preventable waste

Coffee cup in Starbucks, pre warmed with hot water, something they do also in Dubai and irritates the life out of me, the cost of heating the water and then just tipping it down the sink. They also automatically serve in a paper cup unless you ask for a ceramic one, even when you say 'to drink in'

Fast food take away. Box for the burger and put in a paper bag along with sauces and a tonne of paper napkins. Why put it in a bag when you're eating in? I've noticed more places using paper straws, but they just don't work with coke, it fizzes everywhere. Again all fast food places, all around the world.

Recycling and reusing

I love how these jeans have been up-cycled into flower pot holders. The weather in South Africa is perfect for this and I guess it would work the same in Dubai, not so sure how long this would last in the UK though.

Reused

This old car tyre and kids bike make a great feature in the garden.

Repurposed

Old wooden pallets made into book cases, coffee tables and planters. The workshop is on site on the side of the road, 

Then this. General household waste dumped on the side of the road, on the edge of every township. You see people picking through the waste for plastic bottles and cans that can be sold for recycling.

People walk for miles daily to collect the waste paper and bottles from the sides of the roads and go through people's bins at the end of their drive to sell to the recycling depots in order to make a living.