Ecolery, A Bangladeshi start-up tackling ocean pollution with edible cutlery, has won international recognition at the Generation Hope Goals Competition in Thailand.
Ecolery co-founder Nafesa Anzum Helaly told Dhaka Tribune: “This award brings exposure and opportunities, which are more important than the award itself.”
“To drive the goal forward we need awareness campaigns,” she added.
Nafesa said: “The competition came with partnership opportunities with international foundations. I had opportunities to build networking with these foundations.”
Plastic pollution in our oceans is rapidly increasing, posing a major threat to marine life and ecosystems. Microplastics are consumed by aquatic animals, entering the food chain and causing severe health issues.
Since plastic takes centuries to degrade, it continues to accumulate, leading to species extinction, human and animal health risks, and widespread environmental destruction, despite growing awareness of its dangers.
Plastic waste makes up 80% of all marine pollution, and around 8 to 10 million tons of plastic are in the ocean yearly.
In response to crises like this, young innovators worldwide are stepping up with groundbreaking solutions. The Generation Hope Goals competition invited teams of children and young people aged 16 to 24 to submit ideas for climate solutions in the 12 Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in line with selected Sustainable Development Goals.
The initiative received over 230 entries from across the Asia-Pacific region. After two competitive stages, five finalists presented their ideas before a panel of experts at the Asia- Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in Bangkok, where Bangladesh’s Ecolery team emerged as the winner.
Besides Ecolery, another team, Eco-Sentinels from Bangladesh, also reached the final stage with its floating agricultural beds for salt-tolerant crops.
Three other finalists were Care for Coral (Thailand), Eco Stove (Pakistan) and Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association (Malaysia).
Shumon Sengupta, country director of Save the Children in Bangladesh, said: “It is terrific that Ecolery, a team from Bangladesh, is being recognized on a global platform. They’ve addressed such a crucial issue as plastic use, which is essential in Bangladesh as the country generates more than 3 billion single-use plastic bottles. It’s affecting the country’s rivers and oceans, contributing to 78.6% of pollution in these bodies.”
“If we invest in innovative and scalable climate solutions like Ecolery’s edible cutlery, we will be taking the necessary measures to connect climate-friendly solutions with employment and the use of local resources,” he added.
The Generation Hope Goals competition is a collaborative initiative co-led by Save the Children in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific, the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, and ChildFund International.
