Lebanon is a country with massive waste problems, its inhabitants creating an estimated 1.57 million tons of waste per year. As the country struggles to implement widespread waste management practices that make use of reusable and recyclable material, some ingenious people in Lebanon are coming up with creative new ways to do their part by turning trash into something of value. From recycled hand-blown glass to an eco-friendly microbrewery, these projects are bringing green thinking to the masses.
In Sarafand, a coastal city in southern Lebanon, the Khalife family kept the Phoenician tradition of glassblowing alive for generations. But in recent years, business slowed to the point where six months ago, the company was ready to close for good, due to competition with the cheaper goods from the international market and a lack of distribution points.