Being eco-conscious: three initiatives of Ukrainians in the regions

Eco-awareness and concern for the environment clearly distinguish Europeans from others. Ukrainians from different regions are increasingly professing these European values through numerous initiatives of conscious consumption, reuse of materials, and more. The following stories are about people and projects that help save the environment.

Odesa resident changes attitude to plastic waste

Odesa resident Yevhen Khliebnikov admits that he sees recycling materials wherever he goes. The idea to save the planet from pollution by plastic waste came to Yevhen in the Ternopil region. During the walk with their son, they were amazed by the amount of garbage in the forest.

In 2016, Yevhen decided to establish the NGO "Precious Plastic Ukraine," a community that is changing the attitude to plastic waste, creating original things from illiquid plastic. Yevhen's team, which consists of about 8 caring people, does almost everything: furniture, benches, bar counters, dishes, designer buttons, and much more. Eugene and his team use plastic that cannot be recycled to create raincoats, bags, and even cobblestones. Residues of materials don't disappear: they are recycled and used in subsequent products.

"There's a myth that plastic can not be recycled. But in reality, it can. Plastic is a useful raw material that can be recycled many times and make functional things so that it doesn't float in the ocean or lie in the woods, littering nature," Yevhen explains.