Three rag pickers from India will address the UN climate change conference in China Wednesday where they will share their experiences on the steps taken by them to reduce green house gases.
Baidabai Gaikwad from Pune, Maya Khodave from Nasik and Sushila Sable from Mumbai, are representing waste pickers from around the world at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference in Tianjin, China.
"They are there to share their experiences and inform the participants about their valuable contribution towards the reduction of green house gases as well as explain to them the implications of the UNFCCC process on the marginalised in different parts of the world," said Nalini Shekar, coordinator with Alliance of Indian Wastepickers (AIW).
Fifteen million people worldwide earn a living through waste picking. Waste pickers offer a real solution for climate change mitigation and waste management that make economic, ecological and social sense.
"They will tell the world how these solutions work and what is required to continue and expand the valuable work they do for society and the environment," she said.