16-Year-Old Upcycles Toxic Rubber Waste Into Emergency Sleeping Mats For Homeless People

16-Year-Old Upcycles Toxic Rubber Waste Into Emergency Sleeping Mats For Homeless People
16-Year-Old Upcycles Toxic Rubber Waste Into Emergency Sleeping Mats For Homeless People Growing up in Biratnagar, Nepal’s industrial hub, 16-year-old Priyanshi Poddar has first-hand experience with the overwhelming piles of rubber waste that accumulate from local factories. Witnessing this waste pollute local waterways, combined with the shattering impact of the 2015 Nepal earthquake, Poddar was driven to do something to help. So, she started Project Saathi. Priyanshi Poddar. Photo courtesy of Action for Nature Saathi is a word that means “friend” or “companion” in Nepali, and that’s exactly what it continues to represent for Poddar. “Saathi is a project dedicated to addressing homelessness and environmental degradation in Nepal,” Poddar explains on her website. “By upcycling rubber remnants from the footwear industry into durable mats, we provide a dual solution: improving the living conditions of homeless individuals and reducing environmental pollution caused by rubber waste.” Discarded s…