Sa-ard Buri: City of Zero Waste

Since 2014 waste management is on the ‘National Agenda’ in Thailand. The Department of Environmental Quality has collaborated with the private sector to implement waste–free communities under the Zero Waste Project (Sa-ard Buri). The online reality show tells the story of this mission and explores solutions for waste management through a competition of ideas from all over Thailand. Four communities are shortlisted and paired with four waste management role model communities for coaching. The shortlisted communities have three months to prove their progress in waste management and demonstrate that their methods are practical. The winning team will be rewarded a trophy and 100,000 THB (approx. 2,500 Euro) from the government to recognise their efforts in waste management and sustainable living. We learn about the challenges and opportunities facing Thai villages and understand that sustainable thinking begins in the hearts and minds of people and communities. People need to understand and truly see the importance of waste management first hand and if they are determined to make changes, then solutions can be found. The programme-makers hope this will inspire many others in Thailand and eventually lead to a more widespread waste management trend in the future.