Welcome to the Zero Waste Academy!

The Zero Waste Academy (ZWA) is an open online learning platform designed by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific and Mother Earth Foundation. The Academy aims to provide accessible and relevant Zero Waste-related courses to participants interested to learn and implement Zero Waste and other waste-management programs and campaigns to their respective cities and communities.

The 2023 Global Cohort applications for Track 1: Zero Waste Program Implementation are now open.

Click here to apply.

The Timeline

History of the Zero Waste Academy

Malabon 2017 [2] - Credit to MEF
May 30-June 13, 2017
Malabon City, Philippines

The very first Zero Waste Academy cohort was held in Malabon, Philippines. Sixteen participants from GAIA partners in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and the Philippines participated in immersive training workshops and study tours aimed to capacitate them to begin their Zero Waste City model-building in their respective communities.

Dumaguete 2018 [19] - Credit to MEF (Paula de Castro)
July 18-28 2018
Dumaguete City, Philippines

Organized by Mother Earth Foundation and GAIA, in partnership with War on Waste-Break Free From Plastic-Negros Oriental. The participants of this second Academy were made up of local leaders in and from surrounding areas of Dumaguete City.

QC 2019 [22] - Credit to GAIA AP
November 27-December 6 2018
Quezon City, Philippines

The third Zero Waste Academy gathered 25 GAIA members from all over the globe in Quezon City, Philippines, from November 27-December 6, 2018, where they learned all about the Zero Waste program by visiting model sites around Metro Manila. 

Da Nang, Vietnam 2019 [9] - Credit to Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance
March 23-31 2019
Da Nang, Vietnam

The first Zero Waste Academy conducted outside of the Philippines, and executed in partnership with the Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance and the Center for Consultancy on Sustainable Development (C4SD). This cohort was attended by representatives from various Vietnam-based environmental NGOs and government officials from Da Nang.

Bandung, Indonesia 2019 [4] - Credit to YPBB
June 29-July 9 2019
Bandung and Cimahi, Indonesia

Bandung is the fifth city to host the Zero Waste Academy, organized by GAIA and YPBB,  this cohort was held in Bandung and Cimahi, Indonesia. The participants were project officers from Environmental NGOs and representatives of government agencies of Bandung, Cimahi, Denpasar, Gresik, Surabaya, Medan, and Thousand Islands.

Online - 2020 1
January 18-March 8, 2021
academy.zerowaste.asia

The first Online Zero Waste Academy. Participants were Zero Waste practitioners and advocates, LGU officials, ZW store owners, and environmental NGOs from the Philippines. The course ran for 7-weeks with weekly synchronous live sessions.

zwa-siquijor-ph
June 2022-August 2022
Siquijor, Philippines

The seventh Zero Waste Academy and first Hybrid Zero Waste Academy Online. The course ran for 7-weeks with a 5-day in-person workshops in Siquijor, Philippines.

WhatsApp Image 2023-02-14 at 11.56.23 AM
November 2022-January 2023
Siquijor, Philippines

Asia Pacific Cohort of Implementing Zero Waste in Cities and Communities Track.

80 participants representing Zero Waste businesses, local governments, and NGOs hailing from 12 countries in Asia Pacific participated in the course that ran for 8 weeks. The course culminated with two-week in-person workshops and study tours in Quezon City and Siquijor, Philippines.

zwa-website-screenshot
March 2023-June 2023
TBD

Global Zero Waste Academy of Implementing Zero Waste in Cities and Communities Track
Open to Global Participants

Click here to apply.

 

The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) is a worldwide alliance of more than 800 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries whose ultimate vision is a just, toxic-free world without incineration.

GAIA has been promoting Zero Waste as a superior solution to resource management for cities. Zero Waste is an innovative approach to the use of our resources that ensures resource efficiency, resource recovery, and protection of scarce natural resources. It redesigns the unsustainable “business-as-usual” one-way, linear industrial system into a circular system that minimizes unnecessary extraction and consumption, reduces waste, and ensures that products and materials are reused or recycled back into nature or into the market. By pursuing Zero Waste, cities are likely to spend less on their solid waste management costs; provide better livelihood conditions for waste workers; and prevent waste from being brought to end-of-pipe disposal facilities or worse, released into the environment. Read more about GAIA at www.no-burn.org, and learn more about our Zero Waste work at www.zerowasteworld.org.

Mother Earth Foundation (MEF) is a non-stock, non-profit organization actively engaged in addressing waste and toxic pollution, climate change, and other health and environmental justice issues. It is best known for its advocacy of Zero Waste through the systematic reduction and proper management of waste.

Since its founding in 1998, MEF has waged a nationwide campaign to train communities, schools, barangays (the smallest government unit in the Philippines), cities, and municipalities on how to reduce and manage waste so that it brings no harm to public health or the environment and does not exacerbate climate change.MEF helps local governments implement Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Many of the communities and LGUs the MEF has trained have gained recognition as models of ecological waste management, winning various national, regional, and distinct awards. Read more at www.motherearthphil.org.

MEF helps local governments implement Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Many of the communities and LGUs the MEF has trained have gained recognition as models of ecological waste management, winning various national, regional, and distinct awards. Read more at www.motherearthphil.org.

Testimonials

Zero Waste Alliance Coordinator, Vietnam

Xuan Quach

Since 2017, the Zero Waste Academy has built a diverse and regional network of international graduates hailing from countries such as Albania, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Morocco, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tunisia, the USA, and Vietnam. ZWA Alumni are typically Zero Waste practitioners and implementers from NGOs, academic institutions, media, and both local and national government offices.

Climate and Clean Energy Campaigner, Indonesia

Yobel Novian Putra

Since 2017, the Zero Waste Academy has built a diverse and regional network of international graduates hailing from countries such as Albania, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Morocco, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tunisia, the USA, and Vietnam. ZWA Alumni are typically Zero Waste practitioners and implementers from NGOs, academic institutions, media, and both local and national government offices.

Educator, Philippines

Jimmy Perote Jr.

Since 2017, the Zero Waste Academy has built a diverse and regional network of international graduates hailing from countries such as Albania, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Morocco, the Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tunisia, the USA, and Vietnam. ZWA Alumni are typically Zero Waste practitioners and implementers from NGOs, academic institutions, media, and both local and national government offices.