Fast fashion is a growing problem and individuals usually purchase items from companies like Shein, HnM and Zara because of two reasons:
o It is easier to buy
o The latest fashion trends can be found
Aside from this, due to the pandemic people in rural areas are struggling to earn a living wage and there is mass unemployment as many workers have fled to their villages.
Rhinestone is an environmental initiative which promotes sustainable fashion, environmental awareness and provides individuals in the rural areas to become economically independent and earn a living wage. To achieve the above, there are two aspects to Rhinestone- confessions of a green shopaholic and Rhinestone

Confessions of a green shopaholic:
An online blog or instagram page where sustainable shoppers share their tricks to become more environmentally friendly such as mixing and matching tricks for outfits or 5 basic wardrobe must-haves which can be used to alter normal clothing items to produce 5 different items. For example, a rhinestone bra strap can be used to turn one tube top into 5-6 various different tops which can be worn on different occasions.

Rhinestone project:
The main aim of Rhinestone is to provide people in rural areas with an opportunity to earn money during this global crisis while promoting small businesses and sustainable fashion. This involves the following:
Collection- At this stage, there will be a collection of individuals’ old clothing items from Delhi NCR and Gurgaon. This is the cloth that will be used by the people in the rural areas.
Training- Individuals heavily into DIY and fashion will train individuals in rural areas to turn t-shirts into various fashionable and trendy tops or dresses.
Example of upcycling process/training:
Example Video 1
Example Video 2
Once the rural workers have been trained, they will start producing these trendy items through an online portal which will connect the buyer directly with the seller. The seller will be the people in rural areas who have made the product and their PayTM or Paypal will be provided. The item to be sold will be picked up from the rural area and will be shipped out from Gurgaon and Delhi to various parts of the world.

While recognizing that continuous cutting down of trees in rural communities for timber exploration can cause a safe environment for people to live in. SUSTAINABILITY Project is geared towards combating environmental issues arising from populations who are socially and economically stable but have no idea of their environmental footprint. As part of the POP Africa Fest 2022 an activity was conducted on June 13th, 2022 as part of the project with schools and rural communities to create awarenss. This awareness activity was followed by a tree plantation drive where tree plantation activity was condcuted. In futre we wish to reach out to 500 schools and mobilize 600 rural communities with such events over the span of next 6 years.

Since 2011, the Caribbean coastal regions have experienced waves of Sargassum algae ( Sargassumfluitans and S. natans) that accumulate on their shores. The arrival in the Mexican Caribbean of excessive amounts of pelagic sargassum causes strong tourism, ecological and socioeconomic impacts. The control measures of the arrivals, carried out by local and federal authorities are not sufficient due in part to the lack of operational guidelines based on technical knowledge. Despite cleaning efforts, the algae decompose on the beaches and their degradation produces hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) that accumulate in the coastal zone (beaches and coastal waters) and affect the tourism industry. (which is a relevant local and national economic sector) and coastal ecosystems. And it also has a negative impact on human health. Each year, medical reports associating health effects from H2S exposure increase, as do public complaints regarding unpleasant odors. The removal, transportation, and disposal of sargassum also cause ecological, economic and sanitary problems, since sargassum is treated the same as any solid waste, which generates leachates that affect the aquifer. Declared a national emergency, the massive blooming (arribazón) of sargassum has been the subject of urgent interdisciplinary scientific research necessary to understand its origin, evolution and multiple impacts on the landscape heritage of the Mexican Caribbean region. The phenomenon has been analyzed comprehensively, from its origin in international waters, to its multiple impacts, including environmental, social and economic impacts on the seas and coasts of Mexico, particularly in the coastal landscape of Quintana Roo. Various investigations that have been developed include physical and biological oceanography studies to understand the hydrodynamics and coastal circulation associated with the marine biomass of sargassum, its transport mechanisms, seasonality and variability, as well as its implications for the region as a whole, have determined the importance of monitoring various parameters. However, there is still a lack of research on the impacts of the accumulation of sargassum on air quality, which will affect the health of the population and, in the case of the Mexican Caribbean, the tourism industry that represents 8% of the national GDP. This research is essential to create warning systems with monitoring networks that allow real-time monitoring of atmospheric levels of sargassum decomposition gasses (H2S and NH3) and meteorological parameters (wind direction and speed, atmospheric pressure, temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation). In addition, it is also important to characterize the chemical composition of the waste and the leachate generated after different degrees of decomposition, in terms of concentration of arsenic (As), heavy metals (Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) and dissolved ions ( NH4 +, NO2 -, NO3-, SO4 2), since the migration of metals through land and water are also strong environmental pollutants. In this proposal, a global project is proposed, which includes the study of air quality, water quality, characterization of sediments on beaches, environmental conditions associated with sargassum landings, and valorization of sargassum from the Mexican Caribbean, with the objective carry out an environmental diagnosis and understand the correlation of different factors and the consequences that these can have on human and environmental health.

The proposal presented by Protect Our Planet Movement, the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Scientific Research Center of Yucatan (CICY) has the objective of being part of the effort of the OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States), in partnership with the Regional Council of Guadeloupe to expand the coverage area to Mexico in building cooperation on the sargassum issue between the full members of the OECS and its associate members, based in the financial support mechanisms of the EDF (European Development Fund), within the framework of the INTERREG application submitted in May 2019 by the Guadeloupe region

Shaan Baig is the CEO and Founder of SB Innovations, a research and development company focused on creating novel solutions for
the world’s most pressing issues. What simply started out as science fair projects, led to Shaan selecting an urgent global issue each
year to develop a low-cost, sustainable solution for. This includes his novel work on Alzheimer’s disease early detection and treatment,
his innovations of the anti-concussion helmet, cancer sensor strip, alternative prostate cancer treatment and more.

The “Save Our World” is an innovation of an autonomous vehicle called “Mishra Sweep Tech,” which is designed to be driven by AI (Artificial Intelligence) to clean up the beaches and also the roads to tackle the global waste crisis. The presentation also included aspects such as – stakeholder’s engagement with the innovation, policies proposed to tackle the plastic crisis, ideas for generating employment from plastic products and also awareness campaigns related to plastic pollution.

The project aims to spread information about ASR (Aquifier Storage and Recovery) and how it helps people save water during trying times such as water shortage and drought. ASR is the direct injection of surface water supplies such as portable water, reclaimed water or river water into an aquifier for later recovery and use. It also helps reduce water losses associated with leakage and evaporation. The long-term goal is to have more countries learn and execute this feasibly.

The project aimed at using creative mediums to spread consciousness about the issue of plastic pollution. Delving into an array of solutions, the project focuses on organizing informative campaigns through mediums such as social media and creating and circulating appealing posters. It also looks into policy making and organizing educational workshops through partnerships with NGOs and schools. On the innovation side, the youth leaders aim to propagate the innovation called ‘Eco-Bricks’ which would encourage people to reuse and recycle plastic easily within their homes.

“The Odomos for Plastic” by Ved Sanyal, Ervis Foundation, India The proposed innovation aims to modify plastic such that animals know that it is harmful. All species have stimulus, and the idea is to ignite particular stimulus in different species. While creating an alternative and getting rid of plastic is important, the road to achieving it is far. Meanwhile we need to protect animals from plastic. The primary objective of the project is to create a detailed plan that is scientifically accurate and feasible, with an ultimate goal of saving numerous animals from starving due to plastic ingestion.

The presentation aimed at creating awareness about eco-friendly plastic and its benefits. The primary objective is to increase use of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) since it is the most environmentally stable of all plastics, giving off no harmful fumes into the environment besides the many other advantages that it comes with. Though better than other plastics, HDPEs cannot be composted and have high thermal expansion. So, it is important that more awareness is raised regarding plastics and its many different types.