POP Projects

The project works on two levels. Firstly, the group engages in ground level advocacy targeting restaurants that use single-use plastic, with the purpose of sensitizing them and promoting behavior change. There have been several success stories with local stores quitting the use of single-use plastics following the intervention by the group. Theteam has also developed a food-rating app, in order to let the consumers become aware of restaurants’ sustainability practices through a concept called, green rating.

The Re-leaf project promotes the idea of great balancing actions that can change problems to solutions. Using dry leaves for paper production, the project focuses on allowing resilience and accessibility. It offers an alternative to traditional paper that is made from wood and also solves the problem of fallen leaves.

This project is based on the ecological condition in Chiapas, México. The project is focused on ecological stoves that work through Seebeck effect, a thermal energy conversion mechanism. It envisions smoke-free cooking in the future and also better recycling of solid wastes through its application.

This project aims to use banana peel wastes as raw material to obtain nanocellulose and synthesize a hydrogel capable of absorbing chemical substances or heavy metals present in wastewater. Organic waste that could be decomposed is used instead to create a value-added product that will give a feasible environmental proposal in the treatment and remediation of water, since the biomaterial, obtained from renewable sources is biodegradable and non-toxic. The project was developed in light of the rampant pollution in the oceans, lakes and other bodies of water.

The Smart Neighborhood Program is one of the civil protections plans of the state of Sinaloa and part of the Municipal Urban Development plan. The program which works in collaboration with civil society associations and socially responsible companies, is implemented by transmitting knowledge on global theoretical framework including treaties and international agreements, as well as national legal techniques and instruments, official Mexican standards, laws, and local, municipal and state pacts.

The team from Universidad Autónoma Occidente seeks to establish the Smart Neighborhood Program in the Santa Cecilia Fractionation community, in order to promote the achievement of the 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Smart Neighborhood program focuses specifically on SDG 11 and SDG 13 which is about making cities and communities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (SDG -11), and adopting urgent measures to combat climate change and its effects (SDG 13). The team works with Environmental Engineers available in the community and uses their expertise to promote sustainable development in Santa
Cecilia.

This project is a mobile application developed by students that creates awareness and fosters a culture of recycling. The project envisions to have a global outreach and generate impact by ensuring that people from different sectors in society develop a culture of recycling.

This research involved a study of Attitudes and Knowledge Practices (KAP) of health professionals and non-health professionals, in which it was discovered that their daily use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is on a significant increase. This is because the properties of PVC have been altered with the addition of chemicals to improve its quality, durability and flexibility. Every time a consumer uses a PVC product, it has an adverse effect on the user as well as the environment.

The KAP survey revealed the following reality: “knowledge” about the 7 types of plastic is very limited; people do not pay much attention to how their food is packaged and largely consume food
packed/stored in contact with plastic materials; the “practice” of ordering food online has seen an upward trend with subsequent increase in the consumption of hot food packed/stored in contact with plastic materials.

This initiative consisted of making essentials and decors like pochette, flower vases, sheet folders, holder, photo frames and umbrellas using discarded materials like newspapers, board games, waist belts, single-use plastic bottles, scrapped electric cables, rope, invitation cards, blazer buttons, among others.

This study analyzes the presence of unusual amount of sargassum (brown macroalgae) in the Caribbean region, which produces several impacts on coastal ecosystems, including coastal erosion, a dent for plastic litter, changes in biomass, golden tide, foul smelling Hydrogen Sulphide emissions and potential human health hazard among others. The Caribbean coasts are highly influenced by this seaweed problem and its local impacts on tourism and coastal ecosystem has become an emerging menace. The temporary remedies for the affected area have been well documented with possible natural and man-made solutions in the coastal areas.