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Coline Billon - French, Europe

2017 Winner | | French

My project, “La Tricyclerie” (Tri-cycling), has been running for two years and is based on three elements: waste sorting, the food cycle and a tricycle (pushbike). The idea is to use a bicycle trailer to collect organic waste from restaurants and offices in the city (Nantes). This waste is then composted locally to benefit urban and peri-urban agriculture (and farmers). The project combines several environmental objectives that support a sustainable, less polluted, more autonomous city, and better soil protection. It’s an easy and previously untapped solution for managing organic waste in densely populated areas at the community level. My aim is to strengthen the links between urban and rural areas, and between people and their plates, in order to promote responsible consumption. The project creates jobs, benefits citizens, businesses and institutions alike, and can be replicated elsewhere. It has quickly proven its worth and has united the community by addressing several important issues: food and nutrition, waste, urbanism and transport.

I have always looked to work with people committed to finding solutions to climate change, both in France and elsewhere, whether through my Master’s degree in environmental economics or my professional experiences (think tanks, NGOs, research centres, etc.). These diverse experiences have given me skills in the field (agro-ecology, socio-environmental studies) and enabled me to drive initiatives for sustainable solutions. I am a young female entrepreneur deeply passionate about climate change issues – I was actively involved in the People’s Summit and several United Nations climate conferences, and I launched “La Tricyclerie” when I was only 24 years old. I am also interested in issues concerning food and nutrition, from production through to the recycling of bio-waste.

Avertissement: NOTE: Ce contenu a été mis en ligne pour le cycle 2019 du programme Jeunes champions de la Terre et n'a pas été mis à jour. Cette liste ne constitue ni une approbation ni un statut auprès du Programme des Nations unies pour l'environnement.

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