In my Backyard! An Alternative Model for Solid Waste Management

摘要

Solid waste management is one of the major urban problems in cities today. The issue is often most pressing when city governments have to manage in challenging financial, managerial and cultural contexts. Cities in India are no exception. Although some town and cities have implemented and reported good practices, the situation is far from resolved. This paper looks at solid waste management practices in one ward in the city of Kochi, Kerala. The findings from this case suggest a systemic organising principle - a fractal configuration - as conducive to solid waste management. This paper further suggests that the recurring principle in this fractal system can be extended to other systems that involve distance decay or time decay functions.