ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the development of thinking of the intrinsic relationship between the social and solidarity economy (SSE) and the environment, linking this to the ongoing debates of sustainable development and the green and blue economies. It examines the role of what has been referred by Tim Jackson as the 'Cinderella' economy as an answer to unsustainable growth, by providing an internationally grounded review of bottom-up, environmentally motivated SSE initiatives that are dealing with organic and solid waste management. The chapter highlights the role of waste pickers associations and cooperatives and their role in urban and environmental management and public policies, highlighting the example of the Association of Waste Pickers in the city of Bogota, Colombia. It discusses the concept of 'up-cycling' with an SSE initiative that is based in Ljubljana in Slovenia. The chapter concludes with a reflection on the future sustainable solutions for the environment and waste problem, introducing the concept of a 'Circular Economy'.
