The widespread use of plastic bottles is a serious problem in Africa and all over the world. Millions of tons of plastic water bottles have been washing up on our shores every year and overflowing our landfills. In rural Nigeria, villages are now putting this waste to good use by building houses. Not only are the building materials an innovative way to repurpose the trash, but once filled with dirt and set into a wall, the homes built from these plastic bottles are incredibly affordable, durable, and strong enough to withstand earthquakes and even bullets. The construction of these houses, led by Nigerian nonprofit The Development Association for Renewable Energies, has been employing at-risk, out of school, and jobless youth, adding a cherry on top of a project that is already benefitting communities and the planet.
