‘Going Green’ in a time of urbanization

More than half the world now lives in a city and for most, that means life is more congested, noisy and polluted than ever before. But amidst the traffic and skyscrapers, and against all odds are champions of green living. This month CNN’s ‘Going Green’ meets the visionaries living in the heart of the urban jungle dedicated to building greener futures for the generations to come.

Highlights of this 30-minute special program include:

Singapore

CNN meets Alan Lee, the founder of Elmich, an urban landscaping company with a sustainable outlook. He’s on a quest to make the Singapore skyline green by developing new products such as the world’s largest green wall and using recycled plastic that can be used in urban architecture and drive sustainability.

Delhi, India

Veena Lal provides refuge, guidance and skills training for Delhi’s homeless children and young people. They recycle discarded fabric turning it into fashionable accessories, generating income for themselves, as well as creating a better environment one stitch at a time.

Dubai, UAE

Faris Saeed is the developer of Sustainable City, a new district in Dubai that has zero impact on the environment. The 500 homes are powered by solar energy, water is recycled on site, there are no cars, and the community grows its own vegetables.

Nairobi, Kenya

One man cleaning up Nairobi's rivers and urban spaces is Sam Dindi, an environmental activist who is tackling pollution in the air, land, water and atmosphere. From river clean-ups to school visits to producing music, Dindi’s message is slowly being embraced.

Cairo, Egypt

Sherif Hosny from Schaduf is on a mission to bring rooftop gardens to the urban jungle and make Cairo greener by using recycled water and soil-less agriculture. More than 500 rooftop gardens have been established so far, bringing food security and self-sufficiency to low-income communities.

Beirut, Lebanon

The Green Glass Recycling Initiative in Lebanon has diverted more than 1 million beer bottles from landfill and turned them into lamps and vases through the ancient art of glass blowing. Founder Ziad Abi Chaker also helps the glass blowers sell their creations, turning other people’s waste into a profitable business.

‘Going Green’ is produced by CNN Vision, the global production powerhouse of CNN International, which brings the world’s breath-taking diversity into cinematic focus, telling stories that inspire audiences around the world.