Trash is treasure in Greece’s Lesbos

The most important innovations are created from the things we often take for granted; such as waste.

Daniel Connell, a self-taught engineer, travels to Moria, Europe’s most chaotic refugee camp, to help a strained community prepare for winter.

Gathering rubbish from junkyards and local kitchens, Daniel teaches a group of refugees to build his “rocket mass heater” design using only waste materials and a can opener. With a little ingenuity, this junk could be the difference between life and death for the camp inhabitants.

Moria camp is situated on the Greek Island of Lesbos and currently stands at over 300 percent capacity. Riots, police brutality and shamefully inadequate infrastructure make life extremely challenging for the refugees, a recent report warning the situation is “near breaking point”.

Previously Daniel has travelled the world helping communities in places from Indian slums to Guatemalan villages build vital infrastructure to ease the strains on those in need. In Moria, he will confront his biggest challenge yet; racing to build as many heaters as possible to help keep the 8,000 men, women and children in the camp warm throughout the winter.

Filmmaker: Tristan Copley Smith

Executive Producer: Andrew Phillips

Editor: Mohannad Rachid

Source: Al Jazeera