Community Practices Towards Sustainable Waste Management: A Case Study in

Attempts to enact legislation and develop a sustainable waste management system in the capi-tal city Kathmandu,Nepal has stalled over the past two decades,mainly due to an unstable political situation and a lack of commitment among various stakeholders.As solid waste poses an increas-ing threat to public health and the environment,neighborhoods in Kathmandu have recognized the need for capacity building among stakeholders.This article reports on a recycling initiative led by women in one community of Kathmandu and presents the findings from a pilot survey focusing on awareness level and attitudes towards collaboration at the community level.A total of 50 re-spondents were sampled using a structured questionnaire.Mean age of the respondents was 26.5 years with a standard deviation of 8.80.It was revealed that most of the respondents have basic awareness about environmental degradation and believe in the need for initiating joint efforts from all sectors.However,behavioral action is still lacking and can be enhanced through environment education and economic enterprise through women’s initiatives at the community level. 1