People Fixing the World

The misuse of guns is a problem for lots of countries across the world. This week we look at projects trying to reduce deaths and injuries.In the US we visit the company which says it has successfully developed the world’s first ‘smart gun’ which uses facial recognition and fingerprints to identify the gun owner - meaning only they can fire the gun. We also speak to a woman who’s convinced police in the UK to speak to the partners of those being issued gun licences.And in Jamaica - where most murders involve firearms - we find out how hospital data is being used to reduce the number of attacks using guns - even in the country’s most troubled neighbourhoods.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email [email protected]. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporters: Claire Bowes, Nick Davies, Anthony Wallace Producer: Claire Bowes Sound mix: Andrew Mills Editor: Jon Bithrey(Image: Mourners remember those killed in 2024 Apalachee school shooting, US, Getty Images)

The world produces about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. A lot of this waste, such as multi-layered plastic packaging and cigarette butts, is hard to recycle. Instead, it fills up landfills and contaminates the environment.We travel to the Indian city of Pune where eco-social company Recharkha upcycles plastic packaging waste into contemporary products like tote bags, lampshades and table mats. It relies on village women’s handicraft using traditional spinning wheels or charkhas, simultaneously helping tackle rural unemployment.We also head to another Indian city, Noida, where an organisation works with local women to safely turn millions of cigarette butts into clean fluffy material to be used in stuffed toys - among other products.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email [email protected]. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/reporter: Chhavi Sachdev Sound mix: Andrew Mills/Ardila Syakriah Editor: Jon Bithrey(Image: Women who work at the Recharka project, Recharka)

We eat millions of tonnes of coconuts every year - with the dense white flesh of the fruit making a tasty snack and the juice a refreshing drink.But the inedible husk and shell go to waste – and it’s this part that innovators and entrepreneurs around the world are now putting to work to solve a whole host of problems.In Sierra Leone, a personal tragedy was the catalyst for young entrepreneur Alhaji Siraj Bah to start a business which takes the coconut husk and turns it into an alternative to charcoal - which is good for the forests and could potentially save lives too.And we hear about the start-up using coconut to keep fish, fruit and vegetables cool for longer without using any plastic.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email [email protected]. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporters: Eric Mugaju Producer: Craig Langran Series producer: Tom Colls(Photo: Farmers in Teluk Payo village, south Sumatra are peeling the skin of coconuts to be turned into copra or charcoal, 13 July, 2022. Credit: Sigit Prasetya/Getty Images)

We rely on space for our communications, weather monitoring and security. Yet rising levels of space junk increase the risk of collisions, putting these things at risk.This week we are heading to a space lab in the UK to meet the scientists building a special waste collector that will clean up defunct satellites. We’ll also be heading to the Himalayas to see how an innovative project is training sherpas in Nepal to clear trash off the mountains using drones.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email [email protected]. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: Claire Bates Sound mix: Annie Gardiner Voiceovers: Diwakar Pyakurel at BBC Nepali, Hikmat Khadka Editor: Jon Bithrey(Image: Myra Anubi and Anna Nash from Astroscale, BBC)