The people of Sydney, it seems, will soon be seen in a long queues to throw their plastic waste into the recycle bin! Better than simply asking people to recycle for the Earth’s sake, these citizens have been made an offer they just cannot refuse!
What this creative initiative is all about?
- People who put their bottles and cans into the reverse vending machines will not only keep their city clean, they will also be rewarded with a small gift.
- These gifts include two-for-one food truck vouchers, bus tickets, or a 10 cent donation to charity.
- That’s not all! Recyclers can also choose to go into the draw to win a prime seat on the harbor for Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations or earn points on an Envirobank points card.
How it works - The machines can take and crush around 2,000 to 3,000 containers before they automatically email an adjacent store to tell the staff that they are full. The store owners then empty the machine and send the contents off for recycling.
The best part about this drive is that even before being officially announced, three of Sydney’s machines were filled up with more than 6,000 containers. Also, within the first three days of being launched, more than 10,000 containers were recycled between just two machines!
Give people a small gift and bam your city is clearer and greener!
“Container deposit schemes significantly increase recycling, reduce waste and protect wildlife and the environment from plastic pollution,” said Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore in a press release.
Reverse vending machines also exist in other towns and cities across Australia, but not all offer the same rewards. Learning from the quick success seen in Australia, this initiative should be taken up by all major countries across the world!
Just imagine the level of impact this would make if the scheme went global. This could be a great future!
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