Clipping of news on Brazilian Culture, Law and Citizenship
12/08/2013
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
How about a gadget that helps save the planet's resources and yet gives you a buck for it? Sounds too good to be true, but it exists. An engineer Zambian named Shanker Sahai, created Greenbean Recycle, a machine that returns money to those who insert plastic bottles, glass and aluminum cans inside. Each person who deposits waste in the system gets an online profile of social interaction through which gives the amount of materials recycled and even now can compete with other users.
To the inventor, the interaction with other people is one of the factors that encourage waste disposal system. "When people give their names in a panel scores, are more encouraged to use the machine again, continuing to recycle," says Sahai. For now, there are eight units installed in major U.S. universities, among them Harvard, MIT and Brandeis University, but the goal is to get machines for stadiums, airports and other locations where there are large circulation of people.
The civil engineer was inspired by the reverse vending U.S. also explains that hopes to change people's opinion regarding the reuse of waste. "Recycling is a pretty boring job, and sometimes we do not know how our efforts make a difference. The machine shown in real time, that even a single bottle or tin makes a difference, encouraging people to continue to recycle, "said the engineer the portal Co.exist.
Besides making instant deposits into the account the users, the device also gives credits in a Mexican restaurant and awards in social networks. The unit also processes waste by eliminating transportation costs to the recycling plants and storage containers. Until now, the Recycle Greenbean could seize nearly 17 tons of trash, generating energy savings exceeding 33 000 kWh.
Now we are left to hope that the idea take here in Brazil too. See the video below (in English) and know the features of the machine:
Source: UOL - Modern Consumer
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This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.