Green isn’t just for St. Patrick’s Day anymore. Everyday we be recyclin’, trying to cut down our carbon footprint and up our enviro game. And in Australia, that’s as easy as a trip to the vending machine, where you can pay for your items with… get this… recycled goods.
We’ve seen everything from nail polish to pizzas coming out of vending machines, and now Envirobank has rolled out a series of vending machines designed to increase people’s incentive to recycle. The equation is simple: Put in your recycling, get out your rewards. You can claim cash on your recyclables or enter to win prizes and merchandise. Now you can get rewarded for helping the planet (which, let’s be real, is its own reward).
The machine automatically detects whether the item deposited is able to be recycled. Is it a bottle or can? Is it empty and uncrushed? Once it determines this, it either rejects the object (so you can throw it away yourself and not contaminate the recycling container) or gives you credit for recycling.
Here’s hoping that these vending machines make their appearance in other cities soon. We could all use a little nudge in the right direction when it comes to protecting the planet. And who doesn’t like prizes? It’s game on, Mama Nature.
Got a great idea that could save the planet? Have you seen one of these machines in the wild? Tell us in the comments below!
(h/t psfk)
