Program Incentivizes Recycling with Free Coffee and Yoga

Although the concept of recycling is nothing new to Americans, the U.S. recycling rate still hovers around 34 percent. And even with numerous campaigns to encourage Americans to recycle – from clearer labels to efforts to make recycling hip – the issue still plagues companies and consumers alike. Yet, according to the 2014 Cone Communications Recycling in the Home Survey, the top motivator to get people to the bin is through earning rewards, money or incentives. Now, one initiative in the Netherlands does just that – incentivizing individuals to recycle by providing free cups of coffee or discounts on yoga classes.

WASTED, a pilot program running in Amsterdam's Noord district, is tapping into consumers' top motivation to recycle: incentives. The project centers on the WASTED Rewards System, giving away WASTED Coins in exchange for bags of recyclables. Participants earn rewards by attaching a unique QR code to each bag, and when the bag makes it to the recycling center, coins are sent out in return. The coins can be used at participating stores around the Noord district and exchanged for items like a free coffee, discounted acupuncture treatments or wine with purchase of a dinner.

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