Australian Envirobank gives goodies for recyclables, plus a sympathetic ear
By Tim Stevens 
posted May 4th 2009 10:16AM
posted May 4th 2009 10:16AM
If you're in a state within the States that's instituted bottle and can redemption programs, you've probably seen automated recycling machines that accept the discarded shells of your formerly refreshing beverages and dispense real money in return. Australia is getting on-board with a similar machine that bribes folks to recycle, but in a somewhat more high-tech way -- and without the up-front redemption fee. The Envirobank accepts both cans and bottles, scanning the bar code to identify the product and also checking the material to make sure it's recyclable. Accepted containers are crushed and kept, while the kind-hearted recycler gets a coupon or credit of some sort for their efforts (details TBD). Interestingly, the machine sports a mysterious yellow button that will connect troubled kids to "somebody who will listen" -- a nice idea, but we're not entirely sure how many youths will be interested in pouring their hearts out to a big box in the mall food court.[Via The Red Ferret Journal]
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
lol, oh engadget you make me laugh.
Hey you stole my line
AHAHAH!
Forgive me fathe.... eh operator, for I have sinned. It has been 2 weeks since my last recycling...
Throw a couple of these bad boys near a college...i'd make mad bank off our weekend parties!
The only way to get people to Re-Cy-kel?
is to strap a Mr. Fusion onto their cars...
In Sweden the recycling machines has a button on them where you can decide to leave the deposit you get to a charity instead of taking the money. I like that concept. 87% of all sold soda and beer cans are recycled in those machines. That's a lot of dough...
So my question is:
How much recycled material goes into making this thing? Does it generate enough extra material (as opposed to "traditional" methods) to justify the energy and materials used to manufacture and maintain the item?
So I take it you don't live in a location that uses these devices. Fair enough for not understanding. These machines are filled daily with recycled goods. If your community isn't using one, the question shouldn't be, "are these machines green?", but rather, "what is my community doing that compares?" I see beverage container recycling programs to be the basic minimum in sustainability. If you're not doing THIS then you aren't doing shit to reduce waste.
"you're workin' for your carrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn"
Bah, I hate recycling.
don't be a fool, backup is cool.
ops!.. wrong campaign.
I wonder how much they pay the midgets that work inside these magic boxes?
They're Oompa-Loompas, they do it because they like it.
hmm my high school idea (6 years ago) appears to have happened, i should have patented it, bugger
Hey there... im sorry to say, but we have been using these machines in Finland for the past 15 years or so and we recycle now almost 97 % off all cans, bottles etc. Some ppl even go and pick up other ppl's bottles to make some money, since you have to pay a "deposit" fee for the empty can/bottle in the shop while you buy any beverage.
So... i just have to say that you Americans are so late in recycling anything...
FinnIrish,
Excellent post displaying you complete ignorance of American society! I'm not arguing that you should be expected to know anything about American culture, but I would hope you would have some basic understanding before spouting quasi-nationalist rubbish. The US is construed of states. Each of these states governs differently. While some may have not instituted recycling programs, others have been doing this for decades longer than your country. Generalizing American culture is analogous to generalizing French culture as representing all of Europe.
http://www.serconline.org/bottlebill/stateactivity.html
Well, if you know what the yellow button does, then it's not that mysterious, is it?
Though I wonder if that "somebody who will listen" would only listen to recycling-related troubles.
I am looking for a automated recycling machine in San Francisco, CA. Does anybody knows where I can find one? Thanks.
Come to Michigan. The grocery stores here have lots of these machines. They print out Vegas style slips of paper with the amount you get back on it. I'm sure some company here would be willing to sell them.
I'm not sure why every state doesn't do this. It's not like aluminum is real easy to mine and refine from raw ore.
That yellow button reminds me of something from THX-1138. It was a cross between a telephone booth, therapist's couch, and confessional. A glowing avatar would listen to you go on and on about how worthless and pointless you life and society seemed, then respond with pre-recorded answers like: "I understand your pain." and "Let us be thankful we have commerce. Buy more. Buy more now. Buy. And be happy."
Creepy
I only clicked through to the comments to find out what was with the Coca-Cola signage underneath and it seems nobody has even mentioned it. Any clues?
Interesting, that that kind of news is in engadget - here in Estonia, we have same machines for more than two years already ;)
We have mostly adults doing recycling of bottles and cans. Homeless etc. They could use someone to talk to.
That being said. If I were still a kid, this would be so much fun to goof with. Would only let it talk if you put the proper article in.
I think there's only two states with such a program, though I don't have a bottle handy to check.
FinnIrish can say whatever he wants, the recycling and waste disposal schemes in America are laughable. Travel anywhere else in the world and it makes way more sense.
The fact that each little town in each county in each state has their own convoluted waste disposal laws just confuses everyone.
Every time someone goes over someone else's house, and they need to toss a bottle/can/whatever, you hear, "Do you guys recycle?"
Most people don't know what to do with their trash, and will just dump all of it because sometimes things are just too complicated. Deposit this, collect only this recycling type on this day every other week, this number plastic/glass can't be recycled in this area, etc. etc. It's horrible.
Also, what's with major American cities having like 3 trash cans each that seem to never get emptied, recycling trash cans only in food courts in malls, and horrible access to public toilets in shopping areas?
Anyhow, back on track... Whatever happened to the clamshell design where there were only two bubble-wrap-sized blisters to cut off on the opposite end from the fold, then the package could pop open? Seems to me that they'd be faster to manufacture, and much less deadly on Christmas day.
Wow, you guys have had these things until now? Automated recycling machines has been eating PET and Aluminum cans for decades over here in Sweden, every single grocery store has one (or 10). The "some one who will listen" thing is new to me though, sounds stupid :P