04/25/2024
The Dutch, famed for their pragmatic problem-solving, are at it again.
Walking through Amsterdam's Vondelpark, at first I didn't know what to make of this unusual garbage can — which appears to have a built-in beverage caddy.
But then, it dawned on me: This ingenious trashcan solves multiple problems at once.
The Netherlands has a new-ish deposit system for bottles and cans: €0.15 is added to the cost when you buy a drink, which you can reclaim later by returning the vessel. This system, in place in many European countries (and US states), is designed to reduce waste and encourage recycling.
The problem is, not everyone is willing to carry around an empty bottle until they reach a deposit-reclaim point. It seems wasteful to trash these, and doubly so when you're essentially throwing real cash into the garbage along with it.
These "donation rings" (doneerringen) make it much easier for people in need to gather these unwanted items and collect the deposit. You don't have to carry around an unwanted bottle; the bottle is more likely to actually get recycled; and someone who could really use the money gets to pocket it.
These days, societies struggle for a win. In Amsterdam, this simple invention has created a win-win-win. To me, this simple sight illustrates how, in a highly functioning society, a good idea, smartly executed, can creatively chip away at problems...both small and big.
