Followgreen is a new service for smart cities in the European market, introducing innovative elements both in the field of recycling and in the field of citizen awareness.
COMBINING EDUCATION WITH INCENTIVES
The Municipality of Artaion has launched a reward platform for reuse and recycling: Followgreen. This system is unique at the EU level, and combines education with incentives for citizens, while enabling the municipality to implement policies using the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) logic. It is a smart city application that can be extended to all sectors of the circular economy. The system actively involves the school community in recycling and boosts the local economy, with significant economic and social benefits for citizens and the municipality.
EARN AND REDEEM POINTS FOR REUSING AND RECYCLING
This platform functions in a four-step process: 1. Residents create an account at Followgreen.gr/arta; 2. Registered users accumulate reward points by reading articles, taking quizzes, watching videos and participating in green missions which raise awareness about recycling and the proper management of materials. Points can also be eared through recycling actions using smart IoT systems with special QR Codes, as well as by offering items to the municipality's social structures; 3. Reward points can be redeemed at local businesses offering products or services, as well as in nationwide e-shops that offer environmentally friendly products; 4. Points can be donated to schools as part of the effort to support students' during School Recycling Campaigns.
RESPONSIBLE AND MOTIVATED CITIZENS
Followgreen develops environmental responsibility through recycling actions which unite citizens, local businesses and schools. Rewarding recycling creates responsible and motivated citizens and results in an increase in separation of materials with economic and environmental value, such as paper, plastic, metal, etc. These materials, after their separate collection, are no longer buried in landfills and have an economic value of about €100,000-200,000 per year for a municipality of this size. Recycling results in additional environmental value, as these materials do not leak into the soil, sea or rivers, resulting in pollution and risk to public health.
