Berlin Climathon: waste reduction and sustainable mobility

Berlin is often cited as one of Europe’s cleanest cities: but that doesn’t mean that there is not plenty of work that needs to be done in order to make the German capital more climate friendly.

In Berlin, the Climathon challenges focused on waste and transportation, both of which are common global issues that largely contribute to pollution. In Berlin, there are six different fractions of waste at household level- recovered paper, glass waste, recyclable fraction (plastics, metals and composite packaging etc.) biowaste and residual waste. While the quality of recycling is good, the way that it is collected is far from being sustainable; with six different kinds of waste, there are six different kinds of bins and six different vehicles that are required to pick up one one.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Climathon-2017-CTA”]

On top of this, these vehicles will barely be on the street at the same time, as tours and working hours differ, and certain types of waste (such as paper and glass) are recycled privately, meaning that there are numerous waste companies circulating around Berlin at any one time. 

copy-of-img_2119

Together with our four main delivery partners, BSR (Berlin utilities), Veolia Germany, CHORA City & Energy and ZTG of the Technical University of Berlin, and Berlin Partner, the event kicked-off at 10:00 on the 28 October 2016 with an official introduction to the challenge areas. Throughout the event, three coaches were present and facilitated the teams in terms of skills training and team formation. They also made sure that the energy level remained high by integrating frequent energisers and out-of-the-building activities like a campus tour or a gymnastics/yoga session. In addition to this, more experts joined for various time-slots until after midnight in order to provide further thematic expertise and be available for content questions. After lunch on the first day, seven teams were formed and ready to start developing their own idea. At midnight it was time for the first (peer-to-peer) pitch in front of the other teams, the coaches, experts and the local Climathon team. Luckily, all participants stayed during the night and worked hard in their rooms apart from having short and well deserved power naps. After breakfast and some fresh cups of coffee or chai tea, it was time to rehearse the pitches and getting ready for the final presentations. Seven experts from the challenge area and from local Climate-KIC staff were present to give their individual feedback. 

img_20161029_024311

While there was no official winner announced at the end of the 24hours, BSR have invited teams back to make further pitches in front of internal company experts at the end of this month, so that ideas can be fully implemented in the future. 

The Solutions

img_2203

 

Meet the teams 

SBA- See-Believe-Act

One of the ways to secure a better future for the planet is to educate the young on how to be more sustainable. Team SBA have proposed creating an engagement programme for secondary school children. Within this programme, there will be a mentoring programme included that will implement the circular economy system at school. This will hopefully lead to a ‘zero-waste school’, which will in turn encourage more children to be less wasteful and more environmentally friendly for life. 

The Wasters

Perhaps the transport and logistics of waste collection would be improved if the bins had a ‘heber’ or lifting system built within them? And maybe an underground bin system could be implemented within each quarter; not only could this reduce traffic, but it would also serve a community function with someone who would consult and support local residents in being more sustainable. 

The Expendables 

No matter how full or empty your trash can is, the collection for it will come regardless. This means that even though your trash can may have plenty of room in it to last for another week, the waste disposal team will continue to release more emissions into the environment and waste time collecting it. However, according to The Expendables, what would fix this issue would be if bins used a sensor technique to determine how full or empty they are, which would allow waste management companies to arrange pick up times for them to save time and improve logistics, as well as reducing the amount of  emissions that they release. 

Perfect Trash 

A bit like The Expendables, Perfect Trash has identified that one of the issues with waste collection is that bins are being collected regardless of how full they are. Perfect Trash also recognised that other issues with waste collection is that bins are very noisy and the routes can take a very long time to complete due to surrounding traffic and obstacles. The team propose that bins should be redesigned to make them quieter, and they should come with an ‘on demand’ pick up system so that half empty bins can be avoided. Further to this, the team feel as though trees should act as barriers for more traffic; this will increase the speed of waste pick up as it will allow services to avoid parked cars and bins will have a clear space to be collected from. 

Move A BIT

Trying to get people out of private cars and onto bikes can be tricky, especially when they are stuck in their old habits. Move A BIT plan on making a bike hub and cycling app for the 50+ generation as a social innovation project to foster use of bikes in the city. 

MOaskateer

Team MOaskateer think that one way of encouraging more people to use bikes would be to create an interactive platform community that will hold regular competitions and learning workshops to promote the benefits of cycling. The platform would also have a reward system to support local retailers. 

Kommuting Koalas 

Sometimes, riding your bike to work can take a long time, which will inevitably put people off of doing it. But, Kommuting Koalas propose a more streamlined journey when you book your bike to work as an extension of the current NextBike app, this would be a seamless integration of public transport and bike sharing. 

img_2211

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Climathon-2017-CTA”]

 
Location
Related Focus Area
Urban Transitions
Articles you may be interested in
In The News
For cities to become climate-resilient, they need to invest in capability buil...

As cities grapple with transforming and adapting to meet...

For cities to become climate-resilient, they need to invest in capability building
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC signs declaration ‘EU Green Deal: from local to global’

All around the globe, cities and regions are driving...

EIT Climate-KIC signs declaration ‘EU Green Deal: from local to global’
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC organises first Festival of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in...

Running from November 28 to December 2, the activities...

EIT Climate-KIC organises first Festival of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in Santander
In The News
What does climate action look like for the Culture and Creative Sector Industr...

The Culture and Creative Sector Industries (CCSI) can play...

What does climate action look like for the Culture and Creative Sector Industries?
In The News
Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to unlocking capital for climate ne...

In order to reach net zero by 2030, or...

Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to unlocking capital for climate neutrality
In The News
Gipuzkoa shapes the green future with local actors

Gipuzkoa is taking action towards sustainability through collaboration with...

Gipuzkoa shapes the green future with local actors
In The News
How can we enable African climate innovation to thrive?  

Much of the discussion around COP27 this year has...

How can we enable African climate innovation to thrive?  
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC and partners publish recommendations to include systemic lands...

The European Green Deal represents a unique opportunity for...

EIT Climate-KIC and partners publish recommendations to include systemic landscape thinking into EU policies to achieve the Green Deal
In The News
The challenges of building a resilient farmers’ community in Africa

Audrey S-Darko is a researcher and a farmer from...

The challenges of building a resilient farmers’ community in Africa
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC joins business and civil society to call on governments to uph...

As the official COP27 outcomes are being drafted this...

EIT Climate-KIC joins business and civil society to call on governments to uphold commitments to 1.5
In The News
Climate innovation: “The purpose is people, everything else is just the mean...

Massamba Thioye is leading the UN climate change Global...

Climate innovation: “The purpose is people, everything else is just the means”
In The News
Become a European Climate Leader

The Climate-KIC International Foundation is looking for a Supervisory...

Become a European Climate Leader
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC launches open-access database to map start-up ecosystem, now w...

Climate start-ups supported by EIT Climate-KIC are now worth...

EIT Climate-KIC launches open-access database to map start-up ecosystem, now worth €11.8 billion in combined enterprise value
In The News
Slovenia higher education reform aims to create a supportive environment for s...

Slovenia’s ministry of higher education is gearing up for...

Slovenia higher education reform aims to create a supportive environment for students and teachers
In The News
Co-designing the future of coal regions

EIT Climate-KIC launches the Post Coal Future Lab initiative...

Co-designing the future of coal regions
In The News
Bringing in business is key to achieving systems transformation on the climate...

“What does it mean to enable businesses to deal...

Bringing in business is key to achieving systems transformation on the climate crisis
In The News
What will it take to build the New European Bauhaus?

“Beautiful, Sustainable, Together”. These are the values – and...

What will it take to build the New European Bauhaus?
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC selects five partners in Global South to implement gender main...

The intersection of climate and innovation remains a male-dominated...

EIT Climate-KIC selects five partners in Global South to implement gender mainstreaming into entrepreneurship
In The News
Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven

A broad survey, possible solutions displayed on screens, inspirational...

Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC accelerates climate tech solutions for a net-zero Africa 

Climate-focused start-up teams in developing countries face distinct challenges...

EIT Climate-KIC accelerates climate tech solutions for a net-zero Africa 
In The News
New European Bauhaus Hackathons will reward most innovative solutions

EIT Community New European Bauhaus partners will be hosting...

New European Bauhaus Hackathons will reward most innovative solutions
In The News
Slovenia takes a pivotal turn towards circularity

Slovenia has decided to actively combat climate change by...

Slovenia takes a pivotal turn towards circularity
In The News
Innovative climate projects part of EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiat...

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has...

Innovative climate projects part of EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiative
In The News
A new air and climate plan for Milan

The City Council of Milan approved the Air and...

A new air and climate plan for Milan
In The News
Meet the three EIT Climate-KIC innovators nominated for EIT Awards

Three innovators from EIT Climate-KIC’s community have been nominated...

Meet the three EIT Climate-KIC innovators nominated for EIT Awards
In The News
100 European cities take up the challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030

On Monday 13 June, the representatives of the 100...

100 European cities take up the challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030
In The News
The role of cities and regions in transforming wood value chains

Climate smart forest economies It’s a crucial decade for...

The role of cities and regions in transforming wood value chains
In The News
Glasgow City Region pioneering forest economy innovation to drive climate acti...

Scotland’s largest city region is actively tackling climate change...

Glasgow City Region pioneering forest economy innovation to drive climate action
In The News
Forging sustainable timber construction in Europe

EIT Climate-KIC and Built by Nature, announce an initiative...

Forging sustainable timber construction in Europe
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC launches new Circularity Thinking training programme

EIT Climate-KIC is launching Circularity Thinking courses to tackle...

EIT Climate-KIC launches new Circularity Thinking training programme