FWRD

Bingagement

What if improved recycling rates were just a giant sign away? Strap in, the puns might get a bit bintense.

Events want attendees to use bins correctly and make use of on-site recycling/compost facilities.

Events also want people to drink and be merry which often leads to increased litter. Going off in search of a bin while your favourite band is playing is unlikely, as unlikely as finding your friends again afterwards. Doing either when under the influence isn’t even more unlikely.

But we see good bintents all the time, be it little piles of cans forming that people intend on taking to the bin once the act has finished but inevitably end up getting kicked all over the place or the little look about in search of a bin that most people give before dropping litter

It is these good bintentions that we want to cultivate and capitalise on using an ‘all could, no should‘ methodology. We all know what we should do, with all the included guilt and shame, so we prefer to operate on the shame-free, positive potential of what we could do instead.
How?

What if attendees knew where the bins were?

What if, when they turn around to leave a stage or venue, they can see a big lit-up sign that says ‘BIN’ with an arrow pointing down to clearly labelled receptacles?

What if we were to bintercept people as they leave by bringing large bins into space and gamifying/rewarding their use?

We bintend on finding out through trials and observed bin use a.k.a ‘lobservations’ and the more events that are involved then the more widely applicable the findings of the research will be. To go into more detail we’ll answer the above questions.

What if attendees knew where the bins were?
By running daytime bingagement early on in the festival, educating attendees on correct usage and rewarding positive binteractions (there will be no relenting on the bin puns, sorry) we theorise that attendees will learn the bin locations sooner, be more likely to bingage with them throughout the rest of the weekend and be more inclined to advocate for their use i.e. saying “There’s a bin over there.” to their mate. This could also stop things being wrongly binterpreted, namely fire points, that often end up full of litter.

What if, when they turn around to leave a stage or venue, they can see a big lit up sign that says ‘BIN’ with an arrow pointing down to clearly labelled receptacles?
This might be enough to binspire people, remind them of the drinks containers they dropped and bincourage them to pick up a few pieces of litter on the way. This positive impact is more likely to happen if it is staffed by someone hyping and rewarding bin use. Some of the easiest and most effective binspiration we have seen is someone jumping on the mic after an act and saying “Please do us a favour and pick up five pieces of litter on your way out. You might even find the sunglasses you’re about to realise you’ve lost”. Pairing this with a really visible bin station has great potential.

What if we were to bintercept people as they leave by bringing large bins into a space and gamifying/rewarding their use?
The previous bingagement tactic leaves a gap between the buzz generated by an act and the request to tidy up a bit. A gap in which people realise reasons why they can’t/won’t bingage, needs for the bar and/or toilet supersede any possible good deed they were about to do.

But we want to be as binclusive as possible, with this in mind we are keen to try bringing well-signed bins, bin bags, rewards, a hype crew with games and a soundsystem into the space that needs tidying, capitalising on the buzz of an act and extending the good time instead of contrasting it. By binevolently ringfencing the area and quickly capturing people’s attention we hope to increase bingament.

This kind of bintervention is also more likely to binspire people to use bins later on as they have experienced just how easy it is, formed positive memories and been rewarded. So, while it doesn’t take litter teams long to clean a stage or venue, the aim is that these behaviours are taken back to the campsites and attendees feel binspired and binabled to respect their camping area.

Visible signage

We have identified a gap inbetween waste management and site decor. Most bin signage sits on top of the bin and is useless more than 3 meters away. Large flags on scaffold poles are beautiful, visible and have the potential to serving great purpose.

Thematic soundsystem

We want to create positive memories and associastions to binpower further ripple effects of affirmative behaviour change. What better way to do that than through music? What better format for that than as a banging converted wheelie bin soundsystem

Binformed staff

Knowing what goes in where is key, if crew don’t know or the messaging is unclear it creates the grey area in which apathy can grow. With Bingagement staff fully informed they can disseminate information and reward attendees accordingly.

Game and rewards

Festivals are fairly hedonistic environments where immediate gratification rules supreme. With this in mind we design, build and run games that are easy to play, have positive purpose and are rewarded to create sustainability advocates.

We are now looking for

Waste/ Litter management companies keen to be included in these improvements.

Events that want to see improved recycling rates

New festival/event organisers that want to be part of research for industry-wide benefit.

Get in touch with any questions or comments