Picture this. Dozens of kids, picking up litter, politely engaging with adults and making money.

These mini eco-entrepreneurs were paid 10p for every can, cup and carton they collected. And 20p for a plastic wine bottle!

It happened at the OnBlackheath Festival last weekend.

But not all kids were involved.  Some just ate crisps and ice-cream, while others ‘chillaxed’ as their parents danced (embarrassingly) to Jamiroquai and Grace Jones.

The idea is simple. It goes back to the old days of having a deposit on a pop bottle. Collect them in, take them back and you get paid.
 

But here’s the best bit. 

When I talked to the organiser who was collecting, counting and cashing he told me that one lad had brought in 3,000 items and pocketed over £300!

Another ran a small crew; giving out carrier bags and getting his little brothers and mates to collect while he organised them into bigger sacks.

Some parents were clearly pushing their kids to pick up a bag and start collecting.  ‘You want £3.50 for an ice cream? Go and pick up 35 cans’.

Others needed no encouragement; they just grabbed a bag and off they went. 

Aged 10, which one would you have been?

Be Brilliant!

Michael


PS This post was first published on my LinkedIn page earlier this week. LinkedIn seems to be gaining a lot of traction at the moment. If we’re not connected and you’d like to be, then you can link with me here.

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