Followgreen Smart City Solutions I.K.E.

The online platform followgreen.gr is a digital application for Municipalities that wish to integrate modern tools in the context of the circular economy and the principles required by a "smart city". It connects the Municipality with citizens, local businesses and schools with the common goal of increasing recycling.

The main objectives achieved by using the platform are the following:

• The Municipality acquires a tool to reward citizens by providing them with discounts at local and municipal businesses.
• In a simple and fun way, citizens and students are trained in recycling and learn to recycle in practice.
• Schools now have a leading role in the recycling of the Municipality.
• The local market is boosted and businesses get free exposure.

Followgreen is aimed at Municipalities and is an innovative reward system for citizens who reuse or recycle, which combines education with the provision of incentives to citizens.

Brief description of implementation rationale

The idea arose from a group of experienced engineers - environmental consultants with international experience as a response to the low recycling rates in our country (<20%) compared to the corresponding European ones (over 50%) and with the aim of raising awareness and mobilizing citizens .
This presupposes that the Municipalities will prepare appropriate infrastructures and utilize all modern tools to mobilize citizens through reward and training systems.
Twenty-two (22) Municipalities have already joined Followgreen, two of which (Peristeri Municipality and Ioanniton Municipality) belong to the ten largest municipalities in Greece with a population of 139,981 and 112,486 inhabitants respectively.

Key Innovation Elements/characteristics

Followgreen is a new service for "smart cities" in the European market, introducing innovative elements both in the field of remunerative recycling and citizen awareness.

Its two main functions are as follows:

• Citizens create an account and earn points through online educational activities on recycling and by registering the recycling they do in their Municipality.
• Citizens redeem their reward points for special benefits - discounts on products/services of local and municipal businesses or donate them to schools as part of school recycling competitions.

In particular, the main elements of innovation are the following:

• It is a system of rewarding reuse and recycling unique at EU level, which combines education with the provision of incentives to citizens, while providing the possibility for Municipalities to implement policies in the logic of 'Pay as You Throw' (PAYT).
• It is a smart city application that can be extended to all sectors of the circular economy.
• It actively involves the school community in recycling through recycling competitions.
• It strengthens the local economy with significant economic and social benefits for citizens and the Municipality.
• It supports socially vulnerable groups through the reuse that takes place in the social structures of the Municipality.

Indicatively, some results of the platform from the approximately 4 years of its operation are mentioned:

• ~10% population coverage at country level, based on the population of participating municipalities.
• ~ 22,000 registered users on the platform.
• ~ 3,600,000 trainings - number of articles, videos, quizzes viewed.
• ~ 46,500 students have participated in school recycling competitions.
• ~ 80,565 kg of paper/ plastic/ metal/ oil/ batteries/ devices were recycled in schools
• ~1,100 local business deals with 17,200 citizen rewards.

The benefits of operating the platform are as follows:

• Municipalities get a modern tool to reward citizens.
• Citizens are educated on environmental issues in a simple and fun way, while they are mobilized to recycle correctly and more.
• Students get hands-on training in recycling.
• The local market is strengthened and businesses are advertised for free.
• The social structures of the Municipalities are strengthened with everyday items and the social contribution is promoted.
• Recycling in the Municipality increases by at least 2% and waste management costs are reduced.