Search Results for Tag: Cologne
Inventor’s deposit ring puts change in a bottle
Germany is known for its strong social system. Still, it’s not uncommon to see people in need of some extra cash rummaging through public trash cans for old bottles that carry a deposit.
Beer bottles are worth just 8 cents, but most plastic bottles can be redeemed for 25 cents. For some people, it’s not worth the trouble of taking them back to the store to get their deposit. But for others, a bag full of bottles can mean one more warm meal.
Paul Ketz in Cologne was bothered by all the deposit bottles he saw being thrown away, knowing that they were valuable to the less fortunate – not to mention the damage excess waste causes the environment.
So the 25-year-old came up with a brilliant idea that’s been catching on, not only in Cologne, but across Germany. Watch the video by Carl Nasman for a glimpse into Paul Ketz’s workshop:
Listen to Carl Nasman’s full report from Cologne for the whole story:
Cologne was the first city in Germany to order the rings (Copyright: 2013 Pawn Ring by Paul Ketz / Photo: Markus Diefenbacher)
Most plastic bottles are worth 25 cents, glass are worth only 8 cents (Copyright: 2013 Pawn Ring by Paul Ketz / Photo: Markus Diefenbacher)
The rings are starting to catch on across Germany (Copyright: 2013 Pawn Ring by Paul Ketz / Photo: Markus Diefenbacher)
First published on April 29, 2014
Inventor’s deposit ring puts change in a bottle
Germany is known for its strong social system. Still, it’s not uncommon to see people in need of some extra cash rummaging through public trash cans for old bottles that carry a deposit.
Beer bottles are worth just 8 cents, but most plastic bottles can be redeemed for 25 cents. For some people, it’s not worth the trouble of taking them back to the store to get their deposit. But for others, a bag full of bottles can mean one more warm meal.
Paul Ketz in Cologne was bothered by all the deposit bottles he saw being thrown away, knowing that they were valuable to the less fortunate – not to mention the damage excess waste causes the environment.
So the 25-year-old came up with a brilliant idea that’s been catching on, not only in Cologne, but across Germany. Watch the video by Carl Nasman for a glimpse into Paul Ketz’s workshop:
Listen to Carl Nasman’s full report from Cologne for the whole story:
Cologne was the first city in Germany to order the rings (Copyright: 2013 Pawn Ring by Paul Ketz / Photo: Markus Diefenbacher)
Most plastic bottles are worth 25 cents, glass are worth only 8 cents (Copyright: 2013 Pawn Ring by Paul Ketz / Photo: Markus Diefenbacher)
The rings are starting to catch on across Germany (Copyright: 2013 Pawn Ring by Paul Ketz / Photo: Markus Diefenbacher)
Comments deactivated Asking life’s tough questions, guerilla style
What do you live for? Fifteen-year-old Melis Omalar wants more people to think about that question. So she posts tiny written reminders – in the form of yellow post-its – all around town. It’s a guerilla movment – with a difference.
Listen to the report by Natalie Muller in Cologne:
Melis Omalar takes to the streets, armed with a pile of stickers (Photo: N. Muller)
“Is what you’re doing good?” (Photo: N. Muller)
Melis orders her stickers online before she heads out (Photo: N. Muller)
“When does your heart sing?” (Photo: N. Muller)
Comments deactivated Express yourself with color
Graffiti has a bad name. It’s often associated with vandalism, out-of-control youth and illegal tags in seedy places.
But for 23-year-old Daria Andert, graffiti can also be an important way for young people to express themselves and connect with their “inner artist.”
The art student from Cologne volunteers with a graffiti project called MittwochsMaler (Wednesday Painters), which holds drawing workshops, and helps aspiring sprayers practice graffiti on a legal wall.
Daria is hoping to deter illegal tagging, and show society graffiti artists shouldn’t be painted with the same brush as vandals.
Listen to the report by Natalie Muller in Cologne:
Daria Andert see street art as a way to make a difference (Photo: N. Muller)
Here, spraying is legal (Photo: N. Muller)
Daria is considering a career as a teacher (Photo: N. Muller)
It’s all about the freedom to express yourself (Photo: N. Muller)
Mittwochs Maler is a break from Daria’s art studies (Photo: N. Muller)
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