Berlin's new litter bins to say "Thank You"

[emad]

From BBC News:

<snip>
Berlin officials plan to introduce litter bins that say "thank you" when you deposit your rubbish in them. About 20 of the hi-tech, solar-powered bins will appear on the city's streets in April, in a drive to raise people's awareness of the litter problem.

But they will not look very different from the existing 20,300 bins in the German capital, a spokesman for the city's cleaning service said.

"The bin should become a sympathetic partner," said Bernd Mueller.

The prototype bins are designed to be "fun" - each one can be programmed to say different things, even in other languages, Mr Mueller told BBC News Online. "The idea is to raise people's awareness," he said. The batteries installed in the bins will also illuminate them at night.
<snip>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3586387.stm

"Sympathetic partner": does he mean Osama?

...and what's more the new Bins (or is it Bin Ladens?) won't swear at you if you urinate in them or set fire to them with cigarette butts..

[Kellanved]

1. heh

Well, no - fire doesn't happen that often, the plastic bins have a metal ashtray attached; most people honor that. As for urinating, most bins are too high up for that - and to be honest: for many Berliners looking for a bin would be too much of a hazzle.

It's sad that the situation will lead to the formation of a public order police ("Ordnungsamt") later this year - at the moment Berlin is far more easy-going than any other German city (no legal closing hour for bars, no ban on drinking, smoking or camping, ... ).

[Deja Q]

2. Mall of America used to have trash bins that SAID "Thank you".

They disappeared too...

I can't imagine why...

Too EXPENSIVE to maintain?

WASTE of technology?

Too many kids reprograaming them to say something far more interesting?!

How about some solar powered flashlights to go along with those bins?