Climate Saving Is No PICNIC, But Is Possibly Worth A $750,000 Prize
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 07.14.08
PICNIC '07 winner Igor Kluin flanked by award creators and Richard Branson, jury chair.
Give us - or rather the PICNIC Green Challenge - your best climate-friendly, greenhouse-gas-cutting idea, and it could be worth a $750,000 cash prize sponsored by the Dutch Postcode Lottery.
While that may seem like an offbeat organization to be dabbling in eco-entrepreneurship, it's no joke. Last year's winner Igor Kluin (pictured above accepting his prize) revved up his company Qurrent with prize winnings, and is well on his way toward launching a system for connecting and managing local area networks of renewable energy. Translation: small groups of homes or businesses can maximize their wind turbines, heat pumps and solar installations by sharing energy and having a computer-controlled 'brain' keep track of usages and implement efficiencies.
Directly reduce greenhouse gases
Judges for the PICNIC competition will choose three to five finalists, and coaches will give the finalists a few days of intense preparation on presenting their business idea this September - Igor Kluin has said the coaching helped him marshal his thoughts to present Qurrent's concept in an entirely new way. In addition to a product or service that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, judges are after concepts that can be implemented within two years (by you or your company), and that score well on convenience, quality, and design.
Don't wait, formulate your eco-friendly idea now
But act now, the Challenge deadline is July 31. While that's a tight timeframe, Qurrent's Igor Kluin wrote his proposal in one day and still managed to impress from among the 439 other entries. Go straight to the entry form at Green Challenge. Via ::PICNIC
More:
PICNIC Green Challenge: It's Time To Act
Win 500,000 Euros With Your Green Idea
