Rewards System Providing Incentive to Make Choices That Benefit the Environment
First Claim
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1. A method of incenting consumers and businesses to make choices that benefit the environment comprising:
- providing an account;
receiving purchase information defining a purchase associated with the account;
computing reward points based upon the purchase information and an environmental factor; and
transferring the reward points to the account.
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Abstract
The present invention concerns a system and method for providing an incentive to consumers and business to make choices that benefit the environment. Each consumer and/or business has an account. The account accumulates redeemable reward points based upon transaction information and at least one environmental factor that is based upon how transaction choices benefit the environment.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of incenting consumers and businesses to make choices that benefit the environment comprising:
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providing an account; receiving purchase information defining a purchase associated with the account; computing reward points based upon the purchase information and an environmental factor; and transferring the reward points to the account. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An award system configured to encourage choices that benefit the environment, the award system comprising:
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an award system database configured to store environmental factor information and account information, the account information including award points accumulated for each of a plurality of accounts; and an information manager that computes award point credits for each account based upon purchase information and the environmental factor information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of providing incentives to benefit the environment comprising:
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providing an award system that correlates reward points with a benefit to the environment; receiving an election to activate an account; and crediting award points to the account based upon financial commitments that reflect choices that benefit the environment wherein the award points are redeemable at an approved set of retail establishments.
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16. The method of 15 further comprising:
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receiving transaction information defining a purchase by the account; providing environmental factor information related to the purchase; computing award points based upon the transaction information and the environmental factor information; and crediting the award points to the account. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification