Charitable donation of proceeds from recycling activity

• US 8,630,944 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Count & Crush Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Count & Crush Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Mayo, George A., Kyle, George Clayton Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): RANKINS, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US13/192,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20130030988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 264/911, 264/918, 705/1, 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0279 Fundraising management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention enable an organization to nominate itself to receive proceeds from consumer recycling activity. For example, some embodiments enable an organization to request that an account be established to which proceeds from recycling activity are to be directed. Upon the account being established, the organization may be provided with a set of receptacles (e.g., beverage container collection bags), which the organization may hand out to potential donors. Each receptacle may include an identifier that allows the account to be identified. Donors may collect recyclable beverage containers in his/her receptacle over time, and bring the receptacle to a return center when it becomes full, at a designated time (e.g., to meet a suggested deadline set by the organization), or at any other suitable time. The recyclable containers in the receptacle may be processed, and a value to be provided in exchange for the containers may be determined. Some or all of that value may be deposited to the organization'"'"'s account, rather than being provided to the consumer.

Claims

1. A method for encouraging recycling, comprising acts of:

providing to an organization a plurality of receptacles for distribution to a plurality of donors, at least first and second receptacles of the plurality of receptacles including information enabling an account associated with the organization to be identified;

receiving the first receptacle of the plurality of receptacles from a first donor of the plurality of donors, the first receptacle having at least one first recyclable container;

receiving the second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles from a second donor of the plurality of donors, the second receptacle having at least one second recyclable container;

using a processing machine to process the first and second receptacles after receipt from the first and second donors, respectively, to determine from each of the first and second receptacles the organization to which the plurality of receptacles was provided;

processing the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container after receipt, the processing comprising determining a value to be provided in exchange for the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container; and

depositing into the account the value determined to be provided in exchange for the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to providing to the organization the plurality of receptacles, providing an online facility enabling a representative of the organization to request that the account be established and establishing the account for the organization at the request of the organization.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization includes a plurality of groups, and wherein the information enabling the account associated with the organization to be identified enables at least one sub-account associated with the account to be identified, the at least one sub-account corresponding to a group of the plurality of groups.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing to the organization the plurality of receptacles comprises providing each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles with an identifier identifying the account associated with the organization.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first receptacle is a bag.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information enabling the account to be identified comprises an identifier of the account.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the identifier is printed on a tag.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising issuing a statement to the organization providing information on activity relating to the account.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising distributing value held in the account to the organization.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein distributing value held in the account to the organization comprises making a periodic distribution.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein distributing value held in the account to the organization comprises issuing a distribution to a nominated representative of the organization.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising an providing a facility enabling the organization to monitor activity relating to the account.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first donor and second donor do not receive any of the value.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing machine comprises a scanner.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the processing machine comprises a handheld scanner.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container comprises scanning the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container with a scanner to determine the value to be provided in exchange for the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the scanner is a handheld scanner.

18. A method, comprising:

providing to an organization a plurality of receptacles for distribution to a plurality of donors;

providing to the organization a plurality of tags including information enabling an account associated with the organization to be identified, the plurality of tags being configured to be coupled to the plurality of receptacles;

receiving a first receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and a first tag of the plurality of tags from a first donor of the plurality of donors, the first receptacle having at least one first recyclable container and the first tag being coupled to the first receptacle;

receiving a second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and a second tag of the plurality of tags from a second donor of the plurality of donors, the second receptacle having at least one second recyclable container and the second tag being coupled to the second receptacle;

using a processing machine to process the first and second tags after receipt from the first and second donors, respectively, to determine from each of the first and second tags the organization to which the plurality of tags was provided;

processing the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container after receipt, the processing comprising determining a value to be provided in exchange for the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container; and

depositing the value into the account.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of receptacles comprises a plurality of bags.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the processing machine comprises a scanner.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the processing machine comprises a handheld scanner.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein processing the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container comprises scanning the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container with a scanner to determine the value to be provided in exchange for the at least one first recyclable container and the at least one second recyclable container.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the scanner is a handheld scanner.