PICNIC Green Challenge

The world must embrace a new, greener lifestyle and one bright idea can make a big difference. To encourage and aid the invention of great new green products and services, and after it's success in 2007, the Dutch Postcode Lottery and PICNIC present, the PICNIC Green Challenge 2008.

With a revolutionary building material Eben Bayer has won this year's PICNIC Green Challenge, the international creative competition of the Dutch Postcode Lottery and cross-media event PICNIC. Lodewijk Asscher, Amsterdam's Deputy Mayor presented the € 500,000 prize to the 23 year old American. His invention is about insulation material that consists of biological waste material treated with special fungus.

The € 500,000 price was known before. After the presentation of the four finalists the Postcode Lottery unexpectedly awarded € 100,000 extra for the runner up. That was Capra J'neva, who's company Veranda Solar developed easy to use solar panels. "Her consumer friendly idea can give the use of solar panels an enormous boost", said the jury.

Go to the press release to read about the winner, view the video of the four finalists and download the pictures.

PICNIC Green Challenge 2008
The PICNIC Green Challenge 2008 called on creative, innovative people around the world to come up with concrete solutions to fight climate change. Anyone with a good idea for a product or service that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a consumer-friendly way and contribute to a sustainable lifestyle was welcome to take part.

The PICNIC Green Challenge offers a 500,000 Euro award for best green initiative in the field of lifestyle, design, mobility and communications technology.

Preliminary jury

• Femke Rotteveel, Chairman (applications coordinator, Dutch Postcode Lottery)
• Emily Farnworth (director of corporate engagement, The Climate Group),
• Bruno Giussani (writer, commentator and entrepreneur)
• Jeffrey Prins (programme manager for sustainable development, DOEN Foundation)
• Jan Paul van Soest (sustainability strategy consultant)
• Marleen Stikker (co-founder, PICNIC)

Final jury

• Prince Carlos Bourbon de Parme (involved with several projects combining sustainability and business)
• Nicky Gavron (member, London Assembly)
• Bill Moggridge (industrial designer; co-founder, IDEO)
• Liesbeth van Tongeren (executive director, Greenpeace Netherlands)
• Jim Walker (chief operating officer and co-founder, The Climate Group)

PICNIC Green Challenge 08 received 235 entries
We are very happy to announce that we received many entries that could contribute to the fight against climate change! The entries come from countries all over the world, including India, Brazil, Israel, the United States of America, the Philippines, Tanzania, China, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

From the 235 entries, the preliminary jury will now choose three to five finalists. The names of the finalists will be announced after 9 September