Press release 1 August 08: 235 entries for PICNIC Green Challenge'08
Amsterdam, 1 August 2008 - The PICNIC Green Challenge, an international creative competition, hosted by the Dutch Postcode Lottery and cross-media event PICNIC, is pleased to announce that it has received 235 proposals that could contribute to fight climate change. Entrants come from all over the world, such as, India, United States of America, China, Ecuador, Israel, United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
The PICNIC Green Challenge challenges creative, innovative minds to make a concrete contribution to fight climate change. Entry was open to anyone with a good idea for a product or service that reduces the greenhouse effect in a consumer-friendly way and contributes to a sustainable lifestyle. The deadline for entries was 31 July 2008.
Finalists to be announced 9 September 08
From the 235 entries, the preliminary jury will now choose three to five finalists. Their names will be announced 9 September. The finalists will present their ideas to the
e final jury on Thursday, 25 September, during PICNICÕ08 cross-media event, in Amsterdam. The winning idea is worth Û500,000 provided by the Dutch Postcode Lottery to bring the winning plan into the market within two years.
Dutch Postcode Lottery and PICNIC team up
The Postcode Lottery is devoted to realising a greener and more just world. It has joined forces with PICNIC to launch the PICNIC Green Challenge. Both organisations agree the world needs innovative, appealing new products and services to help it embrace a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. The Dutch Postcode Lottery is contributing expertise gained through its network of 57 charities and provides the prize money. PICNIC offers a broad network of potential contestants who are creative and innovative, with a focus on media, entertainment and technology.
Winner Igor Kluin PICNIC Green Challenge‘07
“The idea of generating energy locally was there, but its execution really took off after winning the PICNIC Green Challenge last year. Without a doubt, winning this competition totally changed my life.”
President Clinton supporter of PICNIC Green Challenge
"I'm pleased that the Dutch Postcode Lottery, in collaboration with PICNIC, has launched the PICNIC Green Challenge to encourage entrepreneurs to develop new ways to fight one of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change. The Green Challenge does just that by providing an incentive for these entrepreneurs to apply their expertise and innovation to move us into a clean-energy future," says Bill Clinton, founder of the Clinton Foundation.
Sir Richard Branson, chairman of the jury PICNIC Green Challenge‘07
“People aren’t going to stop consuming. Instead, we must offer the consumer a green alternative to bring climate change to a halt. The PICNIC Green Challenge is about stimulating the development of these alternatives. The large number of entries demonstrates that awareness of the need to change and the willingness to do something about it are felt worldwide.”
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Note for Editors:
For more information and photographs:
www.greenchallenge.info
Or contact:
Birgit Deuss
Press officer PICNIC Green Challenge
Email:
Tel: +31 20 67 32 446
Cell: + 31 6 495 00 820
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About the Dutch Postcode Lottery
The Dutch Postcode Lottery (Nationale Postcode Loterij) aims at supporting organisations
working to create a more just and green world through fundraising and increasing public awareness by means of a lottery. The Dutch Postcode Lottery is Holland’s biggest and most popular charitable lottery. It supports 57 charity organisations including organisations such as UNICEF, Greenpeace, WWF, IUCN and the Clinton Foundation. Since its launch in 1989, the lottery has allocated over 2.5 billion euros to its beneficiaries.
www.postcodeloterij.nl
For more information please contact:
Dutch Postcode Lottery/Nationale Postcode Loterij
Birgit Deuss/Press officer
Email:
Tel: +31 20 67 32 446
Cell: + 31 6 495 00 820
About PICNIC
PICNIC is Europe’s leading annual event highlighting creativity and innovation, with a focus on media, entertainment and technology. PICNIC’08 will take place from 24 to 26 September 2008 at the Westergasfabriek, a converted gasworks factoryin Amsterdam. PICNIC’08 is a top-level professional conference (the PICNIC Conference), an extensive programme of focused seminars and workshops (the PICNIC Specials and Labs), and an international competition to invent a green product or service – the PICNIC Green Challenge, fuelled by the Dutch Postcode Lottery. PICNIC’08 is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the City of Amsterdam and numerous businesses. For more information, see
www.picnicnetwork.org
.
For further information or press accreditation, please contact:
Whizpr
Willemijn Vader / Gijs Fennell
Tel: +31-317-410483
Email:
