First Prize in ÇEVKO Foundation’s Green Dot Student Awards Goes to Our Project "Cyclearly"

Kumsal Kurt, our Industrial Design graduate from the Faculty of Architecture and Design, was honored with first prize in the ÇEVKO (Environmental Protection and Packaging Waste Recovery & Recycling Foundation) Green Dot Student Awards in the "Waste Management Systems and Practices” category in recognition of her project "Cyclearly", which proposes a new waste management system that starts at the source.  "Cyclearly" is a waste management system developed to start the recycling process for non-functional secondary packaging waste right at the source of waste. The system proposes to achieve this through stands to be placed near cashier’s desks in grocery stores so that non-functional secondary packaging can be collected right at the source while the consumer leaves the grocery store, and the recycling process can start immediately for packaging which otherwise cannot be separated at home. Designed as a recycling reward system in which users can collect points based on the total amount of packages they recycle and use their points as discounts off their next purchases, "Cyclearly" presents a holistic system integrated with different business partners. In this multi-stakeholder system, grocery stores, recycling institutions (ÇEVKO), brands, and municipalities play an important role. The project aims to integrate waste management into daily consumption habits in a bid to prepare a more sustainable environment for the world on a both individual and macro level. Users will be able to collect reward points by recycling waste at the stands placed at affiliated grocery stores and designated locations by the municipalities. The collected reward points can then be redeemed with the next grocery shopping or transferred to public transportation cards.  

The Green Dot Student Awards were presented to winners with an online ceremony on Wednesday, December 22, 2021. Nine students from seven universities were honored with the Green Dot Awards for seven projects in three categories. First prize was shared by two students in the Waste Management Systems and Practices category in the inaugural Green Dot Student Awards. We would like to congratulate our graduate Kumsal Kurt on her achievement and wish her continued success.