“Become an Awakener” : EC competition for young designers on exploitation and reuse of materials
To turn waste into a resource is possible with “become an awakener” award, launched by the European Commission as part of Generation Awake Campaign on resource efficiency, conceived to raise awareness among young people and to promote a better management of waste fostering citizens to reuse and recover. To participate to the competition it is necessary that all products are made following the upcycling principle that is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or better environmental value. Each contestant aged 18-40 can participate presenting a maximum number of three projects or design articles like Interior design products, toys, artworks, clothes, IT related products or musical instruments. Citizens of all nationalities but exclusively residing in Bulgaria, France, Italy and Lithuania are allowed to participate to the competition. To submit their entry, contestants have to fill in an online form (http://goo.gl/32Nait) attaching some pictures or a video related to the proposal. A jury will be constituted for each country and it will judge the entries mainly by taking into consideration the coherence with the upcycling principles, creativity, originality, innovation and possibility to be reproduced by the public. The three winners from each country will have the opportunity to exhibit their designs at Green Week in Brussels between 3-6 June 2014. Application submission is until 28 March 2014. A competition dedicated to all creative people who share and support reuse, recycling and exploitation to promote the key message of generation awake campaign: waste contains precious materials that can be reintroduced in the economy if correctly used or recycled, reducing environmental impact. The European Commission proclaimed 2014 as the year of green economy