“As an incentive for mindful habits, Enel offers credits on the energy bills of customers who bring recyclable materials to the company’s collection points.”
“When we first began to take part in the programme our son really liked a children’s character who stands up for the preservation of nature and we realised we should encourage him to do the same. I think it is one of the most important lessons parents can pass on to their children,” says the educator.
According to Patrícia, the employees at the collection point that her family takes their recyclables to have watched Gustavo grow up and have witnessed the boy’s dedication. In addition to recyclable materials, Gustavo has also brought some of his books to be donated to poor communities.
“Gustavo tells his friends at school about the recycling programme. By doing so, he plants a seed in other homes. Those children will grow up knowing that each of us needs to do his or her part to preserve the planet. ”
Ecoenel currently offers 199 collection points, 125 in Ceará and 74 in Rio de Janeiro, some permanent and others that travel between locations.
To take part, customers need to present the energy bill to be discounted at any Ecoenel collection point and request enrolment. The customer will then receive a membership card and will then be able to take advantage of the benefits. When the customer takes their recyclables to their preferred collection point a bonus will be applied to their next energy bill.
The membership card indicates the consumption unit to which the customer wishes to credit the discount, which means they can request it for themselves, someone else or even as a donation to a charitable institution. A list of recommended charitable institutions is available at the collection points.
When the customer brings recyclables to a collection point, the material is weighed separately by type as the rate varies for each one. If the discount is greater than the total of the bill itself the remainder is credited automatically to the subsequent bill.
Ecoenel currently assists 608,000 registered clients in Ceará and Rio de Janeiro. The initiative has already collected around 31.5 thousand tonnes of waste that have been converted into R$5.1 million into energy bill discounts.
