Trash is always a problem at summer music festivals, and Denmark's Roskilde Festival has typically been no exception. After the 2007 festival, it took more than 500 people several weeks to clean up the heaps of garbage left behind—at a cost of more than one million euros, the festival's organizers say. That's why this year's festival, which took place earlier this month, promoted the slogan "Less Trash—More Music" in its effort to control the leftover garbage.

Special red garbage bags were handed out to festival-goers throughout the course of the four-day event, with rewards in the form of free beer or chocolate milk for each bag collected, along with a chance to win more beer, festival kits, tents or tickets to next year's event. Through a competition sponsored by Tuborg, collectors of the most garbage (1,048 bags!) also won backstage passes to Neil Young's performance. For recyclables, meanwhile, Roskilde provided stands to collect cans, cardboard, drink containers and more. In exchange, participants were reportedly rewarded with cash refunds of roughly EUR 0.10 per bottle, allowing the most zealous of the festival's 67,000 paying attendees to come close to recouping the cost of their tickets. About 97 percent of the cups used at Roskilde's concession stands were brought back for recycling as a result, according to PSFK. Meanwhile, more than 1,600 sleeping bags left behind were donated to the homeless.

As if the music, the sustainability and the rewards for being clean weren't enough, attendees at this year's Roskilde got a little extra free love, too. In addition to the usual wrist band, festival-goers were given a condom (donated by Hanky Panky) and a set of earplugs (sponsored by TrygFonden), too. In Roskilde’s words: “Say goodbye to herpes and tinnitus.” In our words: Follow examples like that, and say hello to a new generation of loyal customers!

Website: www.roskilde-festival.dk
Contact: info@roskilde-festival.dk

Spotted by: PSFK via Matthew Cua

Almost exactly a year ago, we featured Vator.tv a Silicon Valley company that lets entrepreneurs pitch their "next big thing" to potential investors via short web videos. Recently, a similar venture got started in the UK.

cmypitch.com describes itself as "Dragons' Den meets YouTube" and besides letting start-ups pitch their ideas to attract funding, the website also aims to provide other services for entrepreneurs, like directories of business opportunities, franchises, businesses for sale, etc. Those in search of funding can pitch for investment by uploading a short video supported by a summary business plan, for a fee of GBP 200 for a three-month listing.

Due to UK financial regulations, viewers need to register and then "self certify as an investor" before they can watch a single pitch. Which could seriously hamper the website's growth—users are less likely to forward a video to other potential investors if they know the recipient will need to register and self certify just to view a short clip. That said, British entrepreneurs in search of funding will no doubt welcome an additional opportunity to reach out to potential investors!

Website: www.cmypitch.com
Contact: www.cmypitch.com/site/contact

BIC, the French purveyor of billions of lighters, pens and razors, recently launched the anti-iPhone. No waiting in line, no activation, no costly plans and no frills whatsoever. BIC phones, which retail at EUR 49 and come in orange and green versions, are ready to go: the battery is charged, SIM card installed and the phone comes with 10 talk minutes that are valid without registering with network provider Orange. Once the 10 minutes are up, customers can activate with Orange for a further 50 free minutes, and can buy top-up cards for more talk time.

BIC/Orange stress that this isn't a disposable phone, more of a back-up phone for households to use when an extra, dedicated line might be useful—when selling a car or an apartment, for example. We can also see these selling well at airports, for travellers who want a local phone to avoid roaming charges, and want to be able to use it immediately without first having to charge or activate. Which makes for a good vending machine opportunity: set up machines near gate exits at Charles de Gaulle.

Website: www.bicworld.com

Spotted by: RK

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More phone-related innovation:
Pedal-charging cellphones at music festival
Modular mobile phone can slip into new roles
New phone company, made in Silicon Valley
Community designs phones, inside and out

Using its Newton Machine, UK clothing retailer Topshop recently gave customers the opportunity to explore their inner model by letting them star in their own iconic fashion shoots. Topshop created temporary photo studios in three of its London, Manchester and Dublin stores, using a set-up that fashion photographer Helmut Newton created thirty years ago. As explained by Topshop: "In the 1970's Helmut Newton came up with the idea of The Newton Machine, a specially made studio to take fashion images without the photographer being present. The machine's original purpose was to capture the subject as they see themselves, which draws parallels to today's obsession with engineering one's self-image."

Like Newton's models, Topshop's customers just had to walk in, strike a pose and press a button to set lights and camera in action. Naturally, they were encouraged to dress up in the store's clothes. Customers received a print of their fashion shoot, and the images were also posted online for all to admire. Fun example of a marketing campaign that appeals to consumers' gravanity while driving foot traffic. (Related: Jet-sized gravanity.)

Website: www.newtonmachinetopshop.com

Spotted by: RK

When the Democratic National Convention descends upon Denver later this summer, a fleet of vehicles provided by General Motors for the event won't be using just any ordinary fuel. Instead, the flex-fuel cars will run on clean-burning ethanol derived from waste beer produced at Molson Coors' Golden, Colo., brewery.

Whereas most ethanol is based on corn, Coors produces about 3 million gallons of the stuff each year from beer that gets lost during packaging or is deemed below quality standards, for one reason or another. Coors says it is the nation's first major brewer to convert its waste beer into ethanol, having begun the practice back in 1996 using a facility owned by Merrick & Co. Turning the waste beer into ethanol eliminates about 70 tons of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from Coors' emissions annually, it says.

At the convention, the GM fleet—which includes vehicles with biofuel capabilities and hybrid technology—will run on a mixture of fuel combined with ethanol from the Coors facility. The cars will provide transportation for numerous delegates, staff, members of the media and other special convention guests. Of course, in addition to the ethanol sponsorship, Molson Coors will also provide real, drinkable beer for select convention events—perhaps just as important as powering its cars... ;-)

Website: www.molsoncoors.com
Contact: gminvestorrelations@molsoncoors.com

Spotted by: Flemming Birch