HOUSTON – Houston has been selected as one of five winners in the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Mayors Challenge.
It is a competition to inspire American cities to generate innovative ideas that can solve major challenges and improve cities.
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Houston will receive a $1 million innovation prize to help implement its "One Bin for All" idea and as the winner of the Mayors Challenge. Houston will also receive a $50,000 in-kind grant from IBM to support the implementation of its "One Bin For All" idea.
"One Bin for All" is a first-of-its kind innovation that will revolutionize the way the city of Houston handles trash and recycling. It will utilize game-changing technology to separate trash from recyclables, allowing residents to discard all materials in one bin.
"I am thrilled that Houston has been selected as a Mayors Challenge winner," said Mayor Annise Parker. "One Bin for All is a first-of-its kind innovation that will revolutionize the way we handle trash, achieving high-volume recycling and waste diversion, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower operating costs. I am anxious to begin implementation because I know this cutting-edge technology has the potential to improve health and quality of life not only in Houston, but around the world."
Houston was selected as a winner out of more than 300 cities.
"Recycling has often been treated as an individual responsibility, like paying taxes. But Mayor Parker's innovative One Bin For All idea turns that notion on its head," said Michael R. Bloomberg, philanthropist and Mayor of New York City.