28. Jun donates “Smart Recycling Boxes” that feed stray dogs to Belgrade
Humanitarian organization 28. Jun today donated to the Stari Grad municipality in Belgrade two vending machines that feed stray dogs and encourage recycling.
The “Smart Recycling Boxes” are essentially vending machines that dispense dog food and water in exchange for recycled plastic bottles. The bottles are placed into slots at the top of the machine, while food and water is dispensed out of the bottom, making it accessible to stray dogs. By using the funds from the recycled bottles to purchase food for the animals, people are encouraged to recycle.
The machines are approximately the size of an ATM and utilize natural energy with the aid of solar panels installed on its top. The machines also contain technology that can provide analytics on usage, as well as monitor levels of food, water and waste. It even talks, thanking users in Serbian and English and reciting trivia about the Stari Grad municipality.
The vending machines aim to give strays a better life and reduce their hardship on the streets, while also encouraging its users to adopt a healthy recycling habit. The machines operate at no charge to the city, and the recycled bottles cover the cost of the food.
28. Jun has committed $110,000 for 10 special projects to mark their 10-year anniversary, this project being the first. Founded in 2012, 28. Jun has grown into a world-class humanitarian organization— attaining Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations— and delivering 235 tons of humanitarian, medical and disaster relief aid worth $9.7 million to the Western Balkans
Stari Grad encompasses some of the oldest sections of urban Belgrade, Serbia’s capital. According to government estimates, strays have doubled in recent years to about 15,000 — a huge burden for a city of only 2 million.
