To help clean up Berlin’s waterways, the city has taken a tip from Copenhagen and plans to reward visitors for collecting litter. Here’s what residents and visitors should know about ‘BerlinPay’.
Berlin is known for many things, including its energy and creativity – but cleanliness? Not so much.
Few cities wear their rough edges as defiantly as Berlin. For many residents, overflowing bins, littered parks and polluted waterways have long felt like part of the package.
But this summer an unusual new initiative will test whether tourists and locals alike can be nudged to behave a little more responsibly.
The scheme is called ‘BerlinPay‘ and its based on an project developed in Copenhagen. The basic idea is: reward people for acting sustainably rather than scolding them after the fact.
Visitors who pick up rubbish or or joins in efforts to clean and beautify Berlin’s waterways could soon earn small discounts and perks in return.
Taken on its own, that might sound like a gimmick – but city officials suggest it’s part of a wider strategy to clean up the capital.
What is BerlinPay – and why now?
Launched by visitBerlin, the city’s tourism organisation, and the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, BerlinPay will start as a citywide pilot project this summer, as part of Berlin’s “Water Tourism Theme Year”.
The focus is initially very specific: responsible behaviour on and around Berlin’s waterways.
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According to visitBerlin, anyone who helps pick up trash, improves the local environment or supports social projects by the water can receive “small perks or special Berlin experiences” from participating partners.
These would include discounts, vouchers or minor rewards rather than cash payments.
The concept is still being refined, with full details expected at a press briefing on May 13th with Berlin’s Senator for Economics Franziska Giffey.
The inspiration for the scheme comes directly from Copenhagen, which launched its ‘CopenPay’ scheme in 2024.
There, tourists are rewarded for actions such as picking up rubbish, arriving by train instead of flying, cycling around the city or helping to clean up the harbour.
In return, participants can receive free bike rentals, museum discounts, guided tours or even complimentary meals.
According to Copenhagen’s tourism board, the initiative has helped collect large amounts of litter while also encouraging more climate-friendly travel choices.
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Currently BerlinPay still looking for partners like restaurants, hotels, cultural institutions, environmental initiatives and mobility providers to get involved.
visitBerlin says participation can be flexible, from offering a small token reward to running a dedicated campaign.
One organisation already providing an example of how the programme might work in Berlin is GreenKayak, another Copenhagen-born environmental initiative.
GreenKayak allows volunteers to borrow kayaks on Berlin’s waterways for free on condition that they collect waste while paddling. In Berlin, you can arrange to pick-up a GreenKayak on the Spree River near Funkhaus with Backstagetourism.
How much will BerlinPay clean up the city?
On its own, the programme is unlikely to transform the city’s cleanliness overnight.
The scheme can perhaps be thought of as the carrot to go alongside the stick of significantly increased fines for littering – up to €250 for discarded disposable cups and at least €80 for dog waste, for example.
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The Senate has also announced increased funding for Berlin’s cleaning authority (BSR) to allow the organisation to “take on additional tasks, such as cleaning green spaces”.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
