RecycleBank and eBay Use Carrot Instead of Stick to Encourage Recycling

In most cases, we use threats to force people to recycle--witness San Francisco's controversial new mandatory composting law that slaps a fine on anyone who fails to comply. But what if it was possible to get people to recycle by offering incentives instead? It is--and RecycleBank has been doing it for 18 months by offering residents of participating cities points that can be redeemed at stores--all for recycling regular trash. Up until now, only residents of cities partnered with...