Sharing resources ‘cleverly’, shaping sustainability together – that is the theme of this year’s ‘Klever Birne’ sustainability competition. It is all about the sharing economy. From the 22 entries submitted, the preliminary jury has selected the ten most creative proposals for the shared use of resources such as transport, space, knowledge and time.
“Although we have tightened the rules slightly this year and specified the theme of the ‘sharing economy’, we have received a similar number of entries to the past two years,” says Christina Martens, who is jointly responsible for organising the ‘Klever Birne’ on behalf of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW). “The range of ideas submitted was enormous,” adds Pascale van Koeverden from the City of Kleve. “Many ideas contribute to more than just one sustainability goal. The majority of the proposals do indeed focus on sustainable consumption and production, but always in combination with other aspects, such as measures to combat climate change, reduce inequality or promote high-quality education.”
Entries were received not only from HSRW students but also from individual citizens, businesses and organisations. The top 10 includes ideas for a city-wide reusable coffee cup scheme, swap cabinets for everyday items to complement existing or forthcoming ‘libraries of things’, and a second-hand market in the town hall. A group of committed citizens would like to carry out voluntary neighbourhood work and foster good neighbourly relations. A team of colleagues is planning to set up a local environmental data network that is accessible to everyone. They are looking for gardens in which to plant communal miniature food forests, as well as support for community-supported agriculture, in which a farmer partners with a group of private households to produce fruit and vegetables sustainably.
The ten teams – including five project groups made up of current and former students of the HSRW – are currently preparing for the awards ceremony on 11 September 2025. On that day, they will need to convince both the jury and the audience of their ideas in a three-minute pitch. There are three prizes to be won, each comprising a cash award of between 1,000 and 2,000 euros, coaching and a certificate, as well as the audience award. As they prepare for their pitches, the teams are receiving support from the City of Kleve and the HSRW’s TransRegINT project (Transformation of the Lower Rhine Region: Innovation, Sustainability and Participation), which are jointly organising the Klever Birne for the third year running.
Anyone who is now curious can view the profiles of this year’s finalists on the TransRegINT website and social media channels over the coming weeks leading up to the Klever Birne awards ceremony on 11 September 2025, and find out more. Admission to the awards ceremony is free of charge, but registration is required: https://transform-hsrw.org/pn_termin/klever-birne-preisverleihung/
