(04 February 2014) – The latest phase of the European Commission’s ‘Generation Awake’ campaign focuses on the environmental, economic, social and personal consequences of using resources unsustainably.
The campaign aims to make consumers aware of the consequences their consumption patterns have on natural resources, illustrating the benefits if they choose to act differently.
It centres round an interactive website available in all 24 official EU languages, where cartoon characters show the environmental impact of everyday purchasing decisions.
Despite EU-wide recycling targets and successes in certain areas, Europe’s waste is still a hugely under-used resource. A study prepared for the Commission estimates that full implementation of EU waste legislation would save EUR 72 billion a year, increase the annual turnover of the EU waste management and recycling sector by EUR 42 billion, and create over 400 000 new jobs by 2020.