What is the most compelling way to get people to recycle, pick up their trash, or use the stairs? Volkswagen’s initiative The Fun Theory believes that the best way to teach responsible behavior is to add an element of fun.

The Fun Theory encourages people to think outside of the box and come up with new solutions to old problems. The Bottle Bank Arcade turns recycling glass bottles into a game, complete with flashing lights and sound effects. This seems a little silly, but the Bottle Bank Arcade was used by almost 100 people whereas another normal bottle bank in the same neighborhood was only used two times.

Another prevalent problem in America is that people do not get enough exercise. For people who automatically use the escalator instead of the stairs, The Fun Theory installed musical stairs and painted them to look like a giant piano. As a result, 66 percent more people took the stairs instead of the escalator.

The Fun Theory also sponsors a yearly competition where people submit their ideas. This year, there were such entries as the Chatter Ladder, Quitters’ Foosball, and the Jukeboxbin. First prize this year went to the Speed Camera Lottery which rewards people for driving responsibly. Most speed cameras take pictures of people going over the speed limit, but this speed camera takes pictures of every car. Drivers going over the speed limit are fined, but the money goes into a pot. Drivers who are under the speed limit will be entered into a lottery, and one driver will win the money collected that month. The winner received 2500 euros and had their idea featured on the home page of The Fun Theory’s website.

To learn more about The Fun Theory, go to http://www.thefuntheory.com. Watch their video of The World’s Deepest Bin below.