This is a nice tranlation of the charity box for coins (and bills) that they have both at airport international departure lounges and on some international airlines.

To take this one step further, McDonalds could say that they will get rid of the penny and that they will either round to the nearest nickel or roundup and give the extra to charity.

The more I think about this, the more I like it. It would be very easy to implement. Maybe airports across the country could get on board and award the monies collected in a lump sum to particular organizations. Or, alternatively, individual airports could make award to local charities that operate in the vicinity of the airport, thus allowing them to be a good neighbor.

Nice idea in principle but a major security risk. A better solution might be a small carrying case for coins!

I think this is one of the best ideas I have heard in ages! Have you ever approached TSA or FAA to discuss? In many European airports, foreign currency is colledted of International passengers heading back to their home countries. The barrels are always teeming with cash!

This is a great idea. I would give to it every time I fly. Someone mentioned the security risk, but I don't see the risk. In fact, I see that this would speed up the process because it would reduce the number of people who forget that they have change in their pockets and get beeped and have to go back or be wanded.

They do have these in many Intl airports. I just gave my Canadian change to one in Calgary the other day and I have seen them in Europe. However, they are always inside the security zone. I think your proposal of putting them just outside the security zone is great.

It makes the most sense at international airports, as most people are happy to be reliefed of their small foreign notes and coins when they return home. But I am sure many would like to do so at domestic terminals too ...

Bill Maher had published this good idea in his polemic "When you Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Ladin."

I think that this is an excellent idea and cannot see how it would be a security risk. On the contrary, it would reduce the "false-positive" rate through the metal detectors.

Brilliant idea. Ironically I suspect the place it would be hard to get it implemented would be in third world countries who never seem to have a charity box at the airport, I guess 'cos they don't want to admit they have a poverty problem. But maybe they would adopt it when they could use the excuse that it would help speed people through security!

Another idea. UK charter airlines and some scheduled airlines collect for charity during the flight. Extracting coins from pockets in a cramped airline seat is a major hassle (for blokes, anyway). It would be a better idea if they collected when sitting bored silly at the boarding gate at the departure airport, and easier to access those coins which end up in all sorts of pockets, rucksacks etc.

I beleived that some of the airports have this in place already. Amsterdam?

I like this Idea. Also when you leave a county and have change left you will be able to use. You should be able to donate that change

This is in place in Hong Kong and Thailand - the money goes to Unicef. We could have these boxes all over our airports, not just at one spot.

I generally empty my pockets & drop the change into charity boxes before going for security. However, it would be great if such boxes are close to the security area; & you don't have to go looking for one.

Which charities would be allowed?

Good idea. I hear there are also hundreds of nailclippers, pocketknives, scissors, etc collected each day from forgetful travellers. Why not give these to charities as well instead of throwing them out?

BRAVO! I've thought the same thing myself. Only problem is picking a charity. I'm sure once charity one saw it, they'd want to be there also. Maybe stick to something international, like disaster aid.

What about the scissors, knitting needles, and pocket knives that get confiscated? Make the coin slot big enough and you could collect and donate these as well. (Sort of kidding, but hmm...)

Absolutely fantastic idea! Everybody has stories about going to the counter at the airport, buying a pack of gum for $1.01 ($0.95 + tax) and having a pocket full of change at the metal detector! I would certainly donate my unused change to avoid the hassle.

Yes, this is indeed a brillian idea. Finally, i've found something in this site that seems very practical and applicable immediately. I believe many people will contribute to this charity work and the collection of small amounts will eventually grow and be be able to help many people in need.

Excellent. I gain utility by losing money, great idea.

This idea called "change for change" was promoted my Bill Maher in his book "When you ride Alone, you ride with bin Laden". Great idea!

Since every known charity would be worthy of donation to one degree or another, how would you choose who to allow a box?

I personally would want the money to go to the development of homeless training and development programs in that area. The larger the airport, ususally, the larger the local population.

And regardless of what you tell me, I KNOW FOR FACT, that the security personnel of at least one airport (Saint Louis) is as corrupt as can be imagined. Only a small portion of what would be put in the donation box would make it to the desired recipient. If the collection box isn't monitored and controlled by multiple, changing, and unrelated agencies, the money will be stolen.

As an example: Go to any high school football game and sit near the concessions and count the number of hot dogs sold. Simple enough. Then make it a point to show up at the Concessions committee meeting and listen to the Treasurer make their report. You know the number of hot dogs and how much they sold for. Yet the Treasurer will report a much reduced amount being made. And if you bring up that issue, you will get stonewalled. Why, because the Board of Education knows its going on.

Haven't you ever wondered why football takes precedence over reading, writing, and arithmetic? Gambling, concessions scams, and other illegal activities breed in these environments. It's the same in the airports. Money talks.

Although your motives are altruistic, donate your change before you get to the airport; just drop it on the street, someone will pick it up and it will make their day.

Lower the inhibitation and inconvenience barrier. Might be better to put the charity box somewhere in the lounge, where it is less hectic. Furthermore a passenger might still want to buy something in the duty free. In any case, the box should be put where at a place where the passenger would likely have no further use of the money. Therefore decreasing his or her inhibitation to give it out. A problem might be collecting the distributed boxes. Why not just try it out. Suggest it to your local airport.

The idea is good! No matter who thought it first.

I think we all should take action and contribute in its popularity in our areas. I am going to contact local charity organisations in Norway at least.

International train stations, bus terminals and airports, even border crossing check-posts could be feasible sites to put one.

Great idea, this is just the kind of thing that makes somebody think.

And since I can't seem to forget to leave my small swiss army knife home when I travel they could donate them to the charity to sell :)

i love the idea, and i cannot see a downside, great!

Interesting Idea, but it makes me think... would this be a government deal (don't they already take our money and redistribute it?), or do the private airports pick who do give it to? Perhaps they could keep it and build another runway so it doesn't take 30 minutes of waiting on the taxiway to take off!

What's the real problem we're trying to solve here... is it really so bad to pick up your change after security that you'd rather not have the money? How about letting more beggers hang out around the rich travelers? (Or just make it a 'tip' jar for the security workers :-) Okay, okay, perhaps we just don't have enough drop boxes for reputable charities. So what if we put them everywhere, all over the airport! Would charities make more money that way?

I like the idea of doing something with all those confiscated items. But what needy third world group really wants trashbags full of nail clippers and keychain knives? (And how could we fly it all to them if it can't get past security?) :-P

Wait, wasn't my nail clipper made in a third world country? :-)

Nice idea, but...

I personally like to research a charity carefully before giving them money, and then give them a fairly sizable sum within my means, not just my spare change. The hundred and one little unknown charities that set up collection boxes everywhere, you have no idea if they really are a worthy cause and frankly a few of them are scams.

Also, I have any easy solution to the coins problem at metal detectors. They just go in a side pocket on my usual carry-on bag, along with my keys, and go through the x-ray machine. Never had a problem with this method. It takes a couple of seconds to transfer things into the pocket as I walk towards the security area, then I transfer them back at my leisure as I walk to the departure lounge.

Is not that the way that IDIOT Jim Jones started out??? Later killing most of his people!

I like the idea...but we also need to get rid of TSA, a major govermental screw up.

Like your idea a lot. Most (if not all) major airports have a Travelers Aid program that relies heavily on volunteers to staff infomation kiosks and provide help in various other ways. As a frequent traveler who sees the obvious benefits of this program, this is a non-profit I would gladly support with spare change.

Who gets to decide which charities qualify ? Could get highly political.

Although the TSA does a good job of having you throw your brand new stuff away, yes it would make sense for the Salvation Army or some homeless shelter locally that could benefit from many items!

This is a great idea, and I thought it was my original until I found this site. Would anyone be interested in actually trying to implement it? Think: change counting machine with receipt printer...

For years there have been small change boxes in both Shannon Airport and Dublin Airport departure lounges in Ireland. Donations are changed monthly by airport management at the bank in each building and are are given to worldwide childrens' charities. Notes are accepted, too.

I think it's a great idea, but have an extremely hard time believing airports would ever implement anything like it.

Great idea! I'd give to it too. And no, I don't see a "security risk". You are at the Airport, there had better be Security already.

ok ok

My brother has come to me with this idea before. So has anyone actually done anything with it?

What about a charity change box placed at the beginning of a roller coaster line? Having spare change in ones pocket can be an inconvenience (on a roller coaster) or simply not allowed (going through airport security), and charity boxes are a great solution!

I have seen this in some European airports, but if I am not mistaken, the boxes are placed in the duty-free areas (i.e. after you have gone through security). It's a good way to collect larger sums of different currencies since banks aren't willing to deal with small change.

British Airways and other airlines are also collecting change on board for selected charities (Unicef for one). They even provide envelopes and airline staff collect them.

What if they had collection boxes along side the (sometimes seemingly interminable) lines at registration? That way, they collect the donations and also empty your pockets of the small change before you go through security?

My 2 cents worth!

Great idea, but can you imagine the scuffle over which charity gets to put their collection box in there. A PR nightmare with endless descrimination suits unless it's done very carefully. A lottery perhaps to decide who's in there for a month or a year at a time