Exterminate Litterbugs
Join a global movement to reduce litter by using and promoting the use of an app that tracks where people discard trash in public. You will also help your community place garbage and recycling cans in strategic locations where they’re needed.
Most communities struggle to control litter. Wherever you live, it’s likely that someone in your community is intentionally or accidentally leaving trash on the ground. Litter diminishes the attractiveness of a community, can attract vermin and insects and often represents a lost recycling opportunity. But there’s great solution!
Perhaps you live in a pristine area where people universally respect public space and appropriately dispose of garbage. If not, Litterati is a mobile app that was developed to help people track and pick up litter. Litterati prompts people to upload information about the type and location of litter to enable communities to make better decisions about trash can placement and waste disposal. You’ll be helping your community clean up, and also helping move forward a global movement.
How do I get started?
First, do a visual survey of your community and decide whether this is something you need. Think about downloading our PDF for helpful tips on how to get started.
Next, think about running a digital survey (through, for example, Survey Monkey) of your peers and community members to determine whether they agree that there’s a little problem in your community. Be sure to solicit input about where you could put additional garbage and recycling cans
Download the Litterati app
Launch a campaign to get friends and neighbors to pick up and track where litter can be found in your community
Present your findings to community leaders, and propose (with maps) locations for new garbage and recycling cans
How long will this take? We estimate that this project will take between 20-25 hours from start to finish. It’s easy to compile the data if you and the participants in your group are using the Litterati app.
How do I expand this narrative arc? This project could link nicely with a campaign or event that either raises awareness of the amount of garbage that people are generating, improves compliance with recycling rules or addresses general environmental and sustainability issues.
Help your town revamp its recycling program by doing an audit of recycling practices and working to improve resident compliance and waste disposal metrics.
Be recognized for your contribution to building a more sustainable world through the Brower Youth Awards.
Get a micro-grant to run your recycling project through Captain Planet.
Launch an awareness and advocacy campaign to allow (or increase) the recycling of plastic film.
Participate in a quick citizen science project that revolves around the environment or sustainability like The Big Microplastic Survey
Cap off this arc with an impressive local impact project that involves sustainability in your local community like this Haul Your Daily Trash Stash Campaign.
HOT TIP: Done properly, this is an excellent and potentially high profile community project that, as a bonus, can have a positive environmental impact. It will be even more valuable to you if you can link it with something else academic or extracurricular, like a local tree planting or community beautification campaign.