Trash mapping – an innovative way to clean the world

LDIW believes that technology in the hands of active citizens can be part of the solution for a sustainable planet. Locating waste in places where it shouldn’t be and figuring out why it is there is paramount, but the data is also an integral part of organising World Cleanup Day. While some waste can be tackled using AI algorithms and already existing data, the part that ends up in harder to locate places needs to be found by active citizens. Data on trashpoints gives organisers in each location an overview of the work ahead, allows them to allocate the resources needed and plan logistics for community cleanups.

But the use of data goes much further than simply organising a cleanup. It can be used for cross-sector research on solving issues linked with waste. In 2018, Tanzania mapped more than 20,000 trashpoints in 4 days. Detailed mapping was done in the capital Dar Es Salaam to find out how waste affects the spread of malaria. During flooding seasons waste clogs up the drainage, which in turn creates ponds for mosquitoes to spread. Data from mapping waste can be used to see patterns: how the waste moves, when and where it reappears. This knowledge allows country leaders to approach policy makers and assess which area to focus their efforts on.

Kadri Maripuu, Head of Mapping at Let’s Do It World explained: “Through citizen science, people share and contribute to data monitoring and collection programs. Engaging citizens in changing the current situation of our world and providing the necessary tools that will help them contribute to science helps anyone to be a participant for a global change. This brings the feeling of belonging while the collected data can be used on local and global level. Currently we don’t have enough data to approach the mismanaged waste situation globally. Mapping helps us to get closer to this global understanding.”

This year’s waste mapping campaign for World Cleanup Day starts on the 1st of August and continues to September. During this time LDIW calls all citizens and interested groups who want to contribute to a cleaner world to find the waste in their area and map it.

Let’s Do It World has partnered with TrashOut for WCD 2019 in order to provide all mappers with an easy-to-use smartphone and web app for mapping waste. Lucia Kelnarová, Project Manager of TrashOut said: “World Cleanup Day is an amazing event and we are excited that TrashOut app will be powering this event with technology and data. If we get data about the magnitude of the waste management problem, we can then measure our real contribution to a cleaner world. Mapping is super easy and even a fun activity that has great importance in this movement.”

World Cleanup Day is promising to be bigger than ever this September. Cleanup actions will take place globally on September 21st with millions joining the action. All individuals, groups, organisations and companies are welcome to join the mapping and cleanup actions around the world.

More information:

https://www.worldcleanupday.org/

Images from World Cleanup Day 2018: https://bit.ly/2Egnkp4

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