On mobile application stores, really useful applications are rare. Especially when it comes to waste, a real scourge of our modern societies. Trash Out makes the difference.
Trash Out is an application based on social gamification. It works like a Foursquare. So instead of indicating where we are thanks to the GPS included in our smartphones, we report the presence of an illegal dump at such or such place.
Presentation of the Trash Out application
Once identified in the application (the identification allows to create a community spirit), we go to the reporting step thanks to a dedicated button. An internet connection and the use of the smartphone’s GPS are required to complete this step.
Advice on how to optimize your report will be displayed. The photo application opens and it’s time to add a photo to your report. This step can be skipped, but it is better to do it to observe the before/after. Once the photo is taken, you can indicate the size of the waste present thanks to simple and clear icons, as well as the type of waste found there. The report may then be accompanied by comments or be made anonymously. All that is left to do is to report back.
Take a picture of a dumping report
Leave a comment on a report
Specify the type of waste
Trash Out also has other very useful tabs. In the “Activities” tab, you will find the history of your activities in the application. A “near here” tab allows you to see at a glance the other reports made by users. A “Trashmap” tab allows you to have a global view of users’ activities around the world and around you. And finally, a Profile tab displays the different medals you earn based on the number of reports you make.
Map of illegal dumps in the Indian Ocean islands
The real plus of this application is its community scope. An aspect that results from its history of course. Indeed, Trash Out does not only allow to report illegal dumping. It also allows you to organize clean-up events to clean up these “black spots” with your community. You can also notify your municipality of the garbage for action. Once the place has been cleaned, it is possible to come back to the reported place in the application to check if the place has been cleaned or not. Another trick to get people to come to the clean-up operations: share directly on social networks, by SMS, email such and such a place to invite people.
Pros:
- Trash Out is part of a real citizen approach where everyone acts
- The application is perfectly ergonomic and easy to use.
Minuses:
- The need to be constantly connected
- Contacting your municipality is difficult when you don’t have its contact information
“Be Smart, Let’s cleanup” challenge
For the first time in Mauritius, Mauritians will be able to go on the hunt for illegal dumping. An initiative granted to the telephone operator EMTEL and the association African Network for Policy Research & Advocacy for Sustainability (ANPRAS). Indeed, from September1st to 30th, the two entities will launch the “Be Smart, let’s cleanup” Challenge using Trash out. A large-scale event where citizens will be mobilized, of course, but also businesses, municipalities, district and village councils!
About Trash Out
Launched in 2012 by the global association Let’s do it! World, the Trash Out app has reported more than 100,000 dump sites worldwide. All this while giving very precise figures on the composition of these dumps.
The initiative was born in September 2009 through a mass movement led by civil society that started in Estonia. At that time, nearly 50,000 people were mobilized to clean up the entire country in 5 hours. Since the Let’s do it! World has reached over 113 countries worldwide and will be holding its big global clean-up day on September 15!
