The Application
This site functions as a resource to track the locations of public trash cans and have the option to report the trash can as full. When a can is reported as full, the relevant waste management company is notified. The user has the option to add a new trash can to the reporting system and to then be able to update its status. Users are able to see the status of trash cans local to them through the map feature. This is a community-based project that functions off of a dataset of pictures of the trash cans and their coordinates. Normally waste management companies function off of a schedule instead of a notification system, so they pick up more often than necessary as they don’t know if the trash is full or not. This site provides them that information directly and makes it available to the public. The goals of this project are to decrease the amount of litter in public spaces and to decrease global warming that would come from expended resources of waste management companies’ traditional methods.
Why It Matters
Being able to know where public waste management is available benefits users and the environment, as it keeps litter off the streets and therefore out of rivers and natural resources. There are also significant mental health benefits that stem from environments lacking litter on the individual. Litter is not only a public nuisance but also contributes to pollution. With our system in place, community members are able to locate trash cans for convenient disposal. Also, by notifying companies when the trash cans are full, they contribute less to global warming because they would expend fewer resources on logistics. By updating and improving the infrastructure around waste management the businesses save money, and it is better for the environment.
Future Aspirations
In the future we hope to expand our dataset through advertising to more communities to further its reach. We are currently set up for success with four different social media accounts advertising the website as well as ways to contact the team with any questions, issues, or collaboration opportunities. With consistent social media interaction and greater user interaction, our application would be more and more effective and the data would be helpful to many different companies and communities it is used by.
