by A mobile app that rewards waste-conscious residents and visitors was launched to help make a county a sustainable travel destination.
UnLitter UK encourages people to do their part in maintaining clean and green communities by offering rewards from local businesses in exchange for responsible litter disposal.
As well as being good for the environment, the scheme will help boost County Durham’s economy by referring people to companies involved in the scheme.
Visit County Durham, Durham County Council’s tourism service, was chosen to test the app in Durham in partnership with UnLitter UK creators, Unbox the Universe.
Read more: Rising to the challenge of attracting visitors to Durham
It follows a successful program in Belgium, where more than three million people in 581 cities and towns are now using the app.
UnLitter UK was officially launched at the Durham Business Improvement District’s popular Fire and Ice Festival in the city.
The free app, which can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play, provides a platform for people to document the trash they collect by simply uploading a photo from their smartphone.
A pilot project runs for three months.
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One of the first to test it was environmentalist Vivek Gurav, whose passion for plogging, a combination of jogging and litter picking, has inspired people across the UK.
He said: “Littering is a national problem that affects us all and I believe that collective action is key to solving it.
“We are taking an innovative approach to addressing this problem.
“By working together, we can really make a difference and create cleaner, greener communities.”
Councilor Mark Wilkes, cabinet member for the Neighborhoods and Climate Change Council, said: “We have a beautiful county and are committed to making it look as good as possible for everyone who lives, works and visits County Durham.
“Tourism contributes hundreds of millions of pounds to our economy each year, with events such as the Fire and Ice Festival attracting thousands of visitors and adding vibrancy to communities, so it’s important that we make a positive impression.
“We are therefore delighted to be working with Unbox UK to test this innovative app in Durham.
“Not only will it help maintain a clean environment for residents and visitors, but it will also support local businesses.
“It also supports our approach to tackling litter and environmental crime.
“This includes education, anti-litter campaigns and the big spring clean, along with issuing more than 1,000 fixed speeding tickets to those who litter.
“All of these actions underscore our commitment to keeping County Durham clean.”
Rachel Breeze, head of Unbox UK, described UnLitter UK as “more than just a litter disposal app”.
She said, “It’s an innovative rewards system that encourages users to take action in their communities.
“With every piece of litter collected and disposed of properly, users are rewarded with Circular Ucoins that can be redeemed for real-world rewards.
“It’s a fun and easy way to make a positive impact and create lasting change.
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“We are delighted to partner with Visit County Durham to launch the UnLitter UK app and drive positive change in our communities by promoting sustainable habits and supporting local businesses.”
The app can be downloaded by searching “UnLitter UK” on the App Store and Google Play.
For more information on Visit County Durham and its work to increase visitor economy and support tourism businesses, visit www.visitcountydurham.org.
