Category: Article

With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics coming up in three more years, Japan has begun its plans for creating the medals. What they are asking from their public are their old cell phones and electronics to produce the 5,000 Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Medals. That is as much as eight tons of metal (40kg of gold, 4,920kg of silver, and 2,944kg of bronze after production) as they aim to collect. For such an important world wide event, Japan wants to “contribute to the story, to raise awareness about a sustainable future and to make a unique contribution.”

–Tokyo 2020 Engages all of Japan in Medal Initiative 

Not only will this decrease the amount of e-trash in the landfill, but the project will also get the public to contribute with a simple act. Their project is similar to what we are trying to do with the exercising and picking up trash.

With Star Wars 7 and Rogue One out in theaters and soon onto DVD, there is more hype among the Star Wars fans across the world. There is one artist named Gabriel Dishaw who has dedicated himself in saving disposed tech by creating Star Wars sculptures. His goal is “to inspire people to think differently about waste, and hopefully influence them to take action.” You can find his sculptures on his Instagram and more information about his creations on the CBC website by clicking on this link. May the force be with you always.

Leaving trash around doesn’t look appealing to the public eye. Its filth just makes any area that you are in not look clean. Now here is the question: how can we turn trash into a form of street art that actually is publicly appealing? Well this Portuguese street artist named Artur Bordalo answers the question with his own monumental sculptures to not only use the mountains of waste he collects, but to raise awareness on the global’s unsustainable garbage production. From a grizzly bear to a skunk, he shows his art work on the streets of Portugal for the public to observe.

To see the interview with Artur Bordalo and to look at his artwork, click on this link: https://streetart360.net/2016/12/19/bordalo-ii-an-artist-turns-trash-into-street-art-masterpieces/

About three months ago, a young man named Cliff Relph finished spending 100 days picking up trash in the Knight Street Neighborhood in Vancouver.  He would walk around picking up trash that he found laying around. Locals have called him a local hero, dedicating himself to spend time outside to pick up trash that people left on the ground in the neighborhood. He found banana peels, a frying pan, and even batteries laying around. Even though it was a tough activity for him, he said he was dedicated to make a difference in his neighborhood, doing what most people wouldn’t do.

If you want to read about his 100 day adventure, click on this link to get more details: Knight St man’s 100-day trashpicking project finally over

The way he takes pictures during his trash finding neighborhood escapades is something that we are trying to make easier for people like Cliff: while a runner (or walker) finds trash during his/her runs (or walks), he/she can pin it or picture it with the PnR Mobile App. Doing so will pin point the trash’s location.  The runner (or walker) can then pick up the trash (i.e. pick it up).  The application stores that information to provide a documentary of where trash is located, if the trash has been picked up, or if others can help pick it up. [ pin it, picture it, pick it up ]