A mobile app, that rewards residents and visitors for picking up litter, was launched in Durham City on 24th February as part of the county’s commitment to becoming a sustainable destination.
UnLitter UK encourages people to play their part in maintaining clean and green communities by offering rewards from local businesses in return for disposing of litter responsibly. As well as being good for the environment, the scheme will help to boost the county’s economy by directing people towards the businesses involved in the scheme.
Visit County Durham, Durham County Council’s tourism service, has been selected to pilot the app in Durham City in partnership with UnLitter UK’s creator, Unbox the Universe. It follows a successful scheme in Belgium, where more than three million people across 581 towns and cities are now using the app.
UnLitter UK was officially launched at Durham BID’s popular Fire and Ice Festival in Durham City. The free app, which is available to download on App Store and Google Play, provides a platform for people to record the litter they collect simply by uploading a photograph from their smart phone. The pilot will run for three months.
Environmentalist Vivek Gurav, whose passion for plogging (jogging and picking up litter) has inspired people across the UK, was among the first to test it out.
To download the app, search for ‘UnLitter UK’ on App Store and Google Play. For more information about Visit County Durham and its work to grow the visitor economy and support tourism businesses, visit: www.visitcountydurham.org