They’re getting discounts and coupons on anything from surfing and rock climbing lessons to online eco-friendly clothing and beauty stores, just by filming themselves properly disposing of litter they find outside. 

“We price trash with virtual coins, which can later buy you food, drinks, and recreational activities with local and online businesses,” says Adam Ran, CEO of CleanCoin Technologies, an app that was launched just a year ago. 

“Our municipalities aren’t able to budge people – not even a little – to be more sustainable. What we provide is the tools, information, and the incentive in order to get people involved.”

Every time a user films themselves disposing of a piece of litter in a trash can or in the correct recycling bin, they earn a “clean coin”. If they collect enough trash to fill an entire bag, they’ll earn around 10 coins. 

Their filmed contributions are approved as genuine (usually within four days) by a combination of AI, fellow users and annotators from the company.

Users can then spend their accumulated coins on coupons and discounts in the app’s marketplace. They include rewards like a free night at the Abraham Hostel chain, deliveries of fresh vegetables, eco-friendly clothing and accessories, and various recreational activities from local businesses. Soon, users will also be able to donate their coins to good causes.

“Every person wants something else, so we try to appeal to everyone,” says Ran.

So how does a company like CleanCoin turn a profit if it’s effectively giving away money?

Municipalities and recycling corporations pay CleanCoin, whose users dispose of trash for free, which the company implies is cheaper than employing people to do so. “By utilizing CleanCoin’s platform, clients can optimize their waste collection and recycling efforts, leading to significant cost savings and a more sustainable operation,” says Ran.

CleanCoin also earns a percentage of each transaction made through its app. Business owners who offer discounts to app users benefit by being able to tap into a specific segment of the population, specifically those who care about the environment and about making eco-friendly purchases and who are likely to become regular paying customers.  

Eventually, the app will distribute coins based on the type of trash a user picks up, and the distance between the litter’s location and the nearest trash can or recycling bin, rather than rewarding users based on quantity alone. 

“For example, picking up 50 cigarette butts might sound like a small amount that you can hold in your hand, but it actually takes a lot of effort,” Ran explains. “We’re gonna price it highly because this kind of litter does a lot of damage, and can be swallowed by any fish, and travel up the food chain.”

CleanCoin will soon be launched in Niagara, Canada, which has a population of 500,000. The app’s future targets include New York and the United Kingdom. 

Source: No Camels