Project summary

OpenLitterMap was inspired by the open research values and active global data collection and academic research community at OpenStreetMap (10m+ users) to become its real-time layer-2 data collection, reporting, and impact mapping integration platform. Backed by x2 Masters of Science in Geography, the founder reviewed all available citizen science and litter mapping literature before developing the research, methodology, and teaching himself how to code. After launching in April 2017, OpenLitterMap.com has grown to become recognised as one of the largest, oldest, and most-open databases on litter and plastic pollution in the world, accepting almost 500,000 uploads from over 8,000 people in 100+ countries. Unlike most apps that don't share the code or data, every pixel, line of code and litter tag is openly accessible, giving all of society, every human, every government and every company in the world shared, open and unrestricted rights to use all of the code and data for any purpose, without permission or restriction. However, litter is just the first application of the technology which is already being used for a variety of purposes (landslide mapping, tracking donation expenditure, hazard reporting, and much more). Although OpenLitterMap is online, it remains underdeveloped and more work is needed to overcome its academic philosophy and pivot to a more general purpose impact mapping platform in the future.

What are this project's goals? How will you achieve them?

OpenLitterMaps goal is to unlock societies data collection capacity by making it fun and easy to participate in citizen science. Inspired by the launch of Ethereum in 2015, the concept of Littercoin was born as a reward for doing the work of collecting real-world impact data. Thanks to funding in Project Catalyst on Cardano, Littercoin launched on 2/40 in April 2021 creating a geospatially produced climate currency that can only be spent with pre-approved Merchant-token holders. However, OpenLitterMap remains overly constrained by its academic philosophy and society needs a more compelling message which is why we are pivoting to the new LitterWeek.org campaign to make understanding the call to action easier. This is another stepping stone of the journey that is needed to work with different groups and incorporate their feedback into the process before pivoting again to a more general impact mapping platform.

How will this funding be used?

1. Continue with the current upgrade of mobile app and backend updates
   Mobile app: https://github.com/OpenLitterMap/react-native/pull/214
   Backend: https://github.com/OpenLitterMap/openlittermap-web/pull/649

2. Continue to refactor legacy web-services to fix some bugs and clear the PR backlog
   Web: https://trello.com/b/RkGmQyEh/openlittermap-web
   Mobile: https://trello.com/b/kKI2qfxI/openlittermap-mobile

3. Prepare new LitterWeek campaign and onboard potential clients
   LitterWeek will automate the production of weekly impact reports. You can see a precursor to this at https://medium.com/@weeklyolm
   

Who is on your team? What's your track record on similar projects?

Seán Lynch - Started the research pre-iPhone after being introduce to GIS. Inspired to create OpenLitterMap after being introduced to OpenStreetMap during a masters in GIS in 2013 after not being able to find an existing platform for real-time data collection and reporting. Inspired to create Littercoin in 2015 after being introduced to Ethereum. You can see some of the impact we achieved with $20,000 funding from Project Catalyst here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pt7_BOreKc
https://x.com/littercoin/status/1825868542392025540

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails?

I have been self-funding this mostly by myself since 2008 having invested more than €50,000 directly plus years of constant sacrifice and will continue to do without your help or approval. Although my startup is in death valley with no revenue and I have no job at the moment, I continue to sacrifice everything to support the development of citizen science because of the global emergency and global opportunity.

What other funding are you or your project getting?

None