Beach litter? There's an App for That

To raise awareness of all the bottles, cans and other marine debris that wash up on US beaches, the University of Georgia and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have developed a free cell phone app that lets anyone with a smart phone report the type and location of the waste. Data is submitted to a tracking site, which, the developers suggest, can be used by city officials to make better decisions about waste management - from supplying extra trash cans to providing disposal opportunities for fishing gear. The app also encourages those who are “spotting” the trash to pick it up. The Marine Debris Tracking app is available through iTunes and Android Market. (Debris tracking: www.marinedebris.engr.uga.edu)