Nearly 500 new trashcans have appeared across the Santa Monica coastline. While trashcans are nothing new to the beaches of Santa Monica, these happen to be “smart.” Each can has its own QR code, supplied by Heal the Bay, a non-profit environmental group, and the City of Santa Monica.
The two organizations have come together to launch a new website, Santa Monica Beachcast, in an effort to keep residents and beach-goers informed about issues concerning the beaches.
When scanned, the codes resolve to the Beachcast mobile website. From there, people can find up to date information on weather and surf conditions as well as news on local events. Smart phone users can also sign up to receive updates via twitter when information on the site is changed.
City officials opted to use QR codes as they were easily incorporated into a previously untapped resource. “We’ve got a trash can on the beach, we have an opportunity to try and grab the public
interest,” says Andrew Masmajian, communications coordinator of the Office of Sustainability and Environment. Masmajian also hopes that the codes will help foster a more connected community.
The overarching aim of the initiative is to educate beach-goers on the unique beauties of the beaches and give them ideas on how to preserve that beauty. Officials hope that by engaging the public, more people will be inspired to take action and clean up the city’s beaches.
