New app aims to make cleaning fun

Litterati is an app for Android and iOS devices, looking to persuade more people to keep their own streets clean.

The app was developed by 46-year-old Jeff Kirschner, when his daughter spotted discarded cat litter in a creek. Kirschner was reminded of the huge difference he and friends made at a summer camp when each of them picked up just five pieces of litter. 

Using Litterati, users take photos of the litter they pick up and keep a record of how much they are doing. It has reportedly inspired the collection of over 1 million pieces of litter and is now receiving lots of support from crowd-funding and even the US government. Kirschner has also received a $225,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. 

The money raised will be used to develop maps to show litter hotspots and data analysis so people can categorise the litter they collect.