In my work life, I typically take care of geospatial data. This information not solely carries the customary kinds of attributes we see on daily basis but in addition geographic attributes, like factors, traces, enclosed areas, polygons, and surfaces. This information is often projected from latitude, longitude, and sea-level-elevation information to different coordinate programs to facilitate evaluation and viewing.
One of the issues I discover odd about coping with geospatial information is how a lot it’s monetized and certain up in restrictive license agreements. If you seek for “geospatial data” utilizing your favourite search engine, you may most likely see a number of pages of hyperlinks to organizations that promote information or create and promote geospatial evaluation and visualization software program, all beneath restrictive licensing. But in the event you dig deeper, you may discover some fantastic open information and open supply software program.
Most individuals inquisitive about open information, open supply, and the world round them have heard of OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap incorporates information from “citizen mappers” and gives it to all beneath the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL).
When I take care of geospatial information at work, I’m primarily inquisitive about analyzing the interactions between totally different information gadgets. For instance, I’d need to see the place a proposed electrical transmission line crosses or passes close by small rural settlements. I primarily use two open instruments: QGIS, an open supply geographic data system (GIS), and PostGIS, a spatial extension to the PostgreSQL object-relational database. A number of weeks in the past, I noticed a put up on the QGIS users’ mailing list from Seán Lynch, who runs a new-to-me open database that tracks international litter.
Seán was soliciting curiosity from anybody who thinks litter might be an issue that citizen science may deal with. I interviewed Seán to be taught extra about his work.
Chris Hermansen: In a nutshell, what’s OpenLitterMap?
Seán Lynch: OpenLitterMap is an open supply, interactive, and accessible database of the world’s litter and plastic air pollution. We are creating a data-collection expertise to harness the unprecedented potential of knowledge collectors (citizen scientists) around the globe.
Nearly everybody is supplied with a smartphone, a strong machine that may gather information, however we aren’t but harnessing this unprecedented human potential. Litter mapping is a crucial catalyst for the event of crowd-powered science, as not solely is plastic air pollution globally ubiquitous, however litter is definitely identifiable.
Due to its abundance and notoriety, litter has turn out to be a subject that folks more and more acknowledge as an environmental downside. These elements give litter mapping a remarkably low barrier to entry that may deliver many individuals into information assortment and the scientific course of for the primary time. OpenLitterMap isn’t just a map or open database of the world’s plastic air pollution. It’s an necessary catalyst to assist construct up society’s capability to gather information.
Inspired by OpenStreetMap, we apply the identical rules of crowdsourcing and open information to plastic air pollution. We need everybody, in all places and wherever, to have the ability to share information on litter and plastic air pollution on the streets, seashores, and wherever else the place plastic may be discovered. These maps inform highly effective tales about plastic air pollution in a really native and international context, and anybody can use our open information to assist enhance authorities coverage and prolong producer accountability. Once that is developed, we need to combine chemical air pollution mapping and develop an elevated capability for biodiversity monitoring. But to attain this, the world wants an introduction to citizen science, which we aspire to ship.
CH: In what methods is OpenLitterMap “open”?
SL: Since we launched in 2017, our information has been brazenly out there by way of the Open Database License. This contains GPS, timestamp, 120 predefined kinds of litter, 60+ company manufacturers, the litter’s presence (picked up, nonetheless there), and the complete OpenStreetMap handle at each location a photograph was taken. Anyone can obtain our information without spending a dime and use it for any function, with out restriction.
More not too long ago, we launched the online app (Laravel + Vue) and cellular app (React Native) as open supply beneath GPLv3. There was a delay in launching the code open supply, as this was my first coding challenge, and I wanted a while to develop the abilities to handle an open supply challenge. Since then, I’ve labored a couple of jobs as an internet or full-stack developer, launched v2 of the cellular app, and scratched the floor of object detection. Soon, we are going to launch all picture file paths and the OpenLitterAI beneath the identical GPL license. We are at present constructing a instrument within the browser to label our photographs with bounding packing containers, all of which shall be launched open supply.
We even have an open Slack channel, and we attempt to run a weekly Zoom name for an hour, the place we talk about a special side of the app that’s topical that week. We additionally simply launched GitHub discussions, the place we are going to talk about all features of the platform. We would love to listen to your ideas and concepts about it!
CH: When was OpenLitterMap first out there?
SL: The analysis for OpenLitterMap started in 2008 once I was launched to GIS whereas learning geography at college. I needed to make use of GIS to map, talk, and repair issues of unlawful dumping in my group. In 2013, throughout a Master’s in GIS, I used to be launched to OpenStreetMap and determined to use the identical rules of crowdsourcing and open information to plastic air pollution. After doing a second Master’s in coastal and marine environments, I developed the OpenLitterMap FOSS4G methodology after which started educating myself the way to code.
OpenLitterMap.com lastly launched as an internet app on the 15th of April 2017, and the cellular apps adopted in 2019 (v1.zero) and 2020 (v2.zero). However, though we’re in manufacturing, we’ve got plenty of work to do.
CH: Who are OpenLitterMap’s customers?
SL: Although I’ve not profiled our customers, I’ve spoken with a broad spectrum of several types of individuals utilizing our app. Primarily, these embrace college college students, individuals volunteering after work, older retirees, younger educators, and people who find themselves simply involved in regards to the precarious state of the atmosphere.
More not too long ago, our first company sponsor joined the motion by giving their international workforce a half day with their households to choose up litter and report their optimistic environmental influence. We had a workforce of engineers meticulously scrape by means of hedgerows and bushes and punctiliously tag every picture with 100% accuracy.
We have not too long ago launched our first marketing campaign video that introduces OpenLitterMap, which can hopefully open the door to many people who find themselves new to information assortment, our shared open values, and citizen science. Next yr, we’d like to introduce OpenLitterMap to varsities and begin rising a world military of open information collectors, however citizen science isn’t at present wherever close to prepared to attain that.
CH: How did you get began in mapping?
SL: My curiosity in mapping turned official the day I used to be launched to GIS. Simulating and having the ability to management real-world information in a pc was a strong expertise and a profession I needed to turn out to be proficient in. It regarded like a online game utilizing real-world information, and I had plenty of expertise with video games. “Maybe I could somehow combine my interest in gaming with GIS? I might have a competitive advantage here,” I believed. Although the day I used to be launched to GIS, my curiosity shifted from digital video games to digital science, my expertise with digital maps began lengthy earlier than. In truth, the primary non-TV display I ever noticed was a map of Super Mario Bros World-1 once I was 4, and I’ve been hooked since!
After doing a Master of Science in GIS and distant sensing at University College Cork, right here in my native Cork City in Ireland, I expressed my curiosity to affix a coaching college in citizen science with the Vespucci Institute (COST ENERGIC Action IC1203), the place I met main practitioners and facilitators in citizen science and software program builders for the primary time. This was a outstanding expertise, as my curiosity in citizen science was nurtured, and I obtained the inspiration to make an app. In my second Master’s, I reviewed all out there litter-mapping frameworks and located them to be utterly insufficient. So, I turned on the GPS of my Android machine and began taking geotagged images of litter to gather the pre-marine information that I used to be inquisitive about. I made my first litter maps with a plugin referred to as Photo2Shape on QGIS, which extracted GPS coordinates from the geotagged photographs and transformed them right into a shapefile, which I used to be comfy manipulating earlier than I discovered the way to write PHP and JavaScript.
CH: How did you turn out to be inquisitive about mapping litter?
SL: In my first yr at college, whereas learning geography, our cohort was launched to GIS. We have been inspired to consider methods to make use of it and a few challenge for the ultimate yr. Walking and biking into school on daily basis, I noticed this space close to the place I lived that was affected by dumping, littering, burned-out vehicles, and delinquent conduct. I needed to make use of GIS to place this information on a map, as I believed there can be vital instructional materials with the maps and highly effective downside fixing with the info. The area people had been ringing up the council for years, and completely nothing was being accomplished about it. I needed to present individuals a voice and the power to create geographic details about native points and enhance their voice and skill to advocate for change about how assets are allotted in society.
Once I began fascinated with mapping dumping, I shortly realized there may be “micro-litter” in all places. After school, I went touring and skilled as a scuba diver in Thailand. I developed a powerful private relationship with the ocean and heard from extra skilled divers about how the reefs have been altering over time. Using my information in geography, I extrapolated into the longer term and noticed a bleak image. Although plastic air pollution was not a topical situation again then, the diving group was well-aware that this was an enormous downside. Regularly, large piles of rubbish would wash up on the seaside out of nowhere, and we’d do weekly and typically each day cleanups above and beneath water.
I returned residence to do a Master’s in GIS to get the mapping abilities, which is once I began studying about citizen science and plastic air pollution. Absolutely horrified by the size of air pollution that was exacerbated by the shortage of public consciousness again then, I began studying extra into international air pollution.
The day I used to be launched to OpenStreetMap, I used to be strolling residence with my cellphone in my hand and noticed a bit of litter. I could not consider there wasn’t a easy and efficient manner for me to place this information on a map and share it in the identical method as OpenStreetMap. Just like that, OpenLitterMap was born.
CH: Are there different teams specializing in litter monitoring?
SL: Yes, there are numerous, and somebody ought to actually write an unbiased overview on the openness, interoperability, and tradeoffs between the assorted platforms. Traditionally, citizen science has been accomplished by establishments. Although establishments shall be a fantastic assist with the analysis, I don’t consider that establishments will ever develop a data-collection expertise that can allow citizen science to attain its full potential. If they might, it will already be developed, however establishments didn’t construct the Xbox, Snapchat, or social media, so why would anybody suppose they’re well-positioned to develop citizen science? Although establishments usually share the identical open values, partly as a result of the researchers are already comfortably funded, they don’t have the identical drive or ambition that these exterior establishments can deliver.
Quite a lot of privately developed litter apps are coming in the marketplace. Since they don’t have the identical degree of steady funding, many are taking a look at methods to monetize and exploit their information. Unfortunately, this normally means they limit entry to information on air pollution, which has a significant drawback of defending polluting industries and the established order. As litter mapping has a low barrier to entry, many individuals are utterly new to information assortment and don’t query the efficacy of who’s allowed to entry this information and the implications of limiting entry to information on air pollution.
This has been a surprisingly large barrier for me. [We] not solely have to coach those that your machine is absolutely highly effective and can be utilized to create a paradigmatic shift in how society can create geographic information, however we have to go an additional mile and educate newcomers to information assortment about open rules and why information on air pollution ought to be out there to everybody, not simply governments and firms. I consider that the extra polluted one thing is, the extra open the info ought to be. We ought to completely need to keep away from a state of affairs the place information on air pollution is locked away in silos restricted solely to the world’s main polluting industries. Sadly, this has been the pattern for the previous few years, as closed platforms are supported and celebrated, and open ones are usually not.
Another main downside with institutional analysis is that 99% of the funding is on the market for microplastics and marine litter solely. Basically, nothing is being accomplished to create information in regards to the common of 900 tons of pre-marine plastic that flows into the oceans each hour.
CH: What may make your group extra profitable?
SL: We want extra information, extra builders, and most significantly, we’d like extra individuals in our group! We want much more information to enhance how we mannequin the OpenLitterAI, which can make our app considerably simpler to make use of and decrease the barrier to entry a lot additional. We want extra builders to assist enhance our software program. It can be very nice to search out some funding to have somebody working even half time to overview and merge pull requests and work on another components, like graphic design, videography, and social media.
The most necessary of all is to construct up our group and enhance society’s capability to gather information. As effectively as information collectors, we’d like individuals doing their factor on social media. We have to run extra data-collection occasions in a post-COVID world, and we’d like higher integration with universities, colleges, and native governments. We would find it irresistible if individuals may obtain our app, decrease their expectations, and provides it a strive! If you share the identical values of open supply software program and its skill to democratize science on plastic air pollution, we’d love in the event you may check out our code or be part of us on Slack or Twitter or GitHub discussions for a chat.
Just as OpenStreetMap created a world group of volunteers mapping the world’s streets and concrete infrastructure with shared open values, we need to obtain an identical outcome and map the litter and plastic air pollution on these streets in an open and accessible manner. Litter mapping has a remarkably low barrier to entry that can proceed to lower and open the door of knowledge assortment and scientific participation to probably large numbers of individuals, making it an necessary catalyst for the event of crowd-powered science. To make this geographic renaissance extra equitable, democratic, and clear, we urgently want individuals who share our values of openness to assist educate these giant numbers of people who find themselves utterly new to information assortment about why we not solely have to map however why we have to share information (on air pollution) and assist the event of open supply software program and open communities. I hope you’ll be able to be part of us and assist us map the world’s plastic air pollution and information the longer term route of OpenLitterMap.
CH: What sorts of impacts do you hope OpenLitterMap.com will make?
SL: Not even one metropolis or perhaps a college campus has had its litter mapped. If many individuals labored collectively, it may take a few minutes. Once the app is way more user-friendly, and persons are incentivized to and luxuriate in collaborating, we may shortly construct up native, regional, and worldwide capacities to gather large datasets in a short time.
Building up society’s skill to gather information is one necessary influence. Another is to extend the voice of native individuals who want higher entry to companies. The authentic motivator for me was to extend the visibility of unlawful dumping in my group. Local individuals had been attempting to contact the town for years, and nothing was being accomplished about it. I need to give individuals the power to create geographic data and enhance how assets are allotted in society. This can enhance the vary of producer accountability too. If a brand new store opens, or if there’s a change in coverage like a smoking ban or client preferences change in a single day—or all of the sudden billions of persons are utilizing disposable face masks every day, how will we advocate and efficiently discover extra necessary methods to handle altering kinds of waste? I feel there may be vital room for enchancment right here, which may solely be achieved by empowering society to gather and share information.
In a couple of years, I consider producing large international datasets will turn out to be the brand new regular. I’m attempting to guarantee that open rules are central to this paradigm shift. This information can have profound native but in addition worldwide implications. Currently, a few of the greatest science on plastic air pollution characterizes this international epidemic as a largely ocean or marine downside. Some authors counsel that 9 to 10 rivers in Asia are liable for about 90% of plastic waste coming into the oceans. While these figures could also be right, despite the fact that the authors acknowledge there are giant uncertainties with these inferences due to an absence of knowledge (which isn’t reported within the media), I don’t consider these outcomes appropriately characterize modern anthropologic litter, which is in all places.
We have to construct a brand new mannequin of how we perceive and draw comparisons of plastic air pollution, which has necessary however a lot much less well-understood native contexts. In explicit, we have to learn how plastic originates on land and the way it results in the ocean. To obtain this, we have to enhance the visibility of the pre-marine, terrestrial traits of plastic air pollution.
For most individuals, litter has turn out to be regular and invisible. It has blended into the backgrounds of our lives. But international air pollution shouldn’t be regular, and it’s removed from acceptable. Ultimately, I need to guarantee that no person ever appears on the streets the identical manner ever once more. If you contemplate when Google Earth was first launched, everybody may zoom in on their very own residence from area for the primary time. If we are able to map the litter round individuals’s houses and communities, this tells a really highly effective story about plastic air pollution in our backyards, and a strong story has the potential to alter our notion of plastic air pollution from an “away” downside to an especially native one. Just stroll exterior or, in lots of circumstances, simply open the window. It is in all places.
CH: Where can readers discover out extra?
SL: You can observe our updates and newsfeed on social media @openlittermap, and we’ve got a couple of movies on YouTube; seek for OpenLitterMap. We not too long ago launched our first marketing campaign video and a brand new demo video about how to use our app. I hope you’ll be able to take an curiosity on this work and turn out to be part of our open supply group. We would completely like to have you ever be part of us.
Get concerned
Check out these assets to be taught extra about this attention-grabbing citizen-science challenge:
