Join the Litterati movement!

Litterati was created by Jeff Kirschner after his family went for a walk in the Oakland hills and encountered a plastic tub of kitty litter dumped in a stream. His four-year-old daughter — baffled by what she saw — exclaimed, “Daddy, that doesn’t go there!” which prompted Jeff to think more deeply about what he could do to leave a more environmentally stable planet for his children. Drawing on his background in start-up technology, Kirschner envisioned a way to engage and inspire individuals to take action whenever they could, wherever they were.

Since April, the Environmental Education Center has been hosting an exhibit displaying photographs the public have taken of litter. The exhibit will be on display until June.

The goal is also to stop litter before it starts, and photographs of cigarette butts and fast food containers are a stark reminder of the need for new strategies for reaching the public who still casually discard such items. Through keyword tags, the project also documents the products and brands that generate the most litter, enabling Litterati to take a data-driven approach towards smarter solutions. As Jeff says,

Individually, one can make a difference. Together, we can create an impact.

The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is asking for your help to keep your national wildlife refuge free of litter and to help document where and what is being thrown on our lands.

Here’s what you can do to help:

1. Create an Instagram account on your smart phone.
2. If you see trash on the trail, take a photo of it and upload it to Instagram. Tag the photo(s) #Litterati #DonEdwardsRefuge #Name or type of trash, i.e. cigarette butt.
3. Pick up the litter and throw it away at the nearest trash receptacle.

Data compiled will help spot trends of where trash is accumulating and what is being thrown. By identifying these trends, we can create a targeted campaign on preventing litter from reaching our wild places and harming wildlife.

For information about Litterati, go to http://www.litterati.org For more information about Don Edwards Refuge Litterati movement, email Carmen_leong-minch@fws.gov.