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Code for BTV

Green Up App

Download the Green Up App below:

'Get it on Google Play' logo on black horizontal rectangle.
'Download on the App Store' logo on black horizontal rectangle.

Problem Statement

Green Up Day has been a beloved Vermont tradition since 1970. Though people turn out in the thousands across the state every year, Green Up Vermont (the non-profit organization behind the event) believes many more people would participate if they were invited. Green Up Day is a grassroots event, which can ironically make it more difficult for people to find information on the related local events.​

Project Summary

It was clear for several years that a mobile app could solve several problems for Green Up Vermont:

    • Vermonters waste effort when they visit roads that have already been cleaned.
    • There is no digital tool to coordinate or invite people to participate.
    • There is no directory of the events, times and guidelines for each town.
    • Tracking the efforts of volunteers is difficult when the event is so autonomous.

A mobile app can neatly address these issues and more. The app allows users to coordinate with friends to select a section of road and indicate the location where trash bags were left for pick up. Collection trucks can efficiently find bags and the non-profit organization now has richer data about the program itself. They can use this data to seek more money to help keep Vermont green for years to come.

The app is freely available on iOS and Android platforms. It is currently only available on mobile devices, though eventually a web-based version is likely to be created for use by both Green Up volunteers and administrators.

Previous Efforts

Numerous attempts have been made at helping Green Up with an app. A mobile app for Android and iOS was built for Code for BTV by a team at the University of Vermont in the early days of our organization. Unfortunately, that app suffered from having some very difficult to maintain and pass-on code chunks built by a team of individuals that graduated and moved away.

At least two web mapping applications were built for Green Up as well, but one required significant data processing that needed some money realistically to make happen, as well as would have needed at least some money to cover hosting parts of the system. The other may still have use as a free solution for the community organizer to use, but was less useful for the individuals planning their Green Up efforts.