Israel start-up offers virtual 'Clean Coins' for garbage
For each bag she fills in the valley near her home, she receives around 10 "Clean Coins", a virtual currency that can be redeemed for goods from participating businesses.
The green scheme aims to encourage citizens to pick up trash in a country ranked among the world's leading litter producers per capita.
"As soon as I get out to the valley, I see trash wherever I look," said Ben Meir, 18.
"People drink, barbecue and leave all their garbage outside. It's really unpleasant."
Before throwing her bags of garbage into a nearby bin, Ben Meir snapped pictures of her day's haul, which was worth around 30 Clean Coins.
"Each black dot on the map represents waste reported by a user," said Adam Ran, 35, co-founder and CEO of Clean Coin, demonstrating the app in his office in the northern port city of Haifa.
"By viewing the photos, I can really see the amount of trash, where exactly the trash is located, how many bags are approximately needed in order to collect it, and the amount of credit."
The company said more than 16,000 users had already signed up, of whom some 1,200 are active each week.
'Everyone has an interest'
Gal Lahat, 21, co-founder and technical director, said he designed the app to be playful, with users earning points and unlocking different levels.
For each bag Elishya Ben Meir fills in the valley near her home in Israel, she receives around 10 'Clean Coins', a virtual currency that can be redeemed for goods from participating businesses.
(L to R) Clean Coin co-founders Adam Ran and Gal Lahat are pictured at their office in Israel's northern city of Haifa. The company says more than 16,000 users have already signed up.
More than 25 brands have joined the network, Clean Coin co-founder Adam Ran said, allowing users to redeem coins for clothes, indoor climbing and hotel stays, among other options.