Everybody wants to recycle – so, why don’t we? Recycling can be difficult to figure out since the rules change based on where you are and the condition of the object you want to recycle. Sometimes it’s just easier to throw things in the trash – and UGA actually supports that. Their policy is that “when in doubt, throw it out” – why? Because one piece of contaminated trash in a recycling bin will mean that the entire track of recyclables at the recycling plant will have to be thrown out.
So, how do you know what to recycle? A team of women in science from UGA came up with the solution. They created the Snapchat profile @CanIRecycleThis for students to send photos of their trash to. An artificial intelligence bot called the “Green Girl” responds to your photo and gives instructions on how to properly dispose of whatever is in the photo. Just add Can I Recycle This on Snapchat and recycling goes from confusing to crystal clear.
Next time you get a coffee from Jittery Joes or a pizza from the Niche, you don’t have to try to remember Athens’ recycling rules. Send a picture to @CanIRecycleThis on Snapchat and the Green Girl will tell you what to do.
Photo by Laura Cavalenes