Meet & Tidy: An Eco-Friendly App Helping To Save Our Planet, One Litter Pick At A Time

Littering is not just a nuisance but a serious threat to our ecosystem, economy, and human health. Despite the fact that dropping litter is illegal in Britain, it remains a prevalent issue.

While dismissing littering as merely anti-social or lazy behaviour is tempting, many underestimate its profound negative impact.

A group of people at Yozu have collaborated – in their own time – to develop the concept of an app that can help tackle this growing problem – Meet & Tidy.

The app aims to shift perceptions and inspire action, urging people to rethink their approach to littering for the betterment of our planet.

The Problem

The Keep Britain Tidy campaign reports that over two million pieces of litter are dropped every day in the UK, and street cleaning costs taxpayers more than £1 billion a year.

A wider environmental impact is that over 70,000 pets and wild animals suffer injuries each year due to litter. As global climate change intensifies, the imperative to confront this issue grows clearer by the day.

Litter picking isn’t just beneficial for the environment — it’s a holistic activity that promotes physical and mental well-being. By reducing the presence of microplastics in water sources and curbing disease spread by vermin, it’s a vital form of exercise with far-reaching benefits.

What is Meet & Tidy?

Meet & Tidy is a passion project that has become an app – a solution that empowers users to discover and organise litter-picking events effortlessly.

Whether it’s a casual cleanup with friends in the local park, or a more structured gathering at the beach, Meet & Tidy serves as a hub for connecting people, coordinating effort and rallying communities together for a cleaner environment.

What does Meet & Tidy hope to achieve?

The mission is threefold:

• To enhance the environment
• To strengthen community bonds
• To promote personal well-being

By facilitating local cleanups, Meet & Tidy can contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet, by mitigating the adverse effects on ecosystems and wildlife, such as hedgehogs and wild birds, while combating global warming.

An added benefit of cleaner surroundings is that these areas can attract more visitors and bolster local economies.

Meet & Tidy represents more than just an app—it’s a catalyst for positive change. Together, we can take a stand against littering and create a cleaner, healthier future for generations to come.

What was the inspiration behind Meet & Tidy?

The idea came from a realisation during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Yozu software engineer Beth Hubbard made some worrying observations:

“Whilst taking daily walks to cope with the isolation, I couldn’t help but notice the staggering amount of litter tarnishing my town and its surroundings” she says.

Beth continues “Witnessing the detrimental effects on both the area and its wildlife prompted me to take action. I began volunteering for beach cleanups and experienced firsthand the sense of fulfillment that comes from making a positive impact.

“It was this experience that fueled my desire to create a platform like Meet & Tidy—a tool to empower others to join the cause.”

Getting the Yozu team involved

Over the past year, a small group of environmentally-conscious individuals within the Yozu team have collaborated to shape the future of the app from a technical standpoint, striving to achieve MVP (Minimum Viable Product) status for this year’s release.

Following an initial presentation by Beth to the team on the app’s concept and goals, there was an overwhelmingly positive response, sparking fruitful discussions on design possibilities and technological implementations for future iterations.

Additionally, the team explored potential business models and discussed aligning the project with Yozu’s Green commitment to environmental sustainability.

As we near the MVP launch of the mobile app, the vision remains clear: to provide a platform that fosters pride in individuals, their communities, and our planet.

Preparing for Launch

Meet & Tidy embodies our collective commitment to a cleaner future. The enthusiasm surrounding the project’s imminent completion is palpable, and we eagerly anticipate the journey ahead.

By working together, we firmly believe we can positively impact our local areas and directly make a difference to wider environmental issues.

We’ll share further news about the app in the coming months!