GPS-activism: Tracking your Trash and Poop

Dec 10, 2014

Capgemini

Recently some activists in St. Petersburg dropped waterproof GPS-trackers down their toilets. They found proof that the toilets flushed directly in open water without any sewer filtration. This is the journey the GPS-devices took.

Here’s the story, including video’s of how the activist worked.

It reminded me of a 2009 project of MIT professor Carlo Ratti, called “Trash Track. Connecting US-trash and tracking it. A wonderfull visualitation of the mysterious routes our trash is taking after we’ve dumped it in the garbage bin. .

See the video below.

What can we learn from this? That there will be no more secrets, nothing to hide, and that there’s a lot we don’t know. Interesting to see how the debate in Russia is going. Officials are saying it’s a hoax, the activist say they have the proof. Eitherway, it’s a dirty world.

About the author

Menno van Doorn

Director and Trend Analyst VINT | Netherlands

Menno is Director of the Sogeti Research Institute for the Analysis of New Technology (VINT). He mixes personal life experiences with the findings of the 19 years of research done at the VINT Research Institute. Menno has co-authored many books on the impact of new technology on business and society.

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