Two commerce graduates in India conceptualized the WiFi Trash Bin, which is a combination of the demand for Internet access and the growing need to keep the environment clean.
According to Prateek Agarwal, one of the founders of the concept, people that throw trash into the trash bin will receive a unique code, which can then be used on devices to be able to gain access to a free Wi-Fi connection.
In journeys to various locations such as Singapore, Finland and Denmark, Agarwal and Raj Desai, his partner in the initiative and a self-learned programmer, realized that for a cleaner environment, what was needed was not just a change in structure but also an adjustment on the attitudes of people.
This realization was the inspiration for the Wi-Fi Trash Bin concept which is further triggered by Agarwal and Desai's visit to the NH7 Weekender, a music festival in India. The festival covers a wide area, and like most large gatherings, the aftermath usually involves a lot of garbage left by people that attended the event.
Agarwal narrated that it took him and Desai six hours to locate their friends in the festival, with the difficulty arising due to the lack of an Internet connection. This led the pair to think of a combination for providing people with Wi-Fi hotspots and keeping surrounding trash-free.
The project was funded by Agarwal and Desai, though with support from the Indian operator MTS. The Wi-Fi Trash Bin found success when it was deployed to various festivals being held in Delhi, Kolkota and Bangalore, but the project has been temporarily shelved.
"We wanted to change the attitude of the people and how things are structured, thus affecting an individual's behavior," Desai said.
According to the partners, they are looking to establish an entire network of these Wi-Fi Trash Bins, which would hopefully lead to a change in the behavior and attitude of people regarding maintaining the cleanliness of their surroundings.
The initiative is the latest news regarding the establishment of Wi-Fi networks around India. In June, reports revealed that the Taj Mahal, one of the new seven wonders of the world, is now offering free Wi-Fi access to visitors.
