Kean Dao

Starting with the Covid-19 lockdown, I observed a massive increase in the amount of trash as most of it was due to take-out food service. From walking along the street to watching television, evidence of an exponential growth in plastic usage and disposal was seen everywhere. As the son of the owner/employee of a local restaurant, I had first-hand knowledge about how much our restaurant increased take-out packaging and how it has not decreased even since the lockdown ended. Covid-19 forced our business to incorporate and only serve food through “take-out” methods in order to survive and stay in business. My “Aha!” moment occurred when I realized that I was part of the plastic trash crisis. This led me to think of ways in which I could be part of the solution. I sought to find an innovative way to weave technology with methods of removing trash. This resulted in the creation of Environmental Droners, an innovative initiative where we utilize drones to film polluted areas within my local community to spread awareness and lead clean-ups. I have partnered with the Water Resources Center at East Carolina University to develop the “Litter Locator”, a web-app that serves as a global tool to engage citizens to use their phones as a means to identify, locate and remove trash while serving as part of the pollution solution. 

Protecting the environment by sparking innovation in youth and engaging people in my community and beyond is important to me. The impetus for my project began with the alarming increase in single-use plastics during Covid-19. Working in my family’s restaurant, take-out containers became the norm and the only way to survive. Gradually, more and more disposable containers, single-use plastics, and masks were discarded and seen along the ditches, roads, highways, storm drains and culverts, eventually making their way into our local waterways. In Greenville, we have 2 river systems – Tar/Pamlico and the Neuse, with both of them flowing into some of the largest sound estuaries on the east coast. Identifying litter areas on land and trash islands in the waterways through drone technology is a means to providing up-to-date pertinent information to the community, whether through coordinated river/land clean-ups or individuals doing their part. This allows for more people to be involved and aware of trash pollution and its removal. The Environmental Droners’ Litter Locator App is a key element in this effort and allows for community members to be part of the solution. We partner and work with local organizations, businesses, groups and students in utilizing the Locator App, filming targeted trash areas with the drone, giving presentations, and organizing and participating in clean-ups. 

Through the use of technology, I created an innovative initiative that utilizes drones to film polluted areas within my community to spread awareness and organize clean-ups. We have located and removed over 5,000 pounds of trash. Showcasing drone video footage, we have presented our unique method of environmental stewardship across the nation at multiple conferences and virtual platforms to discuss the need for action within communities around the globe. To get others involved, I have established partnerships and expanded collaborative relationships with local, national and international civic and environmental NGO's like EarthEcho International, Sierra Club ENC, Rotary Club, and SUSTAIN ECU. I worked directly with Water Resources Center at ECU to help us develop the “Litter Locator” web-app. Tackling the rise in single-use plastics and the explosion of trash on our streets and in our waterways, the development and deployment of the "Litter Locator" App places a "pollution solution" literally in the palm of every citizen's hand. The web-based application requires no download and is free for everyone to use - a truly no cost global tool used to spot litter, mark its location and engage citizens anywhere in the world in its removal. The goal is for everyone to be part of the global pollution solution resulting in a cleaner, greener, and healthier world. 

Project success for the Environmental Droners has included building a team of like-minded students, having adult mentors and collegiate student mentors to support and assist with our project plans, writing and receiving grants to initially purchase our drone, giving presentations to local community members, organizations, businesses and students to create further awareness of our work and recruit volunteers, partnering with others in clean-ups and utilizing the drone to identify trash areas, and collaborating with ECU’s Water Resource Center to develop the “Litter Locator” app. We have located and removed over 5,000 pounds of trash from our city, engaged hundreds of volunteers, received local news coverage – print and television, and used the drone to teach others how to operate it, film litter areas, and show the before and after photos of our efforts. All of these things collectively have made a positive impact in our work and efforts to make our community and world a better and cleaner place to live, work, play and enjoy. Future success will be the sustainability of our local organization, gaining 2,500 new "Litter Locator" app users, and replicating the drone project in new areas. 

The Environmental Droners and “Litter Locator" App were created intentionally to engage communities locally and globally, spread awareness of the litter pollution crisis, and inspire others into action. Serving my community the past 8 years has enabled me to work directly with underrepresented and at-risk populations. Understanding this demographic does not always have the economic means, transportation or support network to engage in environmental stewardship, I have been on the frontlines in providing hands-on outdoor, nature-based programs and activities that intertwine conservation, community service, and experiential learning. Helping others to get involved allows them to gain a better understanding of our natural resources and, hopefully, in turn, a desire to want to protect and preserve them. Community based litter greenway clean-ups, river debris removal efforts, roadside litter removal, monthly education efforts and presentations have been been part of my program. 

Leading this project has helped me meet and collaborate with others. Putting litter in the forefront of the public and our city leaders has developed and cultivated a larger network of changemakers. Sharing my work, making presentations and inspiring thousands of elementary, middle and high school youth, university students and adults of all ages into action will help improve our future and lead to change.