25, internal sensors will detect when trash is placed in the garbage cans, and trigger the voice with its cheerful affirmations.Īmong the laudatory phrases it plays are "You're the best," "Thanks for separating your trash," and "Kobe is clean again." Sound effects including the sound of water and birds chirping are also played. The green, red, yellow and blue trash cans line up to spell out "KOBE," with two bins each for burnable trash, and the other two for cans and plastic bottles. 18, four trash cans each measuring 55 by 55 centimeters and standing 1.2 meters tall were installed in a corner of the square. They posited that if a person is praised for disposing of litter properly, they might feel good and become more likely to do the same in future.
KOBE TRASH TALKER HOW TO
Ten students at four universities in Hyogo Prefecture joined the team to consider how to employ the theory's ideas. A project team was created with Hirofumi Kurokawa, a 34-year-old instructor at the University of Hyogo who researches nudge theory - the concept that people can be pushed gently to act in certain desired ways. But the huge amounts of trash including cigarette butts, empty cans and candy wrappers necessitate regular city government clean-ups.Īs part of efforts to tackle environmental issues, Kobe and P&G have partnered to improve the appearance of the square. 21.įor Kobe residents, the square in front of Hankyu Kobe-sannomiya Station in the city's Chuo Ward is a familiar meeting spot. Checks on the garbage cans' efficacy are set to continue until Feb. The tests are part of a project involving the Kobe Municipal Government, consumer goods multinational Procter & Gamble Japan (P&G Japan) and others to improve the local environment. The initiative was thought up by local university students and others, and is based on the behavioral economics concept of nudge theory.
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