Hong Kong uses DNA to shame litterbugs. Find out how.
Sunday, May 17, 2015, 4:28 PM - If you're the kind of person that litters, you might want to think twice about visiting places like Hong Kong.
The city uses DNA from the garbage thrown on the streets for "phenotyping." The innovative technique predicts the appearance of a person by using their genetic material. Hong Kong is now using this information to "shame" litterbugs in the city.
Hong Kong shames litter bugs using DNA analysis. pic.twitter.com/MwSba2ey55
— Best of 9GAG (@BestGAG) April 27, 2015
All across the city posters of Hong Kong's "most wanted litterers" display the culprits for all the residents to see. The idea comes from an Ad Agency called Ogilvy working with a nonprofit organization called Hong Kong Cleanup.
The campaign called Face of Litter requires the help of an American lab capable of using the DNA to create the portraits. Parabon has been developing this tech since 2010, with the primary purpose of assisting criminal investigations.
The greatest scientific breakthrough Using DNA from crime scenes, Parabon NanoLabs is reconstructing suspects’ faces pic.twitter.com/gcnYcyoiRu
— Reza (@AliRezaa3660) February 1, 2015
While the result isn't an exact match, the approximation is improved by narrowing down the variables. Parabon concentrates on heriditary traits that aren't easily influences by the environment (hair and eye colour, skin tone, face shape)
Furthermore by looking at the kind of litter, Ogilvy is able to narrow down the likely demographics of the culprit (gum wrappers are most likely thrown away by a person between 18 and 34).
More DNA shaming
In the U.S. condo owners are using the services of BioPet Vet labs to find irresponsible pet owners that don't pick up after their dogs.
The program called PooPrints allows homeowner associations hire out the service. A team will visit and take DNA samples from all pets in the complex. Later for a fee between 30 and 50 an angry neighbour can send a "sample" and find out exactly who is guilty of poor neighborhood practices.
The service came to be to meet the demand of angry residents fed up with what some people were letting their pets do.
"There was poop inside the elevators, in the carpeted hallways, up on the roof,' Erin Atkinson told the Seattle Times. Atkinson is a local property manager. "They're lazy, I guess. I don't know why."
Source: Wired | Seattle Times
MUST-SEE: If shaming can get some change, why not try some water-shaming?
