Fill it Forward pairs reusable bags and tags with an app that funnels donations to charities.
If you’ve ever forgotten your reusable bag when you go shopping, the folks at Fill it Forward have a solution. First off, you’re not alone. The Canadian company says 63% of consumers forget their reusable bags when they go shopping.
As one of nine recent winners of a Beyond the Bag Challenge, Fill it Forward has plans to enhance its tracking technology. The company won the contest, and associated financial and other support, for creating a tag and app that connects to reusable bags that people already own. The tech allows users to track environmental impact, earn rewards and give to charitable projects.
The enhancement will be a reminder system for customers to bring their reusable bags into the store, adding to other features Fill it Forward has been working on since 2012, says Founder and CEO Matt Wittek.
“Forgetfulness is contributing billions of plastic bags to landfill each year,” Wittek says.
“Our new reminder function will have an immediate impact as customers can easily set time or geo-based reminders so that they never forget their reusable bags again. We’re really excited about the geo-based reminder feature, which pings shoppers with a notification as they arrive at their favorite retailers.”
Charitable Giving
Fill it Forward is about more than reusable bags with scannable tags (that sell for $4.95 each). There also are scannable stickers for reusable water bottles or cups.
The reuse and scan system is about creating sustainable habits, creators say.
Each time you reuse your items and scan the tag or sticker, donations go to charities that help provide clean water and nutritious food t0 people in need, including charity:water, DIGDEEP, Water To Wine and others.
The idea is to get people into the habit of using (and not forgetting) their reusable bags, water bottles and such, and keeping single-use plastic bags and other items out of landfills and oceans. Businesses and sponsors can get involved and reward people who participate in programs and friendly competitions.
Since its launch in 2012, Fill it Forward has provided funding for 283 water projects globally, including in the United States, Canada, Tanzania, India, Bangladesh and the Dominican Republic, Wittek says.
Each scan of a bag or bottle equals 2 cents to $1 for charitable projects around the world. The costs of donations are offset through sales of Fill it Forward products and custom programs.
Examples of features in the Fill it Forward app
Environmental Impact
“Our tech helps consumers and retailers understand their environmental impact in real-time,” the CEO says.
“With the Fill it Forward app, you can easily track waste diverted, emissions saved and how much ocean pollution you have prevented.”
The company does life cycle analysis work with WSP to understand each reuse’s environmental impact; the results can be shared with stakeholders. For example, every time you refill a reusable water bottle, you’re diverting about 0.03 pounds of waste from the landfill.
“Because we’re tracking impact in real-time, retailers benefit with additional sustainability data, which can be used to help promote their environmental goals, as well as support marketing efforts that engage consumers and celebrate their collective impact on people and the planet,” Wittek says.
Fill it Forward has tracked nearly 5 million single-use items diverted and kept more than 18,000 pounds of plastic out of oceans, 186,000-plus pounds of waste out of landfills and saved close to 2.1 million pounds of carbon emissions.
