The Role of Digital Technologies in Cultural Promotion and Optimal Waste Management: A New Step Towards Environmental Conservation

Urban waste has become one of the major environmental challenges in today’s world. Current management approaches are predominantly technical, with social and cultural aspects playing a less significant role in policy and practice. The widespread use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in society suggests that policies and practices based on these technologies can contribute to optimized waste management and promote public awareness and engagement. Therefore, this study aims to examine the role of digital technologies, especially mobile applications, in waste management and raising public awareness. This review study was conducted in ۲۰۲۴, searching reliable databases such as SID, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of ۴۰ articles from ۲۰۱۹ to ۲۰۲۴ were found, and after reviewing titles, abstracts, and keywords, ۲۰ articles were selected, with ۱۵ directly relevant to the subject included in the study. Findings indicate that various applications, such as MyWaste and TGTG, assist users in reducing waste production and improving environmental behaviors by providing educational tools and local guides. These tools, by collecting data on user behaviors, enable better analysis of community needs and the development of optimized waste management programs. Additionally, other digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things (Gkintoni, Vantaraki, Skoulidi, Anastassopoulos, & Vantarakis), solar-powered waste compactors, and smart sensors, are emerging as promising solutions in the field of waste management. Utilizing digital technologies in this area can effectively contribute to individual and social behavior change, thereby reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

کلیدواژه ها:

Digital technologies ، applications ، cultural awareness ، waste management ، environment