BP may have been able to cap the oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, but cleanup efforts are really just beginning. In an interesting intersection between technology and social activism, QR codes could prove instrumental in helping ensure that the Gulf is fully restored.
Nonpartisan activist group Women of the Storm is rallying public support around Gulf restoration. They’ve started the celebrity-backed Be the One campaign to get signatures for their petition, which states: “I demand that a plan to restore America’s Gulf be fully funded and implemented for me and future generations.”
ScanLife, makers of mobile barcode scanning technology, has stepped in to support the cause and they’re bringing QR codes to the rescue.
ScanLife created a QR code that, when scanned, directs users to a mobile site where they can watch the Be the One video (embedded below) and sign the petition. Plus, a giant version of the QR code was put on display on the Thomas Reuters billboard in Time Square last week to help outreach efforts.
The code is also being distributed online and on t-shirts, the latter of which people can buy to further support the cause. To date, the petition has garnered more than 117,000 signatures with the help of the QR code call-to-action.
As QR codes make their way to mainstream audiences, we think action-oriented campaigns of this variety will go a long way in making the technology relevant to the average smart phone user.
More About: be the one, bp, gulf oil spill, Mobile 2.0, QR Codes, scanlife, women of the storm
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