Using raspberry Pi to extract recycling calendar from the Porirua City Council website to remind myself what bins to put out on the street
Context: Developed a bin night reminder system using a Raspberry Pi to assist with recycling and waste management based on the Porirua City Council recycling calendar.
Actions:
- Utilised Python with Beautiful Soup and Selenium to navigate the Porirua City Council website and extract recycling calendar information.
- Programmed the Raspberry Pi to indicate which bins to put out on the street, using colored LEDs: red for glass, yellow for recycling, and green for general rubbish.
Outcomes: Created an effective visual reminder system that helps ensure proper bin management, reducing the likelihood of missed pickups and promoting effective waste disposal practices.
How it Works
Web Scraping:
- Use BeautifulSoup to extract data from the Porirua Council Recycling website.
- Use Selenium for dynamic content if needed.
Data Processing:
- Store the extracted data (e.g., bin collection schedule) in a list or dictionary.
Sending Data to Raspberry Pi:
- If running locally, process the data directly in the same script.
- If remote, send data via: HTTP Requests (REST API). MQTT Protocol for lightweight messaging.
Controlling the LEDs:
- Use the RPi.GPIO library to set up GPIO pins for each LED (recycling, glass, rubbish).
- Implement logic to light up LEDs based on the collection schedule.
Running the Script:
- Set up a cron job on the Raspberry Pi to run the script at regular intervals (e.g., daily).