In his town of Santa Cruz, California, Taylor Lahey noticed two critical issues: (1) a dying downtown and (2) a river riddled with litter. They're two problems that seem to have nothing to do with each other, but Lahey discovered one solution that could tackle both.

Inspired by a waste exchange program in Curitiba, Brazil, Lahey created a program that rewards river cleanup volunteers with gift cards they can spend in the city's downtown. It's one of a number of systems that Lahey is creating, which incentivize donations and effectively get them into the hands of those who need them.

In this week's episode of "Your City Could Be Better", City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with Lahey about the decades-old Brazilian program that first inspired him, how his California experiments have grown and changed, and ultimately, how functional incentives could bolster volunteering in your town.

When investment and morale are low, sometimes an unconventional approach is the way to go.