Ermes is a passionate and supportive Local Guide focused on sustainability and recycling. As a Sustainability Star, Ermes has gone above and beyond in numerous ways as the creator of Local Guides Clean the World. This program from 2018 is still going strong with hundreds of Local Guides around the globe organizing meet-ups to clean local areas. Ermes has also helped the rebuilding efforts by adding new paths, trails, and roads to Google Maps after devastating earthquakes hit Italy in 2016. Ermes continues to encourage other Local Guides to add roads to help connect communities in remote areas.

What is your favorite place, experience, photo or video you contributed to Google Maps this year?
I'm trying to highlight the area of Tambre, by adding information that can be useful for the visitors of this beautiful, and mostly unknown area.

What advice do you have for other Local Guides?
Be yourself. Share what you think will be important and useful to others. There are many places that aren't on Google Maps, or that don't have enough information. I consider myself an explorer, and I try to be an ambassador of the places I live in, trying to best represent them.

What do you like most about the Local Guides community?
The community is a virtual place where you can get to know other Local Guides and where you can get to know new places through the experience of others. Since joining the Local Guides community, my network of friends has spanned the entire planet. My best friend lives 9600 km from where I live, and we talk to each other every day.

What makes a place or experience worth rating/reviewing?
All places deserve to be rated/reviewed, although sometimes it is difficult to find the right words to write a negative review. I normally read reviews and look at photos before visiting a place, so I think it's important to add my review as well.

What is your favorite feature of Google Maps?
Adding roads. Many roads, even in countries like Italy, are not on Google Maps. These are mainly mountain roads, which reach small villages in remote locations, so I like to add roads to try to make these places reachable.

Want to learn more about this incredible Local Guide? Check out their contributions on Google Maps and follow them on Connect.