Carbon Consciousness

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Social Good

Inspiration

Carbon footprint is one of the most significant contributors to global warming, since carbon emissions cause greenhouse gases to build in our atmosphere. Despite this being detrimental to our planet, not many people are informed on what carbon footprint is and the true impact it has. In reality, carbon footprint is made up of our daily activities such as driving, electricity use, and consumerism. The greenhouse gases that emit into the atmosphere are primarily caused by the human race’s collective carbon footprint, and they act as a “thick blanket” on the Earth, contributing to Global Warming. While this seems like irreversible damage, there are actually a variety of ways that each individual can minimize their carbon footprint and create a more sustainable lifestyle. By spreading awareness on the importance of these practices, we can encourage more people to follow suit and better our planet before it’s too late.

What it does

Our website, “Carbon Consciousness,” gives a quick introduction to carbon footprint and its impact on Earth. Through informational cards and examples, our website provides a good amount of knowledge on carbon footprint for anyone who may lack an understanding. In addition, the website contains a calculator for any user to input their carbon footprint through mileage and electricity consumption and find out if they live sustainably. By measuring in kilograms (kg), users can gain a better understanding of their own contributions to greenhouse gases and create healthier practices for everyday life.

How we built it

In creating our website, we used the framework, React, which integrates JavaScript as the primary coding language. Through JSX files, we created the back-end code to the website that implements objects like FlashCard and Carousel, which represent our carbon footprint information and examples. Through CSS files, we crafted the visuals for the website using a green color scheme and even implementing a leaf cursor. All of our code was completed through Visual Studio Code, where we gained the ability to collaborate, debug, and brainstorm our ideas as we brought them to life.

Challenges we ran into

We had a difficult time trying to get our button to go to the calculator page. We also came across minor errors in the code that took us time to find like capitalization, indentation, etc. Another obstacle we faced was working with a programming language that was new to most of our team. It was a valuable learning experience that pushed us to quickly adapt, research, and apply new concepts in a short time frame.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Most of our team is fairly new to the React framework and its associated languages, so successfully building a functional website was a major achievement we’re incredibly proud of. Beyond the technical accomplishment, we created a project with a meaningful purpose, which promotes environmental awareness and inspires others to live more sustainably. which is a major accomplishment for us. That combination of innovation and impact makes this project especially rewarding for our team.

What we learned

We learned how to work with JavaScript and CSS, formatting, implementing flashcard interfaces, and having a calculator interface. We got a deeper understanding of what a carbon footprint is, how it affects our planet, and ways to reduce your carbon emissions. Most importantly, we learned how to work on a team and collaborate with others, communicating our ideas with one another and providing help where needed.

What's next for Carbon Consciousness

In the future, we plan on adding more options in the calculator to track your carbon footprint, and tracking your progress with changes you’ve made to your habits. We would also like to incorporate ways to get involved with local organizations to promote conservation efforts. Provide more feedback and different alternatives to reduce your carbon footprint.