Carbonscio

Carbonscio turns climate literacy into a game. With 3.5 bn people worldwide identifying as gamers, we use play to bridge the gap between "knowing" about climate change and "doing" something about it.

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Carbonscio: Gaming for a Greener Planet

Carbonscio (coined from carbon conscious) turns climate literacy into a game. With 3.5 billion people worldwide identifying as gamers, we use play to bridge the gap between "knowing" about climate change and "doing" something about it.

While over 80% of adults in parts of Europe and North America possess basic climate literacy, African nations average just 37%. Carbonscio meets this challenge by leveraging the global gaming market—a dominant industry with over 40% of the world’s population participating in 2026.

v2 (Current – Gamified Habit Tracking & AI Assistant Release)

Carbonscio has evolved from a climate literacy tool into an immersive, high-fidelity gamified environmental action tracker with a live Green AI Assistant. Users now adopt real-world low-carbon habits, measure cumulative CO₂ savings, earn in-game currency, and level up a custom digital sprout mascot.

New Features & Advancements in v2

  • Seedling Avatar Customization – A dynamic SVG sprout that evolves from microscopic seed to Forest Defender as users level up.
  • Climate Activity Log & Habit Tracking – Daily log sheets for Transportation, Food, Energy, and Shopping behaviors.
  • Carbonscio AI Chat Assistant – Gemini-powered green advisor providing zero-waste hacks, energy-saving tips, and eco-advice.
  • Cooperative Squads – Social alliances where teams pool carbon reduction scores to compete on leaderboards.
  • Badges Achievements Shelf – Dynamic medals unlocked by CO₂ savings, streaks, and in-game wealth.
  • Interactive Dressing Room Wardrobe – Equippable cosmetics from the Eco Shop (Ranger Capes, Ocean Plastic Jumpsuits, Flower Crowns, Martian Cosmic Dome backgrounds).

What Changed: v1 → v2 Summary

Area v1 v2 (Current)
Core Loop Quiz → Learn Log Action → Earn Currency → Level Sprout
User Identity Supabase Firebase Auth + Profiles
Backend Google Apps Script (serverless) Express + Node.js + Firestore
AI Client-side Gemini Server-proxied Gemini (secure)
Social Features None Squads / Teams / Leaderboards
Progression Calendar tracking Leveling system + cosmetics + badges
Animations None Motion.js animations
Target Metric Climate literacy % Real-world CO₂ savings (kg)

Links (v2)

v1 (Round 1 Hackathon Submission)

Features

  • Interactive Quizzes – gamified climate literacy
  • Impact Calendar – daily activity tracking & carbon offset visualization
  • Transparency Database – company funding directory (eco vs. non‑eco) with public record references
  • Ask AI – Google Gemini integration for instant climate Q&A
  • Climate Wiki – library of articles for deep learning
  • Inclusive Design – dyslexia‑friendly font, high contrast, adjustable line height/spacing

Links (v1 Demo)

Technology Stack (v1)

  • React 18 + Vite + TypeScript
  • Tailwind CSS (Brutalist aesthetic)
  • Lucide React, React Router DOM
  • Fetch API + Google Apps Script endpoints
  • Google Gemini AI
  • Custom accessibility context (dyslexic font, high contrast)
  • Google Translate API

Team

The Advancement Journey (v1 → v2)

Carbonscio v2 builds directly upon the hackathon foundation by transforming a quiz‑based learning tool into a fully immersive, habit‑driven game with live AI coaching. Key advancements include:

  • From passive learning to active gameplay – replacing quizzes with daily action logging, levels, streaks, and a customizable avatar
  • From solo experience to cooperative squads – introducing team challenges, leaderboards, and shared goals
  • From simple calendar to rich analytics – adding charts, impact equivalents, and a badge achievement shelf
  • Infrastructure upgrade – moving from Google Apps Script endpoints to a full‑stack Express + Firebase backend with secure API proxying

Every v1 learning element (quizzes, wiki, transparency database) has been either integrated into the game’s education layer or superseded by more engaging, action‑oriented mechanics. The result is a cohesive, family‑friendly climate action game that retains the hackathon’s spirit of accessibility and innovation while advancing toward real‑world behavior change.

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