Eco Reward

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Inspiration

Everyone wants to do something for the environment. But in today's world, where every second is judged by your level of productivity, it is imperative to cater to the lifestyle of today's customer. This is where Eco Rewards was born.

What it does

Eco Rewards makes sustainability achievable, accessible, and rewarding for everyone. Had a huge party last night and plan to throw out a hundred Pepsi cans? Got any old school textbooks collecting dust? Something you would have normally thrown into the trash is now something that's well on its way back into the product supply chain. It's not magic - It's recycling. And we at Eco Rewards honor your contribution by providing you with ample incentive.

Everytime you return any recyclable item to a registered recycling station, you get a certain amount of points added to your profile. You can then use these points for one of two incentives: (a) Redeem rewards like a eco-friendly water bottle or tote bags at a discounted price, thanks to affiliate links from our partners. (b) Support an environmental cause like an ocean cleanup or a tree planting initiative. With these campaigns always looking for funding, you can extend your hand out!

And if you're ever confused about your personal carbon emissions, or want tips on how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Jack, our in-built sustainability expert, is here to help! Ask him anything, he doesn't really get tired!

How we built it

Frontend: React Native (using Expo)
Backend: Firebase Firestore
Authentication: Firebase Authentication
LLM Integration: OpenAI

Challenges we ran into

Our initial plan was to use smart contracts for transaction verification. However, testing smart contracts on the testnet and deploying on the mainnet was difficult due to lack of test credits
Midnight and Breadboard documentation were really hard to comprehend, due to a lack of clear examples, detailed explanations, and structured walkthroughs.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Successfully learned and implemented React Native + Expo routing for cross-platform app development.
Received positive feedback from 30 fellow hackers and mentors as well as critical feedback that improved our app significantly.

What we learned

Learning to let go is the best trait an entrepreneur can have. We were stuck with smart contracts for quite a bit of time. We had tried every single iteration of every method, but it had lead to nowhere. We then realised that it's best to move ahead and treat all other parts of the project with equal importance. It was then that we made significant progress - seeking an alternative approach.
Team brainstorming and collaboration is crucial. Our best ideas came to us by iterating on each other's draft ideas. Conflict resolution was another key learning. There were some instances where we disagreed on strategies or ideas, but we carefully put forth our ideas, weighed in the pros and cons to land on a result.

What's next for Eco Reward

Leaderboard containing top recyclers, with monthly competitions for a greater incentive.
Collaboration with companies to provide brand-specific incentive.