Inspiration
Wanted to answer the question: How can e-commerce and consumption be ethical and sustainable, while remaining efficient?
We want to help keep big corporations accountable and responsible for helping promote sustainability. ⅔ of the North American containerboard in the US are virgin box, while this rate is way lower in Asia and Europe (https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/16/business/amazon-cardboard-box-prime-day/index.html).
We think that we can provide Amazon and other e-commerce corporations with a reliable and transparent system that keeps track of all the recycling boxes.
What it does
-This app helps consumers make sustainable choices while keeping big e-commerce companies accountable by encouraging consumers to return their box packages
-Consumers can either leave the box outside for the delivery men to pick it up or dropping it off at a local dropbox
-Consumers can then earn discounts toward the company of their choice by participating in this system
-This app provides transparency as it allows the user to see and monitor every stage of their box's journey
-By encouraging users to return and recycle their packages, we hope that this process reduces the amount of waste going into landfills and overall, encouraging a more healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
USER FLOW
User unboxes their box package
User downloads the app and scans the QR code sticker on the box
User follows instructions on the app and flattens the box
User leaves box outside for deliveryman to pick it up or drop it off at a dropoff location near them
User tracks their box progress on the app
User earns awards and discounts once their box has been recycled and reused
How I built it
Used React Native frame to build the front-end of EcoBox mobile application.
Designed and implemented blockchain object to store and managing EcoBox tracking information
Used Firebase realtime database to store blockchain data
Used Google map API to translate longitude and latitude data collected from the user into country and region information for tracking information presenting.
Challenges I ran into
-We had to decide and iterate on ways we can provide transparency for the process of recycling
-How to continually motivate consumers to recycle their boxes
-We were also not sure on how to keep the tracking history accurate and untamperable.
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
Our interface designs on Figma were clean, simple, and intuitive, much like what we had envisioned.
What I learned
We learned how to design and improve upon a current e-commerce system.
What's next for EcoBox
Hopefully, e-commerce companies can take inspiration from our idea to incorporate a more sustainable and transparent system going forward. E-commerce and corporations produce a huge quantity of package waste, and we hope to close the circle on the system to create a more sustainable economy.
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