EcoQuest

Pedaling your way to a greener planet, one bike ride at a time!

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EcoQuest

EcoQuest
Empowering university students to opt for sustainable campus travel options through Rewards and Engagement

Project Proposal

Project Prototype Link:
https://www.figma.com/proto/g8dxhZoS7FEp2cg4loq4hB/Untitled?node-id=11-6&t=kp5c0UYAb1ETMClc-1&scaling=scale-down&content-scaling=fixed&page-id=0%3A1&starting-point-node-id=11%3A6

Problem Statement

Transportation is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, even within university campuses. Students often rely on cars or other non-sustainable modes of transport, which increases their carbon footprint. There’s a lack of engaging, localized solutions to encourage eco-friendly habits.

Objective

To create a user-friendly app that incentivizes university students to choose biking over driving through a reward-based system while tracking their environmental impact in real time.

Aim

To reduce carbon emissions and encourage and educate students to opt for eco-friendly alternatives.

How EcoQuest Works

EcoQuest is a mobile app designed to encourage university students to adopt biking over driving to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable transportation on campus. Here's how the app functions overall:

1. Getting Started

  • Welcome Screen/Landing Page:
    The landing screen has a simple button to get started.

  • Sign Up:
    Students can create an account by either:

    • Logging in using their university email ID, which redirects to the university's authentication page.
    • Entering their student ID to create a unique username and password.

The secure login ensures only university-affiliated users can access the app.

2. Home Dashboard

  • After logging in, users are taken to the Home Dashboard, which serves as a personalized summary of their eco-friendly transportation activity.
  • The dashboard displays key metrics in an easy-to-understand format, including:
    • Total Distance Traveled: Tracks cumulative distance the user has biked.
    • Total Time Spent: Monitors the cumulative time spent biking.
    • Carbon Emissions Saved: Shows the amount of CO₂ avoided by choosing biking over driving.
    • Fuel Savings: Calculates the monetary savings compared to driving a car.
    • Calories Burned: Tracks health benefits gained from biking.
    • Environmental Impact Score (EIS): A weighted score based on all metrics to summarize the user’s overall impact.

3. Ride Tracking

  • The Ride feature allows users to plan and track their rides:
    1. Campus Map: Users can see a real-time map of the campus, including bike pick-up spots (marked with green bike icons).
    2. Start Ride:
      • After starting a ride, users must scan a QR code on the bike to verify and unlock it.
      • Users input any additional details required and start the ride.
    3. Live Ride Details:
      • Once the ride begins, the app dynamically tracks metrics like speed, distance, fuel savings, calories burned, and estimated carbon savings in real-time.
    4. End Ride:
      • Upon completing the ride, users confirm the drop-off location on the map and lock the bike.
      • EcoBucks are automatically credited to their wallet based on the ride metrics.

4. EcoBucks Rewards

  • The Rewards Screen shows users the EcoBucks they’ve earned and provides a list of redemption options.
  • The student can choose to alternatively donate their EcoBucks to fund campus sustainability initiatives, such as planting trees or installing solar panels, by clicking the “Donate” button.

How EcoBucks Work:

  • EcoBucks are awarded based on the total distance traveled and carbon emissions saved during rides.
  • Users can redeem EcoBucks for student-friendly rewards, such as:
    • Discounts on university supplies (stationery, textbooks, etc.)
    • Offers at campus cafes or restaurants
    • Vouchers for fitness classes or campus events

Each reward option clearly displays the number of EcoBucks required for redemption.

5. Social and Profile Features

  • Profile Page:
    • Account Settings: Users can update their personal information, password, and preferences.
    • Carbon Footprint Sharing:
      • Users receive a unique, personalized profile URL/QR code displaying their environmental achievements (e.g., CO₂ saved, calories burned, and EIS).
      • This QR code can be shared on social media platforms to inspire others to join the initiative.

Potential Impact

EcoQuest could significantly reduce campus carbon emissions and serve as a model for other universities. By gamifying sustainability, it encourages students to adopt eco-friendly practices.

Key Estimations and Impact:

  1. Single University:

    • Assume a mid-sized university with 20,000 students.
    • If 10% actively use EcoQuest, 420 metric tons of CO₂/year could be saved.

  2. Global Scale:

    • If 10% of 520 million global university students adopt EcoQuest, 10.92 million metric tons of CO₂/year could be saved.

This is equivalent to:

  • Removing 2.3 million cars from the road annually.
  • Sequestering carbon via 180 million trees annually.

Other impacts include:

  • Fuel Savings: 4.16 billion liters of fuel saved/year.
  • Health Benefits: 2.08 trillion calories burned/year.

Technical Implementation

Possible Technology Stack:

  • Frontend: React Native for a seamless cross-platform experience.
  • Backend: Cloud-based architecture (AWS/GCP) with scalable microservices.
  • APIs: Google Maps API for location services, GPS, and QR code scanning for real-time metrics and ride details.
  • Database: PostgreSQL for structured data (metrics, users, rewards), Redis for caching, and Amazon S3 for file storage (e.g., QR code data or map assets).

Benefits

  • Encourages sustainable habits among students.
  • Reduces carbon emissions on campus.
  • Promotes physical health through biking.

Future Improvements and Additions

  • Leaderboards: Adding leaderboards or challenges (e.g., weekly competitions for most EcoBucks earned) to encourage user engagement.
  • Push Notifications: Sending reminders or motivational updates, e.g., "You’re 5km away from earning your next reward!"
  • Partnerships: Collaborating with the university or local businesses to expand EcoBucks redemption options.

Conclusion

If EcoQuest is adopted globally by 10% of university students:

  • 10.92 million metric tons of CO₂/year could be saved.
  • Equivalent to removing 2.3 million cars from roads annually.
  • 4.16 billion liters of fuel saved.

While the numbers might seem small compared to global emissions, this initiative could pave the way for a cultural shift toward sustainability, amplified by education and community engagement.

Built With

  • figma
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