NetZero

Inspiration

Having been taught about climate change all our lives, we were inspired here at GenAI Genesis to create a project that empowers humans to take action against climate change. Inspired by the countless individuals and communities on various social media platforms with their unparalleled enthusiasm, we wanted to create a forum-based web application that encourages people to connect, collaborate, and make progress against harmful practices against the environment.

What it does

On the dashboard, there is a list of cases (policies and problems) collected and summarized by an ECHO database. Users are able to join individual cases and participate in discussions with other users, as well as an AI assistant with profound knowledge on the case named Zero. Users may also browse news articles powered by News API to look up information relating to climate change. If users are concerned about the climate around their region, they can use Gemini API to perform an analysis on the habits and policies of a certain region and generate consequences accordingly. Furthermore, users are able to message and send friend requests to other users, fostering friendships and future collaboration within our community. Lastly, users can earn badges for displaying dedication toward the community.

How we built it

We used Firestore to store user reports, case data, and chat logs in real time, and Firebase Authentication for the login and identity verification system. As previously mentioned, we used Gemini API for the analysis, News API for generating news, and ECHO database for finding and summarizing policies and problems.

Challenges we ran into

We found it difficult to implement the ECHO database in an efficient yet cohesive manner that suited our project, causing us to spend countless hours refining the information until it was deemed useful. We also found it difficult to write a specific prompt for our Gemini API to give a detailed and relevant prompt that could encompass all the important potential consequences.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

One of our biggest accomplishments was successfully getting Firebase to work after facing numerous challenges. Many of our components rely on Firebase, so getting it to function properly was crucial. We spent a lot of time troubleshooting issues with Firestore rules, and syncing real time data across users. After countless debugging sessions, we finally got everything running smoothly, which suddenly allowed our platform to function as intended.

What we learned

One of our biggest takeaways was how essential Firebase is for handling dynamic data. From user authentication to real-time chat logs, we saw how powerful it can be. Debugging Firestore rules gave us a deeper understanding of backend logic and security.

What's next for NetZero

The most important next step for NetZero would be refining our AI case recommendations. If we improve AI suggestions, users will be able to get more relevant cases based on their expertise and location, making investigations more efficient. On the community side, we want to enhance engagement by improving real time chat, adding case streaks for motivation, and refining our leaderboard system. These changes will make the platform more interactive, helping users stay engaged while contributing to real world environmental investigations.