Digital service that helps someone understand how their daily choices have an impact on their environment. The service would make it easy for someone to log their information every day to help them gradually make more informed and sensible choices for their health and the environment’s.
In today’s society, there is an overwhelming obsession with becoming slim, healthy, and fit. Less prevalent, however, is the obsession over the health of the environment as these same slim-crazed individuals create 254 million tons of waste each year.
The app market is saturated with health and fitness apps that track steps, exercise, and nutrition. However, there are (next to) no apps that combine the ease of tracking both the users’ and the environment’s health simultaneously. With this in mind, the proposed app, Leafit, is designed to combine the most essential features of these exercise and nutrition apps while adding features that educate and track the user’s environmental footprint. These features will help to differentiate this service from other health and fitness apps currently in the market, while creating a new product category of day-to-day environment trackers.
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Leafit’s main features are to track the user’s commute, water intake, and food consumption. The app will require daily data input for the highest accuracy. The number of steps will be automatically synchronized to Leafit through the phone’s built-in pedometer and kilometers travelled could also be tracked using the mobile phone’s GPS. Because this app is geared towards a working class, data entry is designed to require minimal effort and time. Since the commute tracker will use both the pedometer and GPS, the user must simply choose the type of transportation they used. Water consumption data will be added by simply tapping the water bottle icon with the proper water amount, and food consumption can be added by typing the type of dish consumed.
While data is recorded in these areas, Leafpoints will also be used to track the user’s environmental progress and will be awarded and deducted based on the user’s commute, water, and food choices. For example, in the commute tracker, Leafpoints will be awarded to walking and public transportation, while using a car will result in a decrease in Leafpoints. Similarly, Leafpoints will be deducted for each disposable plastic water bottle, packaged and processed food, fresh-flown fish, and conventionally raised meat products consumed due to their large carbon, water, and waste footprints.
The final major function of Leafit will be the Leaf-lympics feature. The Leaf-lympics allow users to find and challenge friends to compete for the most Leafpoints. Due to the young working class’s large social network and desire to connect with others, this gamifying function will create a higher incentive for these social-hungry individuals to use the app.