Melting Hope

The mission of "Earth Care" is to create an application designed to increase public awareness and understanding of environmental issues. As an inspirational project, it aims not only to educate users about environmental sustainability but also to encourage tangible actions to promote a greener planet. The app will also provide relevant news and information related to the environment.

The inspiration for this project stemmed from the critical issue of global warming, particularly the plight of polar bears. Their habitat is becoming increasingly challenging due to factors like environmental pollution, tourism, and carbon dioxide emissions. Through this application, I hope to raise awareness about the current state of our planet and empower individuals to understand what can be done to help.

Growing environmental awareness isn't translating into widespread action due to a lack of engaging platforms and user-friendly tools. This project aims to create an app to increase public understanding and inspire tangible steps towards a greener planet, also providing environmental news.

For people living on Earth, "Earth Care" offers a platform to learn about environmental issues through engaging gameplay and understand how to perform eco-friendly actions. Unlike competing applications such as JouleBug, "Earth Care" not only facilitates sharing through a community but also incorporates competitive gaming features, such as leaderboards and a mission achievement system.

I referenced the following organizations which have significant influence in the environmental field.

I conducted a survey targeting young adults aged 19-35 to gain insights into their environmental awareness, habits, and preferences for learning and engagement.

Key Findings

• Respondents come from various industries and primarily reside in urban areas.
• Most respondents are concerned about environmental issues.
• They primarily obtain information about environmental issues through social media and news reports.
• Daily environmental actions include sorting recyclables, using reusable items, and saving electricity.
• The biggest challenges in performing environmental actions are the lack of convenient options and social support.
• Key factors that would attract them to use an environmental app are providing the latest news and incorporating gamification elements like mission and achievement systems.
• A user-friendly interface, reward mechanisms, and promotions on green products could increase the likelihood of taking green actions.

I chose to design this project as a mobile application. This platform offers the best accessibility for our target audience, allowing users to engage with the eco-friendly learning game, receive updates, and participate in community features conveniently anytime, anywhere, fitting seamlessly into modern lifestyles and the habits of young adults and gaming enthusiasts.

The "Earth Care" project culminated in the design concept for a mobile learning game aimed at increasing public awareness and understanding of environmental issues. By leveraging gamification, community features, and competitive elements, the project sought to create an engaging and accessible platform for users, particularly young adults and gaming enthusiasts, to learn about environmental sustainability and be motivated to take action. The proposed design included core task flows and visual concepts demonstrating how users would interact with themed games, a community system, and competitive modes.

Working on the "Earth Care" project reinforced the power of design to address real-world issues and engage audiences who might not otherwise be reached. I learned the importance of tailoring the approach – in this case, using a game format – to the specific target audience and their preferences for learning and interaction. The project highlighted the challenges and opportunities in designing for social impact and environmental education. Furthermore, refining the project scope and demonstrating core concepts through task flows and storyboards were valuable exercises in translating a broad vision into tangible design deliverables.