CarbonMirror

Inspiration

CarbonMirror was born out of the understanding that everyone knows the severity of climate change, yet carbon footprints are still an abstract concept. Numbers and graphs do not evoke an emotional response. I wanted to create something that would make environmental impact tangible and personal, so that not only do people understand sustainability, but they also feel it.

What I Learned

From this project, I learned the impact that visual storytelling can have on influencing behavior. I also learned about designing for emotionally responsible UX, simplifying complex environmental data, and finding the right balance between awareness and guilt/fear.

How I Built It

CarbonMirror was developed using a contemporary web technology stack with a focus on clean design and seamless interaction. User behavior such as travel, diet, and energy consumption is represented through visual metaphors such as melting ice or growing plants. The application promotes progress over perfection and adjusts visuals accordingly as habits improve.

Challenges Faced

The first challenge was to ensure that the design was not guilt-driven while still communicating impact. The process of representing data in a meaningful visual way without oversimplifying the reality of the situation was also a challenge.