With a climate crisis on our hands, spreading awareness in regards to ecological issues is not enough to help humanity reach its environmental goals. When Matteo Colledan and Léon Piclet pitched their idea for a recycling app, they sought to empower people to make sustainable choices in their everyday lives by giving them the tools to recycle proficiently. Their startup, Consciously Aware, is passionate about creating a ripple effect of positive change.
The app concept won a £10,000 research and development grant from leading UX agency Creative Navy. The two companies partnered up to determine the framework that would support users to become conscientious consumers and recyclers in their everyday lives. Their digital product could prove to be a Heaven sent for the recycling industry.
The biggest threat to the viability of recyclables is contamination. Not only does it hinder the recycling efforts of entire neighborhoods, but it also threatens the economic stability of the recycling plant. Contaminated materials cause many costly problems. Plastic bags can damage machinery, biohazard or food waste can endanger the employees in charge of sorting, and a single piece of colored paper can ruin an entire batch that would have otherwise been profitable.
The recycling process seems overly complicated to the average householder. It also leaves plenty of room for human error. Dosing the right amount of in-app information will definitely prove to be a challenge for the development team. Piclet and Colledan hope their app helps people understand that their individual actions can have extraordinary outcomes.
So how will it work? What will it do? The app will be able to calculate the contamination rates of any bag or bin. Additionally, it will help users understand their recycling habits and performance through real-time updates. Consciously Aware’s app will also help people keep an eye on the amount of waste they generate.
Colledan is optimistic about the app’s impact on consumer habits. He said that “armed with better knowledge from the Consciously Aware app, consumers will make different consumption choices. This will influence press product manufacturers, retailers, and ultimately local and national governments to make the changes necessary for all of us to consume in a sustainable way.”
The grant awarded to Piclet and Colledan is part of Creative Navy’s CSR program. This initiative was designed to support startups that use their digital knowledge to solve the wicked problems of our time. Their CEO, Dennis Lenard, believes that more companies should support research and experimentation, as they are the only methods which can help humanity inch closer to progress. There are various mobile app developers are available to make your business idea into reality.
The two companies aim to attract seed investors, which can then take over and mature Consciously Aware’s app. Their finalized digital product will be much more than a mere information bank. Based on rigorous research and cognitive psychology principles, the app is bound to become a source of support and motivation for householders everywhere to recycle correctly and shop sustainably. While we look forward to the launch, we should try to be more mindful of how we recycle and strive to improve.