Conscious spending made simple
Making Sustainability Tangible in Everyday Choices
Many people want to live sustainably but lack clarity on how their everyday spending affects the planet. Greenwashing, vague advice, and lack of real-time data create confusion and inaction. GreenUp bridges this gap by tracking your carbon footprint through your spending habits, offering expert-backed alternatives, and rewarding eco-friendly choices—making low-carbon living personal, practical, and impactful.
Team
Itisha Srivastava
Tools
Figma
Lovable (AI Frontend)
Jitter
Roles
Researcher
UI & Motion Design
UX Design
Strategy Design
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Research & Discovery
I used user interviews and surveys to uncover real-life challenges people face when trying to spend sustainably.
We wanted to know
To better understand user behaviors and expectations around sustainable living
Routine Map
I conducted user interviews and distributed targeted surveys to gather insights on spending habits and environmental awareness
Tool Analysis
This was complemented by a competitor analysis of apps like Joro, and Giki to identify feature gaps and opportunities for differentiation in UX and value delivery
Identifying problems
Used contextual inquiry and workflow audits to surface key usability gaps and system friction points.
What we FOUND
01
Users couldn’t see where they were going wrong
Problem
Many users wanted to reduce their carbon footprint but had no clear idea which aspects of their lifestyle were contributing the most—be it food, shopping, or transport. This lack of clarity led to inaction or vague efforts.
“II want to reduce my footprint, but I don’t know which habits are hurting the most”
Insight
Users needed a clear, intuitive breakdown of their emissions to identify problem areas and take control of their habits
02
Sustainable shopping felt overwhelming and confusing
Problem
Users felt stuck in repetitive shopping routines and didn’t have time or energy to research eco-conscious brands. Trust was a major barrier, especially with greenwashing so common.
“I always go back to the same brands out of habit—I just wish someone would show me better ones I could trust.”
Insight
There was an opportunity to intercept spending patterns with better brand alternatives—right when users are most receptive.
03
Efforts felt invisible without tangible progress
Problem
Many users felt like their sustainable efforts weren’t making a real difference because they couldn't see tangible results or milestones. Over time, this led to disengagement.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m not making a difference unless I can actually see the change”
Insight
Showing progress visually through graphs and achievements would validate their efforts and keep them motivated.
04
Lack of fun = Lack of long-term engagement
Problem
Even motivated users admitted to dropping off when the experience felt dull, repetitive, or too serious. They wanted something more engaging and emotionally rewarding.
“ I use apps for a while, but if there’s nothing exciting or fun to keep me going, I just forget about them"
Insight
Gamifying the experience with playful characters and achievement badges could inject joy into the journey and build emotional connection.
05
Data alone isn’t enough—users need direction
Problem
Users found raw emission numbers or charts overwhelming without clear, doable next steps. They wanted the app to not just inform, but also guide their behavior in a meaningful way.
“ Telling me I spent too much on travel is one thing—show me how I can fix it..”
Insight
Pairing data with simple, relevant tips and article links would turn information into action.
User Personas
Understanding different needs
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Personalized Onboarding Survey
Users begin with a quick 13-question survey covering utilities, food, shopping, and personal motivations. Based on responses, the app tailors tips, brand suggestions, and carbon tracking to each user’s lifestyle.
Home Dashboard
Shows monthly CO₂e emissions, latest achievements, and a breakdown by category (shopping, food, transport). The "Buy Better" section recommends greener alternatives to frequently visited stores.
Analytics Page
Visualizes progress with a CO₂e comparison graph and top emission sources. Users get actionable tips and can click into purchases to add details, split costs, or view suggestions.
Achievements & Badges
Users earn fun badges and unlock characters for meeting goals—like staying under their monthly CO₂e limit—making sustainable habits engaging and rewarding.
Core Features
Turning insight into action
GreenUp is a carbon tracking app that helps users understand the environmental impact of their lifestyle through their spending habits. It offers real-time CO₂e insights, curated brand recommendations, motivational badges, and personalized tips—making sustainable living intuitive, rewarding, and data-backed.
Sign Up/ Log In
The login screen includes quick sign-up with Google and Facebook for faster onboarding.
Onboarding Survey
The onboarding survey captures key lifestyle habits—like food, shopping, and utilities—to personalize the app experience from the start.
Home
The homepage gives users a quick snapshot of their monthly CO₂e, top contributing categories, and personalized eco-friendly brand suggestions.
Buy Better
Users receive curated sustainable brand recommendations based on their regular shopping habits, making it easy to switch to greener alternatives.
E-commerce
Users can browse and purchase directly from recommended sustainable stores within the app for a seamless shopping experience
Analytics
The analytics screen visualizes monthly CO₂e trends, highlights top emission sources, and offers actionable tips to reduce impact.
Purchase Details
Users can dive into individual purchases to add details, split costs, or adjust entries for more accurate carbon tracking
Achievements
The achievements page rewards users with fun badges and characters for hitting sustainability goals, making progress feel playful and motivating
Iteration and Wireframing
I created low-fidelity wireframes to map key user flows and prioritize clarity. The focus was on surfacing actionable insights with minimal effort, using feedback to refine layouts before moving to high-fidelity design.
Information Architecture
Structuring a seamless path to sustainable living
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Turning Insight Into Interfaces
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Welcome Screen
Animated character appears on the welcome screen to create an inviting and friendly tone.
Sign Up & Survey
A friendly, fast start to a personalized experience
Sign-Up Screen
Quick login options with Google and Facebook for fast, frictionless onboarding
Survey Screens
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Covers key lifestyle areas: utilities, food, shopping, and motivations
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Features a progress slider and numerical tracker (e.g., 3/13) for clear feedback
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Includes Back and Next buttons for easy navigation
Home
Your carbon footprint, made visible and actionable
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Home Prototype
The Home Page gives a clear view of monthly CO₂e, top emission categories, and suggests eco-friendly brands users can shop from directly
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Dashboard
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Monthly CO₂e Summary: Displays user's total carbon emissions for the current month at a glance
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Highlights the latest badge earned to reinforce progress
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Impact by Category: Visual breakdown of emissions across Shopping, Food & Drink, and Transport
Buy Better
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Buy Better Section: Recommends eco-friendly brand alternatives based on user’s frequent shopping habits
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Shop by Category: Lets users explore sustainable brands across Clothing, Household, Health & Beauty, etc.
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Direct Purchase Links: Users can tap and purchase from recommended stores directly within the app
Analytics
Track progress, spot patterns, and take smarter action
Analytics Prototype
The Analytics page shows monthly CO₂e trends, top categories, and offers tips to help users reduce their impact
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Statistics
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Month-over-Month CO₂e Graph: Compares current emissions to the previous month
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Lists highest-emission purchases with options to view, edit, or split costs for better accuracy
Corrective Action
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Impact by Category: Shows which lifestyle areas contributed most to emissions
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Smart Tips & Articles: Offers actionable suggestions linked to high-impact categories
Achievements
Making sustainable habits fun, rewarding, and personal
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Achievements Prototype
The Achievements page uses badges and playful characters to celebrate progress, keeping users motivated and engaged in their sustainability journey
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Badges Unlocked
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Badge System: Rewards users for hitting key sustainability milestones (e.g., staying under monthly CO₂e limit)
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Unlockable Characters: Fun, quirky characters appear as users progress, adding personality to their journey
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Tracking Progress
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Progress Motivation: Keeps users engaged through gamified, goal-driven incentives
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Milestone Tracking: Helps users see long-term habits forming through consistent achievement logs
Design System
Response & Results
Initial feedback from users was overwhelmingly positive, with many appreciating the app’s clean design, actionable insights, and playful tone. Users reported feeling more aware of their spending habits and motivated to make eco-friendly changes. The personalized tips and brand recommendations were especially well-received, with a noticeable boost in daily engagement after introducing achievements and gamification elements.
Some critiques the app recieved are :
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Limited local brand coverage: Users in smaller cities mentioned a lack of sustainable brand recommendations relevant to their region.
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Over-reliance on spending data: Some users without digital payment habits felt excluded or misrepresented due to limited transaction data