Overview
Earthly is a mobile app designed to encourage sustainable behavior by rewarding users for small, everyday actions. Rather than focusing only on awareness, the product aims to actively change habits by combining behavioral psychology with a simple reward system.
Problem
Many people want to live more sustainably, but struggle to turn intention into consistent action.
Through initial exploration, I identified three key barriers:
Sustainable choices often feel inconvenient or unclear
Users lack immediate feedback on their impact
Motivation drops quickly without visible rewards or progress
Most existing solutions focus on tracking carbon footprint, but fail to influence long-term behavior.
Users
Young urban individuals (15–45) who:
Care about sustainability but struggle with consistency
Live fast-paced lifestyles
Respond well to motivation systems like streaks, rewards, and gamification
Research Methods
A Preliminary Survey was conducted among people from the target group 15-45 years old, to better understand thier consumer habits and their interest in sustainable products. In addition, the survey discovers users opinion about Earthly, and its ability to encourage sustainble habits on a greater scale. These surveys was distributed among people face to face to ensure the validity of their answers.
90%
Found reward systems effective
70%
Don‘t buy sustainable products due to high prices.
Found Earthly‘s purpose effective
70%
In-depth interviews
In-depth interviews with sustainability experts from design, architecture, and retail explore how these industries impact global waste. Since design influences broader systems, insights from architecture and retail reveal complexities and opportunities for more sustainable solutions.
User Personas
Sara, 35 Years old from Berlin
Sara cares about sustainability and often intends to make better choices, like using reusable products or reducing waste. However, her fast-paced lifestyle makes it difficult to stay consistent.
Occupation:
Marketing Professional
Goals:
Build consistent sustainable habits
Feel that her actions have real impact
Stay motivated without putting in too much effort
Painpoints:
Forgets to act sustainably in daily situations
Feels like small actions don’t make a real difference
Loses motivation quickly without visible progress
Finds sustainability apps too passive or informational
Key Insights:
doesn’t lack awareness — she lacks motivation and reinforcement.
How Earthly solves this
Action-based rewards → gives her immediate motivation
Progress tracking & streaks → helps build consistency
Simplified impact feedback → makes her feel her actions matter
Omar, 28 Years old from Berlin
Omar is aware of sustainability issues but hasn’t actively changed his behavior. He finds the topic overwhelming and doesn’t know where to start.
Occupation:
Marketing Professional
Goals:
Learn simple ways to be more sustainable
Take action without feeling overwhelmed
Stay engaged through enjoyable experiences
Painpoints:
Doesn’t know which actions actually matter
Feels sustainability is complicated or time-consuming
Gets bored quickly with data-heavy apps
Needs simple, engaging entry points
How Earthly solves this
Predefined simple actions → removes decision fatigue
Gamified rewards system → keeps him engaged
Clear onboarding & progress → builds confidence
Key Insights:
Omar needs guidance + engagement, not information overload.
Usability Testing
I conducted a two-phase usability study using low-fidelity prototypes.
Phase 1: Prototype Comparison
Participants interacted with two versions:
Version A: Tracking-focused
Log actions
View carbon impact
Minimal feedback
Version B: Reward-based
Earn points for actions
See progress and streaks
Immediate feedback
Phase 2 Behavior Based Scenario
To further validate the concept, I introduced a realistic action scenario.
Participants were asked to:
Use the prototype to select a sustainable action (Plant a Tree)
Complete a guided flow simulating the action
Receive a tangible reward upon completion
Scenario Flow
Open app → Select “Plant a Tree” → Confirm action → Complete flow → Receive reward
The goal was to observe:
commitment to completing an action
motivation before vs after reward
likelihood of repeating behavior
Incentive Mechanism
Participants were offered a real-world style incentive:
A free meal voucher (simulated reward)
Immediate confirmation and feedback
This reflects how Earthly could:
partner with local businesses
create value exchange
reinforce behavior through tangible rewards
Tasks
Participants were asked to:
Select and complete a sustainable action
Review their impact and progress
Return and complete a second action
Reflect on motivation and likelihood of continued use
Key Finding
10 out of 12 users preferred the reward-based system
11 out of 12 completed the full action flow when a reward was introduced
Users were significantly more likely to repeat actions with incentives
Engagement time increased in reward-based flow
Core Insight
People don’t change behavior through awareness alone — they change through motivation and reinforcement
Concept Direction
Based on the insights, I shifted the concept:
From:
“Track your carbon footprint”
To:
“Build sustainable habits through rewards”
User Flow
To translate insights into a clear product experience, I mapped a simplified user journey showing how users move from intention to completing a sustainable action.
A simplified journey from action selection to reward and progress tracking.
Wireframe Strategy
Earthly was designed around a simple behavioral loop:
Discover → Act → Earn → Redeem → Repeat
The goal was to make sustainable actions feel easy, rewarding, and worth returning to.
To support this, I focused on:
A map-first experience for discovering nearby challenges
A reward system using Karma Points and coins
Low-friction navigation with clear user flows
A strong separation between core actions and secondary features
This helped reduce friction between intention and action while supporting long-term habit formation.
Key Wireframes
Main Screen — Map as the Core Hub
The map acts as the primary interaction layer where users explore sustainability challenges nearby.
Users can quickly discover, join, and assign challenges without unnecessary steps.
The bottom navigation supports the main loop:
Map → Wallet → Community
This keeps the experience focused on action, rewards, and connection..
Key Wireframes
Challenge Screen — Decision Point
This screen helps users evaluate a challenge and commit to participation.
Information follows a simple hierarchy:
Title → Description → Visual → Reward
The Karma Point reward acts as the main CTA, shifting motivation from “Join” to “Earn.”
This increases clarity and reduces decision friction..
Key Wireframes
Wallet Screen — Reward Redemption
The Wallet is where users redeem earned Karma Points for sustainable rewards like discounts and coupons.
The design is intentionally minimal to keep focus on one action:
Redeem reward
This reinforces the value of sustainable behavior and completes the motivation loop.
UX Outcomes
By simplifying discovery, making rewards visible, and reducing effort across the journey, the wireframes support one clear goal:
Turning sustainability into a repeatable daily habit.
What‘s Earthly?
Earthly is an application that aims to motivate and encourage users to participate more in sustainable practices and activities.
This can be done easily by allowing the user to participate in these geo-based challanges such as tree planting, waste collection, and less meat consumption to earn Karma Points, which can be used to get discounts from eco-friendly brands.
Profile
Choose your avatar, shape your green identity.
You can choose an avatar to represent yourself in the app. Set your bio to share a little about your eco-style or goals. Together, your avatar and bio make your profile unique and show off your sustainable journey.
Geo-based Challenges
Participate in Daily Eco-Friendly Actions to Earn Karma Points
Karma Points are rewards you earn in Earthly every time you take a sustainable action, like reducing waste, choosing eco-friendly transport, or joining challenges. The more Karma Points you collect, the more you unlock discounts, badges, and impact rewards while tracking your personal contribution to the planet.
Shop & Wallet
Karma in Action: Earn, Save, and Spend for the Planet
Earthly Shop is where you can redeem your Karma Points for eco-friendly rewards — from sustainable products to meal discounts and exclusive green experiences. Every purchase supports ethical brands and helps you live more sustainably.
The Earthly Wallet stores all the coupons you’ve purchased with Karma Points from the Store. Each coupon comes with a unique QR code that you can simply scan at checkout when purchasing from that brand.
Carbon Footprint Calculator
Calculate your Carbon Footprint
Earthly calculates your carbon footprint through a short questionnaire about your lifestyle, travel, and consumption habits. This creates a personalized overview of your environmental impact, helping you understand your daily footprint and make more informed, sustainable choices over time.
Product Scan
Scan & See Your Impact
Earthly lets you scan products in-store to see their environmental impact. The app reads the product’s data and provides a detailed carbon footprint report. This helps you make informed, eco-friendly choices before you buy.
Explore Page
Discover & Go Green
Earthly’s Explore Page lets you discover new eco-friendly actions, challenges, and sustainable brands. Browse content, see trending activities, and find inspiration to reduce your carbon footprint. It’s your hub for learning and connecting with the green community.
Educational Content
Learn & Act for the Planet
Earthly’s Green Education feature offers articles and videos about sustainability, climate action, and eco-friendly living. Learn tips, explore insights, and deepen your understanding of how to reduce your impact. It’s your go-to resource for eco-knowledge.
Communities & Friends
Connect, Compete, Make an Impact
Earthly lets you connect with like-minded people by joining communities and adding friends. Compare progress on leaderboards, share achievements, and motivate each other to take sustainable actions. Together, you can make a bigger difference for the planet.
Further Development of Earthly
Entering the Carbon Trade Market
Carbon Credit Trading lets companies and governments buy and sell emission permits, allowing those under their limits to sell credits to those exceeding them. The UN Environment Programme (2025) distinguishes between voluntary markets, where companies offset their footprint, and compliance markets, tied to regulations. Earthly targets the voluntary market, empowering individuals and businesses to offset emissions and track their sustainability impact.
Focus on simplicity over complexity
Instead of overwhelming users with environmental data, I prioritized:
clear actions
quick feedback
Low cognitive load
2. Shift from tracking → motivating
Carbon tracking became a supporting feature, not the main experience.
3. Use behavioral psychology principles
Immediate rewards → reinforce actions
Progress tracking → builds habit loops
Small wins → increase long-term engagement
Design Decisions
Testing & Iteration
After refining the concept, I tested an updated prototype with users.
Improvements observed:
Increased engagement with daily actions
Users returned to track progress
Participants described the experience as “motivating” and “easy to stick with”
Outcome
Earthly successfully demonstrates how:
Reward systems can influence behavior
Small interactions can drive long-term habit change
UX design can go beyond usability into real-world impact
Reflection
If were to take this further, I would:
Explore partnerships with local businesses for real rewards
Refine the balance between intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
Test long-term retention over several weeks
This project reflects my interest in designing for:
behavior change
sustainability
real-world impact
It shows my ability to move beyond interface design and think about:
user motivation
psychology
long-term engagement
Why This Project Matters?
Designing for Behavior Change
Beyond individual features, the experience is built around a continuous reward loop that reinforces sustainable actions and encourages long-term habit formation.
A continuous cycle designed to reinforce behavior through reward and motivation.
Design System
For Earthly, the chosen typefaces — K2D Bold and Helvetica Neue (Bold 45 and Light 45) — reflect the initiative’s focus on clarity and simplicity. Their clean, modern lines create a straightforward visual language that is easy to read and approachable, aligning with Earthly’s mission to make sustainable living accessible to everyone. The balance between bold weights for emphasis and lighter styles for readability reinforces both impact and harmony within the design system.
Sticker Sheet
The Earthly design system is built to create a unified and balanced visual experience that reflects the app’s core mission of sustainability and mindful living. Inspired by natural environments, it uses sea-inspired colors and soft organic tones to evoke calmness, clarity, and a connection to nature. Alongside this visual language, gamification elements are thoughtfully integrated to make sustainable actions more engaging and rewarding, turning everyday habits into meaningful progress. Every component is designed with consistency and intention, ensuring a cohesive system that supports usability while reinforcing Earthly’s purpose: making sustainability intuitive, motivating, and seamlessly part of daily life.
Color Palette
The color palette for Earthly reflects its mission of promoting environmental initiatives and sustainable living. Different tones of green form the core identity, symbolizing nature, growth, and eco-consciousness. Soft beige and clean white serve as neutral backgrounds, ensuring clarity, balance, and readability while keeping the focus on the content. Vibrant orange accents are used for challenges, adding energy and motivation to inspire users to take action.
Earthly is still a work in progress, with new features and refinements underway. Sign-ups will be opening soon, inviting early users to join the journey toward more sustainable living. This project continues to evolve, and the upcoming launch will bring the full vision to life.
Prototype Link: https://www.figma.com/proto/wF4qnFx558sexPRfdzJhnS/Earrthlygood?node-id=0- 1&t=VlkEr3N1BkCNbG4n-1
*Earthly is a conceptual project created for design and educational purposes. All brand names, logos, and references used within the prototype — including but not limited to Patagonia, Biomart, and Culture Pass — are used purely as illustrative examples. Earthly has no affiliation, partnership, endorsement, or agreement with any of these brands. All trademarks and brand assets belong to their respective owners.
