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Digital Innovation
Climate change is one of the most significant issues the world is facing today. A key sector which is responsible for the emission of greenhouse gases is transport. In recent years, there has been a huge explosion of motor vehicles in Nepal, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley. It is important to get people to reduce their use of fossil fuel-based transport. New technologies can induce people to do so. A mobile-based app – Walkman – motivates people to walk, run, and cycle instead of using motor vehicles by giving them ‘green coins’ and other badges of accomplishment that they can share on media platforms. These could also be used commercially by businesses. Over 5,000 users have already used the app, resulting in a potential reduction of 30,000 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide.
Climate change is one of the most significant issues facing the world today, for which human beings are responsible because of their greenhouse gas (GHG)-emitting activities. One of the key sectors from which GHGs derive is transport. It is important to wean people away from fossil fuel-based vehicles. This can be accomplished using new, innovative technologies.
Greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector worldwide is growing rapidly. In Nepal, the number of motor vehicles has risen to 263,500, nearly doubling in a decade. The number of motorbikes registered in the country has increased by more than 400 per cent over the last decade, with Kathmandu Valley accounting for the major share of the growth. Thus, in order to reduce carbon emissions and the impacts of climate change, and to promote green growth, an immense change in behaviour is imminently needed.
We created a mobile-based app, Walkman, which integrates gamification with Application Programming Interface (API)-based economics. It motivates people to walk, run, and cycle instead of using motor vehicles by giving them rewards in the form of virtual goods and badges of accomplishment that can be shared on any social platform. Giving rewards has been proven as one of the best ways to motivate people to change their behaviour. It is anticipated that more people will join the low-carbon mobility initiative as a result.
We feel that climate change is primarily a behavioural and/or social issue with no one-size-fits-all solution. At our start-up, we plan to combat it by adapting one of the most convincing methods in human psychology to influence human behaviour. Known as the positive reinforcement technique, it is a rewards-based method to influence users to perform desired activities. The following are the innovative elements in our approach: • The creation of the Walkman app, which rewards low-carbon travel • The use of an API for green businesses to distribute ‘green coins’ • The use of emotional rewards, a strategy adopted from China’s Alipay app • The creation of a B2B (business-to-business) model as a revenue generation strategy and for the sustainability of business The challenge remains in making the rewards sustainable in the long term. To address this problem, we have devised two solutions, currently in the concept phase: one, non-monetary, emotionally rewarding actions such as planting a tree, feeding stray dogs,etc. ; two, a business app of the same brand using which any business could sell time-limited offers in exchange for the reward points earned. Additionally, sellers making offers could earn money by creating appealing time-bound offers utilising our business platform. Consequently, our city’s carbon footprint will reduce, and its air quality will also improve.
So far, roughly 5,000 people have used our application and logged over 480,000 kilometres, equating to a reduction of around 30,000 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide. In February 2019, we released a beta version of our app on Google Play Store, from where anyone can download it and begin walking. People began competing against one another to climb the leader board and earn additional ‘green coins’ for prizes, which finally led to a positive change in their behaviour. One of our customers with arthritis shared that the app had inspired him to walk longer distances every day. We discovered that people with chronic ailments, such as cardiac problems and diabetes disorders, were progressively enrolling in our beta test . Environmental advocates and sustainable practitioners are also active users. We are currently working on iterating and enhancing our product to create something that will appeal to a wider audience, including corporations and the government.
Suyam Baidya Green Coins Email: baidya.suyam@gmail.com Contact: +977-9823149709
Each of the RMS solutions are linked to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the UN in 2015. The SDGs that this intervention contributes to are as follows:
