SDG 13 Power Solutions

SDG 13: Climate Action SDG 13 Power Solutions

SDG 13 POWER SOLUTION

Let’s follow the journey of Giovanna and Arlen, Technovation alumnae who created an app around the problem of biodiversity and SDG 13.

Giovanna Romero

Hi, I am Giovanna Romero, from Mexico. I am a Mechatronics Engineering student and Technovation Alumna, member of the Latin America Regional Winning Team in the 2020 Technovation Girls season for the development of “Kap”, a venomous species mapping and recognition app that uses AI. I have participated in various contests and projects related to the use of technology with a focus on sustainability. I was part of the winning team of the first “Girls with Energy Hackathon” by Siemens Energy, and a finalist team member of the “Girls Save the World” award by HP in the first ever MIT Solv[ed] Youth Challenge for creating a climate academy for girls in my community.

Hello, I am María Arlen Amezcua Ortiz from Guadalajara, Mexico, a Chemical Engineering student, activist and environmentalist. At the age of 12 I started in science and math competitions, obtaining national first places in chemistry for three consecutive years. In 2015 I participated for the first time in Technovation Challenge developing an app on environmental issues. By 2017 I won 1st place in a competition by CISCO, entitled “Girls Hackathon 2017”. From 2018 to date I develop and participate in activities and forums within CEAmbiental, which is an environmental organization in Guadalajara.

Click on the tabs below to learn about each part of the process Giovann and Arln used to create their app, called WE Heroes.

BRAINSTORMING ON BIODIVERTY

We were interested in climate change and biodiversity so brainstormed how they were linked.
For example:

  • Climate change impacts the growth rate or behavior patterns of plants and animals
  • Climate change can cause big changes in species populations
    • more endangered, more invasive species
  • Overexploitation through agriculture, cities, mining
    • species loss and habitat degradation
  • Environmental pollution and invasive species
    • possible extinction of even more species
35,000 threatened species

Endangered Species app, using IUCN Redlist API to deliver user-friendly information on endangered species, and how to take action to help them.

An app to help you find the endangered species in your area (IUCN redlist) and to crowdsource actions you can take to protect that species. Ideally the app would also track actions taken and incentivize them.

naturespots logo

NatureSpots

Pros
App Features
  • Diary about your nature sightings
  • Map satellite view
  • Animals, plants and fungi
  • Map for habitats and species
Cons
Issues
  • The information about each species is very technical
  • Needs to include conservation actions
inaturalist logo

iNaturalist

Pros
App Features
  • Take or import a photo and view the top 10 most visually similar species
  • Create an account to share your observations and start a conversation about what you saw
  • Every identification is connected to the tree of life, which means you can search for broad classifications like “Ferns” or “Fungi” as well as species-level identifications like “Humpback Whale” (and everything in between)
Cons
Issues
  • Just for locating species
  • Needs to improve the classification engine in the explore section

Click on each button to learn the pros and cons of each competitor.

WE Heroes signin page
Signin Screen
User can register and log in with their personal account.
WE Heroes home screen
Home Screen
Access a home screen where users will find the most recent news from IUCN and its partner organizations. The user can also use a translation function to read the news in different languages.
Map Screen
Map Screen
The users will have access to an interactive map which allows them to learn more about the statistics of endangered species by region and globally. Also, using the location sensor, the users will get to know some of the endangered species in their country.
Map Screen
Map Screen
The users will have access to an interactive map which allows them to learn more about the statistics of endangered species by region and globally. Also, using the location sensor, the users will get to know some of the endangered species in their country.

Listen to Arlen and Giovanna talk about different aspects of their project.
Click on each question to hear what they have to say.

WE Heroes logoWE Heroes is now available on the Google Play Store. Click through the steps below to learn the steps to publish your app.

Listen to Arlen and Giovanna talk about the process of publishing to the Play Store.

Make sure that everything works as you expect to on the App Inventor emulator and on the Screen1, set the Version Code and Version Name, so you can build the Android Bundle. Use numbers starting with one, so you can keep track of the different versions, each time you update your app (these settings are at the bottom of the properties section when you select the Screen1).

app inventor version control panel

Try your app on different devices to test either the design or the functioning.

Build a privacy policy for your app. There are already some generators such as Termly.

Build a quick website for your app. Builders such as Wix, Google Sites, Weebly or Caard may be helpful.

WE Heroes Website

Design the promotional layout and screens (at least 4), download your 500×500 px logo.

In MIT App Inventor, download the aab – Android Bundle (with a different version code and name if you’re getting different tests – internal and open).

Upload all this documentation to the Google Play Console.

Arlen and Giovanna show you how to use APIs to display current external website data in your app.

Click the button to see their tutorial and other power solutions for climate issues. 

Go to tutorials

WE Heroes Final Pitch

OTHER SOLUTIONS

Here are a few more solutions to spark ideas for you for SDG 13. Click each tab to see some possible features and what coding components you could use to build a similar app.

GREEN COMMUTER

Click on each image below to see a possible feature and how you might implement it.

stack of books
Learn about alternate ways of commuting and general transportation.
Use Images, Videos and Labels to display information to users
bike icon
Crowdsource commuter biking routes.
You can use the Maps, Location Sensor and cloud storage components to allow users to store a route and share it with other app users.
network-5508173_640
Social interaction with green commuters, sharing videos of their commute.
You can use the VideoPlayer component to play and a cloud database to store the videos that users post.
winner's podium
Earn points for reducing emissions through alternate transportation.
You can use Lists and cloud storage to track how many points each app user has. A ListView or Data Viewer List can be used to display top scorers.

TAKE ACTION APP

Click on each image below to see a possible feature and how you might implement it.

tips in speech bubbles
Tips for successful organizing and protesting.
Text Labels, Images, and Videos can be used to convey the information.
foot-159287_640
Users post what they are doing to reduce their carbon footprint.
You can use cloud storage to keep track of information and Videos to play what users post about what actions they are taking.
gmap
Map of local organizations working on climate change.
You can use Maps, Location Sensor, and a cloud database of organizations and gatherings.
bell-jar-1096280_640
Schedule and notifications of climate action gatherings by location.
You can use cloud storage to store the information and Location Sensorto detect where the user is located. Then use Clocks, Alerts, and Notifiers to let users know the correct times of gatherings.

POLLUTION TRACKER APP

Click on each image below to see a possible feature and how you might implement it.

gmap
Shows maps with markers showing locations with noted levels of pollution .
You could use the Map component and Location Sensor to display map and markers for the user.
camera illustration
Allow users to post pictures of areas in their community that are polluted.
Users could take pictures with the Camera component. Then use cloud storage to store the information posted, then display the information using a Map and Markers.
bluetooth-icon-sq
Use air quality sensors and bluetooth to send updated pollution information to the app.
You can use a low-cost air quality sensor with Bluetooth capability that sends the information through bluetooth to a server or connects directly to the phone. The information can be stored using a cloud database, then reported using Labels and/or Map components.
letter writing
Encourage users to notify local government and non-government organizations about pollution.
You can use Labels and Images to encourage, but also have a database of government and non-government contacts related to the environment based on location. Use the database to display relevant information for users.

ALUMNAE ADVICE

Some final advice from Arlen and Giovanna on your Technovation project.

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