EcoTrekkers
Making waste collection a gamified civic act.
The Problem
Cities struggle to motivate citizens to dispose of waste responsibly. Traditional recycling programs lack engagement, and there is no easy way to track or reward individual environmental action. Data for ESG (environmental, social, governance) reporting is often unreliable or missing.
What They Built
EcoTrekkers is a mobile-first platform that turns waste collection into a game. Citizens scan a QR code at a physical checkpoint, photograph and weigh their waste, and the browser runs an AI model to classify it. Each submission is verified by a human before points are awarded, and those points can be redeemed for real rewards. Admins manage checkpoints and export ESG-grade data. The system is built on a secure, three-tier architecture: a Next.js frontend (with in-browser AI and QR scanning), a Node.js Express API enforcing business rules, and a Supabase-managed PostgreSQL database with row-level security. Every user action is double-checked at both the API and database layers for maximum integrity.
Impact
EcoTrekkers delivered a working demo that let users earn points for real-world environmental action, with robust anti-fraud controls and a full admin dashboard. The project showcased how gamification, AI, and strong security can drive civic engagement and generate reliable ESG data for organizations.