Overview
Transportation is one of the largest contributors to personal carbon emissions, yet most consumers don’t think about their environmental impact when fueling their vehicles. ZeroMe was developed to bridge this gap by seamlessly linking gas purchases to verified carbon offset projects. The app transforms everyday routines into meaningful climate action, empowering users to neutralize their emissions while fostering a personal connection to environmental progress.
Market Validation Survey Plan – To temperature check our initial assumptions.
Survey Data Analysis + Cross Tabulation
Challenge
Despite the potential of carbon credits to support impactful environmental projects, their adoption remains low due to three key barriers. Consumers often question the legitimacy of carbon credits, lack awareness of their existence, and feel disconnected from the tangible impact of purchasing offsets. These challenges create a sense of skepticism and prevent wider participation in carbon offsetting initiatives.
Skepticism about legitimacy
Many consumers question whether carbon credits genuinely make a difference, doubting the transparency, certification, and real-world impact of offset projects.
Lack of awareness
Carbon credits remain a niche concept, with many consumers unaware they exist or how they contribute to combating climate change.
Disconnect from tangible impact
Purchasing offsets often feels abstract—consumers struggle to connect their actions with visible, meaningful outcomes, unlike hands-on sustainability practices like recycling or composting.
User Interview Script
Interview Synthesis + Affinity Mapping
Approach
Through a series of competitive analysis, surveys, testing with low fidelity prototypes, and interviews, the team determined that ZeroMe needed to focus on building trust, simplifying the offset process, and creating meaningful connections to the impact of users’ contributions.
The goal is to generate initial interest and adoption as well as continued engagement and user retention. This calls for an experience that stimulates both short- and long-term feedback loops.
We didn't just want to make carbon offsetting a trustworthy and seamless experience, but also one that is rewarding and informative enough to create a shift in attitude and behavior.
The goal is to generate initial interest and adoption as well as continued engagement and user retention. This calls for an experience that stimulates both short- and long-term feedback loops.
We didn't just want to make carbon offsetting a trustworthy and seamless experience, but also one that is rewarding and informative enough to create a shift in attitude and behavior.
Automation
Users securely link their credit cards through Plaid, allowing the app to identify gas purchases and calculate emissions. This automates the purchase of carbon credits without disrupting user routines.
Transparency
Detailed project pages showcase the tangible outcomes of offsets, such as “tree-years offset,” translating abstract metrics into relatable terms.
Celebratory Milestones
Notifications highlight achievements like offsetting a full month’s emissions, reinforcing positive behaviors.
User Personas
Outcome
ZeroMe creates an engaging and user-friendly solution that empowers individuals to take meaningful climate action. The app’s ability to simplify carbon offsetting while providing transparency and impact visualization resonates with both users and stakeholders.
Beta Launch Success
Over 100 users signed up for the beta program after the Climatebase Fellowship presentation.
User Empowerment
Transparent project details and progress trackers fosters trust and motivates users to take continued action.
Broader Vision
The app’s framework establishes a foundation for scaling, with plans to introduce community features and expand the portfolio of offset projects.
Hifi UI Screens – Beta Version
Reflection
This journey highlighted the importance of turning abstract climate action into a personal and rewarding experience. By addressing user skepticism, simplifying the process, and celebrating contributions, the app bridged the gap between individual actions and collective impact.
Building Trust
Transparency and user education proved critical in fostering engagement and overcoming skepticism.
Iterative Design
Continuous user feedback refined the app’s features and ensured alignment with user needs.
Future Potential
The research done towards this specific user experience with offsetting gas emissions can be adapted to other future use cases in climate action.
This sets up our team to create a broader movement for accessible and impactful climate action, encouraging both individual participation and systemic change.
This sets up our team to create a broader movement for accessible and impactful climate action, encouraging both individual participation and systemic change.