A Gamified Platform to Encourage Sustainable Behaviours

Abstract. The production, use, and disposal of goods and services require the use of natural resources, resulting in waste and environmental pollution. A growing number of people are embracing more sustainable lifestyles in alignment with the 3Rs (Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling) to counter these effects, but many remain uninformed of their options, or lack the motivation to adopt these practices. The work described in this paper addresses these issues through the development of the Sustainable App, a mobile application incorporating techniques of persuasion and gamification which offers its users eco-friendly alternatives to several types of daily activities, made available via an interactive map. The app employs diverse strategies to improve engagement, including a pet-nurturing game-like feature that responds to user actions related to sustainable transport choices, sustainable retail, and recycling. Additionally, the complete platform associated with the app also delivers Just-In-Time (JIT) messages concerning nearby sustainable choices based on location and time. Upon evaluation of the platform, positive user experience and overall good feedback were noted. Experts also weighed in on the application’s evaluation, offering valuable insights to refine future iterations.