GDSC Solution Challenge 2024

Tech Stack:

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed:

Problem Statement:

In today's fast-paced world, where urbanization is on the rise and green spaces are diminishing, there is a growing need for accessible platforms that promote sustainable practices, community engagement, and healthy lifestyles. Lack of access to fresh, nutritious food and limited opportunities for outdoor activities contribute to various societal challenges, including food insecurity, poor physical and mental health, and environmental degradation.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of self-sufficiency and community resilience, driving a renewed interest in activities like gardening as a means of sustainable living and fostering connections within communities.

Introducing GreenThumb:

GreenThumb is a community gardening application aimed at empowering individuals and communities to cultivate green spaces, grow their own food, and connect with like-minded enthusiasts. By providing a comprehensive suite of features and resources, GreenThumb addresses the following challenges and opportunities:

Challenges:

1. Limited Access to Fresh, Nutritious Food Many urban areas lack access to fresh, locally-grown produce, leading to reliance on processed and imported foods with lower nutritional value. GreenThumb aims to address this challenge by promoting local food production through community gardening initiatives, enabling users to grow their own fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

2. Social Isolation and Decline in Community Engagement: Busy lifestyles and digital distractions contribute to social isolation and a decline in face-to-face interactions within communities. GreenThumb provides a platform for users to connect with others who share their passion for gardening, fostering meaningful relationships and collaborative projects.

3. Limited Green Spaces and Environmental Degradation: Rapid urbanization and land development lead to the loss of green spaces and biodiversity, contributing to environmental degradation and climate change. GreenThumb encourages the creation of green spaces within urban areas, promoting sustainable land use practices and biodiversity conservation.

Opportunities:

1. Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles: GreenThumb promotes sustainable living by encouraging users to grow their own food using eco-friendly gardening practices, reducing reliance on resource-intensive agricultural methods and minimizing carbon footprint.

2. Enhancing Physical and Mental Well-Being: Gardening is known to have numerous physical and mental health benefits, including stress reduction, increased physical activity, and improved mood. GreenThumb provides users with opportunities for outdoor activities, connecting with nature, and practicing mindfulness through gardening activities.

3. Fostering Community Resilience: Community gardening initiatives promote social cohesion, resilience, and self-sufficiency, especially in times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. GreenThumb facilitates community-building activities, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among users, strengthening community bonds and resilience.

GreenThumb Features:

1. User Registration and Profiles: Allow users to create accounts and profiles, providing basic information such as name, email, location, and gardening preferences. Garden Creation and Management: Enable users to create virtual gardens within the app, plan and organize gardening activities, and manage tasks such as planting, watering, and harvesting.

2. Community Interaction: Facilitate communication and collaboration among users through discussion forums, chat rooms, and gardening groups based on location or interests. Knowledge Sharing: Provide a repository of gardening resources, including articles, tutorials, videos, and user-generated content such as gardening tips and success stories.

3. Events and Workshops: List local gardening events, workshops, and community initiatives, allowing users to RSVP, add events to their calendars, and receive event reminders.

4. Community Gardens Map: Display a map showing the locations of community gardens, public green spaces, nurseries, and gardening resources, allowing users to contribute updates and reviews.

GreenThumb aims to contribute to the achievement of these SDGs by promoting sustainable food systems, enhancing community well-being, and fostering partnerships for sustainable development.

Youtube

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Key Features:

    1. Homepage: Initial landing page providing an overview of the platform.
    2. Plant Tracking: Users can add plants and track activities like watering and maturing.
    3. AI Integration (Future Plan): Planned incorporation of AI to provide recommendations based on uploaded plant images.
    4. Community Gardens: Option to register large gardens as community gardens for volunteer assistance, with Google Maps integration.
    5. Feed: Social media-like feature for users to share daily updates on gardening activities.
    6. Challenges: Various gardening challenges like the 30-day watering challenge, seeding starter challenge, etc.
    7. Resources: A tab featuring gardening tutorials, blogs, and news sourced from the News API.
    8. Gamification: Leaderboards, badges, certificates, and streaks to engage users and encourage activity.
    9. Marketplace: Platform for users to purchase gardening materials such as shovels, seeds, and plants
    10.Firebase Database: Utilized for storing user information in profiles.
    11. Authentication: Implemented using the Auth0 API.
    

Technologies Used:

React JS: Frontend development.
Firebase: Database management.
Tailwind CSS: Styling and UI design.
Git/GitHub: Version control and collaboration.
Vercel: Deployment platform.
News API: Integration for displaying gardening-related news.
Auth0 API: User authentication and authorization.