One. One Action At A Time.

The Problem

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, yet individual action often feels insignificant in the face of such a massive challenge. Many people want to contribute but don’t know where to start, lack motivation, or feel that their efforts won’t make a difference. Furthermore, community engagement in eco-friendly activities is often uncoordinated and lacks a platform to encourage collective participation.

Existing solutions focus heavily on large-scale policy changes, corporate sustainability, or broad awareness campaigns, leaving a gap in accessible, actionable, and community-driven initiatives. People need a way to engage with climate action in a tangible, fun, and rewarding way—one that integrates seamlessly into their daily lives.

Inspiration

Living in one of the hottest cities in the world, Mexicali, Baja California, we have experienced firsthand the consequences of climate change. As university students, specifically in engineering, we felt the need to take action for our city.

One thing was clear to us: the willingness to help is there. Many people want to contribute to the fight against climate change, but there is a challenge—how can someone make a meaningful impact without being a scientist, engineer, or expert in the field?

Our Solution

That’s why we created ONE: One Action at a Time. ONE is an app designed to help individuals take small daily actions that, collectively, make a significant difference for our planet.

Every day, our app assigns users an eco-friendly task—such as picking up trash in a park or using public transportation. Users must then share proof of their completed task within our social network. Each task expires in 24 hours, and by consistently completing them, users build streaks and earn points, making environmental action fun and rewarding. These points can be redeemed for discounts at partner stores and organizations.

Key Features

Daily Challenges: Every user receives a daily eco-friendly task that promotes sustainability and community engagement.

Social Media Integration: Users can document and share their completed tasks, inspiring others to take action.

Community-Based Events: Groups can organize local environmental clean-ups and events directly through the platform.

Gamification: Users earn points, badges, and rewards for completing tasks and participating in community efforts.

Impact Tracking: Users can track their contributions over time, fostering a sense of accomplishment and collective impact.

How we built it

We developed ONE using React Native with TypeScript, allowing it to function as both a web application and a mobile app. Additionally, we utilized AWS Amplify for backend services, leveraging DynamoDB for database management and S3 for storing user-generated content such as images and videos. AWS Amplify also hosts the web version of our app.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges we faced was coming up with an idea that could be realistically implemented in the short term—because, unfortunately, action is needed NOW.

We were deeply inspired by the quote "DO ONE ACT AT A TIME TO HELP THE EARTH" from The OATHE Project. In honor of this, we named our app ONE.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are incredibly proud of our teamwork and dedication, but most importantly, of what we learned throughout this process. Before this hackathon, there were many topics we knew little about. Thanks to the event organizers, their constant communication, and the workshops, we have gained valuable knowledge and motivation to continue taking action for the planet beyond this project.

Why It Matters

By combining social engagement with environmental responsibility, our app fosters a culture of everyday action. It turns small individual efforts into a powerful collective movement, reinforcing the idea that change begins with simple, consistent actions.

What we learned

This experience has been eye-opening. We learned not only about app development and implementation but also about environmental challenges and the power of collective action. The hackathon has given us a new perspective on how technology can drive positive change.

What's next for One: One Action at a Time

The next step for ONE is to implement and promote our app. Our initial focus will be our community at CETYS Universidad, encouraging students and faculty to download the app and start taking small daily actions.

Beyond that, we aim to expand and tailor tasks to specific regions, addressing their most pressing environmental issues, such as environmental injustice. We plan to implement community-based events, introduce additional gamification features, and partner with local businesses to offer rewards and discounts based on accumulated points, further incentivizing participation.

Our vision is to make ONE a widely used platform across Mexicali and collaborate with eco-friendly businesses interested in joining our mission.

Conclusion

Climate change requires both systemic solutions and grassroots efforts. Our app bridges this gap by empowering individuals with actionable steps, fostering community collaboration, and making sustainability a shared, enjoyable experience. Through this initiative, we aim to turn intention into action—one small step at a time.

A huge thank you to The OATHE Project and Your Impact Challenge for organizing this event and providing us with such an enriching learning experience.