Project Title: EcoBuddy – A Carbon Footprint Tracker App by a 12-Year-Old
Student Name: Mahatva Jain
School: St. Christopher’s School, Year 7, Bahrain
Abstract
EcoBuddy is a student-built mobile app created to help individuals measure and reduce their carbon footprint. The project was first developed using Thunkable and presented at the STEMX Bahrain competition, where it won First Prize and the Special Jury Award. Motivated by the recognition, I decided to publish the app on the Google Play Store and make it available for global download. I began researching how to publish an app on Google Play, studied the multi-step process, and successfully navigated through development, testing, rejection, and approval. This article documents that journey and the lessons I learned along the way.
Introduction
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time, and yet many people do not realize how their daily habits impact the environment. I wanted to change that by building a simple tool to calculate personal carbon footprints. The idea was to make something educational, helpful, and easy to use, especially for young people and families. My goal was not just to spread awareness but to also provide practical steps for improvement.
Research & Background
The idea of EcoBuddy started with the STEMX Bahrain competition, where I built the first
version of the app on Thunkable. I was honored with the First Prize and Special Jury Award,
which gave me the confidence and motivation to take the project further. After the competition, I started researching how apps are published on the Google Play Store. I learned about developer accounts, app bundles, policy compliance, closed testing, feedback cycles, and the review process.
Alongside technical research, I also studied the factors that contribute to carbon emissions,
especially from personal travel, dietary choices, and screen time. I looked at other apps but
found them either too complex or focused on companies. I wanted EcoBuddy to be easy,
friendly, and helpful for everyday people.
Methodology
I began by planning the app’s logic on how users would enter data and how results would b
shown. I used Thunkable, a no-code platform, that lets users create Android apps with
drag-and-drop blocks, which was perfect for a beginner like me.
I designed the EcoBuddy logo using Adobe Express and finalized the name through a family
voting session. I wanted something that felt warm and positive, like a buddy, who helps you care for the planet.
When the app was ready, I ran closed testing with family and friends. I asked them for
suggestions and improved the app’s design and features. Next came the challenge of publishing it. Since I’m under 18, I used my mother’s Google Developer account. I followed the instructions to upload the app bundle and submit it to Google Play. But my app was rejected twice. At first, I was disheartened, but I used the rejection messages to learn what went wrong. I researched solutions, watched tutorials, and finally reached out to professional testers for help. They gave feedback that helped me improve the app’s performance and meet Google’s policy and testing requirements. I resubmitted the updated app after completing the Closed testing and publishing requirements, and after detailed review, Google approved EcoBuddy for global release. It was a big moment for me and my family. My school motivated me equally and recognized my efforts immensely.
Project Results
Deliverables:
● A fully functional Android app, EcoBuddy, now live on the Google Play Store
● Tracks daily emissions from travel, food, and gadget use
● Offers tips to reduce carbon footprint
● Calculates how many trees are needed to offset emissions
Analysis:
People who used EcoBuddy found it easy to use and helpful. Many said they hadn’t realized
how their habits added up, and they liked how the app gave clear advice and showed the
number of trees needed to make up for excess emissions. Younger users especially liked the clean and colorful design.
Conclusion
Creating and publishing EcoBuddy has been an amazing journey. It taught me about climate science, app design, feedback, and perseverance. Even though the app got rejected at first, I didn’t give up. I kept learning, asked for help when needed, and kept improving the app until it was accepted.
Apart from STEMX, my school also encouraged me a lot. I was invited to present EcoBuddy at the Future Learning Summit, and later I won second prize at the Science Fair for another project called ScienceGPT. Most recently, I was given the “Young Innovator Award” by my school, which made me feel really proud.
This experience has made me more curious about technology and sustainability. I want to keep learning and building, and I hope more students will feel inspired to create tools that help the world.
EcoBuddy – Apps on Google Play
About the author
Mahatva Jain is a 12-year-old student currently studying in Year 7 at St. Christopher’s School in Bahrain, recognized for his innovative mindset, academic excellence and commitment to using technology for positive change. He is the creator of EcoBuddy, a carbon footprint tracking app built using Thunkable and successfully published on the Google Play Store after navigating a rigorous approval process. The app has earned him multiple recognitions, including the First Prize and Special Jury Award at the STEMX Bahrain Innovation Challenge, and led to his invitation to represent Bahrain at the STEMX Global Summit 2025 in Dubai.
Beyond EcoBuddy, Mahatva also developed ScienceGPT, an AI chatbot for science learning, which won second prize at his school’s Science Fair. A well-rounded achiever, Mahatva has held leadership roles such as Digital Leader, Eco Leader, and House Captain, and is a two-time member of the Accelerated Reader Millionaire Club. His academic accomplishments span multiple areas, with distinctions in Music (Trinity College Keyboard Grade 4 and Grade 5 candidate), French (successfully cleared DELF A1), Mathematics (Junior Math Challenge Gold and Junior Olympiads), Public Speaking, Winner of Charity Debates in school and Performing Arts.
Outside the classroom, he is active in football, badminton, FIDE-rated chess tournaments, and music competitions, and contributes regularly to his school’s community initiatives and educational YouTube content. He was also selected to pursue a Leadership Development program under Harvard Manage Mentor, awarded to top-performing students globally, as part of his coding journey.
Mahatva is known for his curiosity, creativity, and perseverance. He continues to explore new technologies with a vision to build solutions that serve people and the planet.
