The Environment Now project was run by The National Youth Agency  in collaboration with O2’s Go Think Big, running from January 2016 to December 2018. The Environment Now provided support, training and funding grants of up to £10,000 for 50 young people aged 17-24 years to create unique digital ideas to help the environment.
The Environment Now enabled 50 young entrepreneurs to develop and progress their own unique digital start-up or project, whilst talking particular environmental issues. They were supported through mentoring and training opportunities, alongside ‘Thinkspiration’ sessions allowing them to meet with other young entrepreneurs to discuss their environmental concerns.
Ravi took part in the Environment Now project and you can read his story here.
The National Youth Agency released its evaluation report for the project which you can read here, and you can also find out more about the initiatives young people built as part of the project on the NYA’s website here.
What were the projects that were developed by The Environment Now?
A Map to Breathe by Ishan Khurana (Measuring the air quality in low-income housing with poor ventilation)
Aceleron by David Dawood (Creating power banks with USB ports)
Breathing Space by Omar Durrani (Reporting on air pollution in residential areas)
AQUA by Harrison Kees (Monitoring air quality outside York’s high schools)
Auxin by Mohammed Alhadi (A phone case and app that uses renewable energy to power a phone)
Bare Technologies by Ethan Howard (Repurposing laptops for users with no computer experience)
BlakBear by Michael Kasimatis (Low cost paper based pollution senses)
Blue Tap by Thomas Stakes (Water purification at a household level)
Carbon Watch by Hana Mandova (An app to advice emission intensity of their electrical use depending on time of use)
ChargedUp by Hakeem Buge (A network of portable battery banks to borrow)
Climate Edge by James Alden (Digital weather stations for farmers in South America and Africa)
Cutting Edge Conservation by Beth Lonsdale (Using digital media to expand learning about conservation)
Enviro: Small Steps for Big Change by Robyn Bryne (reducing waste on campus by selling and exchanging)
Filamentive by Ravi Toor (Recycled 3D printer filament)
Fruutea by Joel Gujral (Users create their own fruit tea using digital technology)
Give, Sell, Hire.com by Irvin Kiari (A reusing, donating and hiring app to reduce flytipping)
Global Amphibian Biodiversity Project by Lilly Pamela Harvey
Gyre by Ola Oniyide (A marketplace app for students)
Huxlo by Matthew Mew (Production of digitally designed, locally made and community assembled buildings)
Impact Fashion by Chidubem (An app to learn how to use, repair and buy second hand clothes)
Internet of Waste by Christopher Guest (An intelligent waste management platform)
Lettus Grow by Charlie Guy (A soil free automated way of gardening)
Metronome by William Helme (A digital control system to balance the UK’s electrical power)
Long Strip Wildlife by Shaun Curtis (App to educate about local wildlife)
MATR by Matthew Rowe (The smallest, most powerful air purifier)
Omni Go by Raymond Pelekamoyo (A location-based reality game played through
an app)
One Cherry by Anton Puzorjov (An online marketplace to browse charity shops)
Operation Sawdust by Rebecca Illingworth and Aaron Vindaccai (Addressing the issue of sawdust waste in the timber industry)
OrchGard by Joshua Dean (Digital management of the YMCA Humber orchard)
Peppercorn by Sina Sadrzadeh (Online platform that links cafes with food donation charities)
Pipes Away! By Victoria Russell (Vitual reality game which immerses users into sewer pipes)
Pocket Pals By Matthew Brown and Danielle Connor (An app for people to find and learn about British wildlife)
POW by Mohammed Shah (Making ebikes cheap and hassle free)
Project Soteria by Francis James (Workshops for young people to make solar powered phone charges)
Pure Air Industries by Issac Ramonet (Developing a machine to clean cities of air pollution)
Recycled Tech by Pawan Saunya (A UK network to collect flexible plastics)
SOLAIR by Bradley Jenson (The only solar panelled wireless phone charger)
Sprout Bristol by Tom Mallet (Helping customers choose where they eat, drink and shop based on business sustainability)
TBSC by David Porteous (Innovative and engaging bike lock)
ThermoDrone by Kenneth Brooksbank (Drone technology to perform energy assessments of buildings)
The Eco Chef by Preslava Vassileva (An app to support sustainable food choices)
Twipes by Al Borzorgi and Elle McIntosh (Tackling wet wipe waste)
Utter Rubbish by Elliot Lancaster (A mobile application to track collection lorries)
Smart Plug by Natalie Bird (A product which enables people to use appliances during low demand periods)
Virtually There Studios by Emily Godden (Virtual reality content to highlight the impact of global warming, waste and deforestation)
Voyage by Daniel Woloch (Online platform to increase supply chain transparency)
Wae by Daniel Lloyd (Intelligent food waste systems for households)
Water Purification System by Victoria Bogle (Choose the minerals in your water)
Yellow Label by Sam Patchitt (An app to prevent food waste in retail)