Trashback Waste Segregation App Design

Trashback started as a simple idea. People in India want to segregate their garbage properly but the system just does not back them up. Even if you separate at home, the garbage guy often mixes it all anyway. This app’s goal was to fix that gap by rewarding people for doing the right thing and making sure their segregated trash actually stays separate through pickup and disposal.

The main challenge was breaking the cycle of mistrust. People cared about segregating their garbage but didn’t believe the system would respect their efforts. The existing services mixed all waste anyway, making segregation feel pointless. Designing a solution that rebuilt trust while keeping the process simple and motivating was the core hurdle.

I dug into why people feel stuck despite caring about waste segregation. Talked to a few, looked at what’s missing in the current system, and found trust was the big issue. Nobody believes their effort matters. So I designed user flows that made the process simple and gave clear, easy ways to track progress and rewards. Wireframing and tweaking kept it focused on making this a hassle-free habit, not another app you ignore.

Trust was the killer. No trust, no change. People needed proof their effort counted. Rewards only worked if they felt real and easy to understand. And honestly, if the app made the process complicated, no one would stick around. So keeping it simple was everything. It is about making the boring chore feel worth it and doable.

The app mixes motivation and real-world action. You get points for segregating properly which feels good because it is actually tracked by the pickup service. As a reward, users earn plants they can have delivered to their home or choose to have planted somewhere by the service, adding a real, living connection to their effort. The design is clean and simple, no clutter, just what you need to stay on track. This way, users do not just hope their garbage stays separate, they see it happening and get rewarded for it.

Trashback was a project that showed me how design can actually make small habits stick. The idea of giving plants as rewards added a simple but meaningful touch, it made the whole thing feel less like a chore and more like a chance to do something good. Even though it’s just a prototype, it helped me sharpen how I think about making apps that connect with people on a real & more personal level.

People need to believe in it or they won’t bother.

If it’s complicated, they won’t use it.

Turning trash into a reward, even a small one, makes a difference.