Eco Living Apps

Assistant Professor Sharon Hsiao recognizes that many consumers are looking to change their habits to protect the environment, but struggle to find tools that help them to remain consistent. To help with this, she has created MyEcoPal, a new mobile app that helps streamline sustainable living for busy consmers. MyEcoPal analyzes energy consmption and recommends sustainable alternatives, helping consumers make micro changes that are rooted in eco-friendly living. Hsiao has also backed up her research with five behavioral studies that analyze how AI can personalized sustainability education, helping with wider adoption. Hsiao also maintains mindfulness regarding AI usage of water and energy resources.

“We want to bridge the gap between knowing and doing sustainable actions. Our main goal is to help people do the small things,” says Hsiao, who teamed up with computer science and engineering doctoral student Qiming Sun Ph.D. ’26 to build the app. Their research laid the foundation for MyEcoPal’s instructional approach and content design.

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