Espanola teen creates climate change awareness app
Punya Pandey of Espanola says an article on climate change inspired him to create an app to raise awareness about the issue.
The app is called Vesa Terra, a free, no-data collection app that aims to raise awareness. The app allows users to see their eco-footprint, compare what other nation's footprints are and to see how long it would take to double pre-industrial CO2 levels depending on world emissions.
“I read that we only had 11-12 years before we can actually make a change and knowing that the last ice age was only about five degrees colder than this ice age and that we are going to warm upwards of 4.5 degrees Celsius by 2100, so that was really sort of a wakeup call,” said Pandey, who is 15.
“Climate change data isn’t that accessible at this time, right, so for those emission factors, it wasn’t really readily available on the Internet. So at least it's going to provide access to this data in short summary version so that people know what they’re dealing with.”
He said the app cost roughly $2,000 to develop and was funded by his parents. The app’s questionnaire is about 10 questions and takes roughly 15 minutes to complete.
Pandey started coding at age seven and was taught by his mother, who has a background as a software engineer. Although she no longer works in the field, she said she is so happy to see her son using the skills she passed along to him.
“Seeing him doing it and making it real, it's really fascinating for me,” said Shyamala Pandey.
"It's really good so I enjoy it and I’m proud of him. It's good he’s doing something with it that kind of makes a difference in people's lives."
The family moved to Espanola three years ago and Pandey just completed Grade 10 at Espanola High School. He created the app on his own in his spare time.
“It took me about five to six months to make the app," he said.
"So I used to come home from school finishing my extracurriculars, homework, stuff like that, (then) go up and work on the computer for about four to five hours, maybe more.”
He's unsure of what he wants to do for a career path but said he would like to create more apps in the future.
The app is available now in both English and French. It can be downloaded on both Android and Apple devices.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels will take the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
NEW Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
RateMDs violates privacy of health professionals, class-action lawsuit claims
A lawsuit against RateMDs has been given the go-ahead by a B.C. Supreme Court judge who found the claim that the website violates the privacy rights of medical professionals is not 'bound to fail.'
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.