Optimizing resource efficiency
by digitizing receipt processes
Manan Sanghavi | mss14@illinois.edu
quit printing receipts .quit printing receipts. quit printing receipts. quit printing receipts. quit printing receipts. quit printing receipts. quit printing receipts. quit printing receipts. quit printing receipts. quit printing rethe challengeOver 300 billion receipts are printed annually in the United States. To put it into perspective, if you
had a receipt for the impact receipts had on the environment, it would look something like this:Number of trees cut for the production of thermal paper (per annum)

10
millionVolume of water consumed for the production of thermal paper (gallons perannum)

21billion

Mass of waste produced as a cause of printing and producing receipts(pounds per annum)

302
millionVolume of CO2 emissions released due to receipts (pounds per annum)% of receipts with harmful BPA or BPS, chemicals that are linked to fetal
development issues, reproductive impairment and type 2 diabetes

Total:

12billion(equivalentto that of amillion cars)

93

significant impact on the ecosystem

However, the problem is not limited to the expenditure of natural resources, but extends to thedrastic increase in consumerism, powered by impulsivity and inefficiency in purchasing decisions.

5.6

billion consumers to beexpected by 2030, 2x thenumber measured in 201711

million tons of trash produced
per day

2

number of Earths required tosupport resource consumption for
the growing population by 2030

78(and counting) billion tons ofresources extracted from Earthso far90

percent of purchased goods
trashed within the first 6
months in the United Statesan idea of the future
While enforcing brute force re-X strategies and investing in emerging technologies that support
upcycling materials, increasing the life-span of a product, or developing sustainable methods todevelop clean energy are effective top-down strategies, our rate of consumption of resources
continues to surpass the rate at which we conserve, preserve, protect resources. Tackling thisproblem involves instilling values and practices that promote conscious resource expenditure froman individual level. While materials last a finite time, tools that empower people to be conscious,
sustainable and mindful consumers are building blocks for an optimistic future.

reimagine a future where you could...

digitally store receipts,
proofs of payment, invoices
and other forms oftransactions on a virtual
wallet app on a smartphoneread data from stored receipts
to gain insights on individual
item purchases to optimize
resource consumption, manage
current inventory and suggest
future purchases

receive advisory solutions thatencourage you to make economicand environmentally conscious
purchasing decisions uponlearning consumer requirements
and habits

integrate sustainableconsumer behavior,
mindfulness andconscious expenditureof resources

how it works
Bread20%

Milk15%

5040

Eggs

3015%

Rice
10%

20Candy

105%

Pasta
10%

0Tomatoes25%

An overview of specific food items
purchased and consumed

January

February

April

MarchMayJune

A user’s consumption of eggs over timeYour Real Time Carbon Footprint Is:
200 CO2e, 10.2% reduction from
November 19th 2023

123

456

Make a transaction
via tap-to-pay
services.

A digital wallet
add-on stores
receipt items on
the app.

Transaction isrecorded underdaily expenses;
overview showsexpenditure
habits.

App provides
analytics on theconsumer trends
and suggestions on
predicted
expenditure.

AI/ML models
recommend items
to purchase basedon consumer
behavior.

User applies ecoconscious
spendingsuggestions.

implementation and feasibility
Virtual wallets, powered by near field communication (NFC), are commonly used by fast-food chains andstores as a marketing tool to drive traffic and incentivize consumers to participate in rewards
systems. Other applications include storage of airplane boarding passes to facilitate secure boarding
procedures. A one-time download app and a simple tap-to-store your receipt system not only makes
this platform accessible and user-friendly, but completely eliminates the process of printing andstoring receipts. With virtually no effort, the user is a tap away from making eco-conscious
decisions consistently and reliably.

scalability and collateral impact

Printing receipts is both traditional and archaic. More importantly, it almost never gets used for its
primary purpose: to keep account of your expenditure. Now, it’s not only important how much you
spend, but how much of what you spend on gets consumed sustainably and how much you actually need.
With more than 41% of people throwing away almost all of their paper receipts, and 70% of people withan eager acceptance for options that promote environmental sustainability, there is a strong need torevolutionize transaction keeping and resource expenditure. By downloading a single applicationthat utilizes NFC technology, you can read, store and comprehend receipts, be mindful of future
resource expenditure, save money and reduce irresponsible consumerism.
#15 Life onLand#13 - ClimateAction

Increased focus on marine andterrestrial conservation ofbiodiversity due to mindfuland conscious consumerism#3 - Good
Health andWellbeing

A FocalConsideration#12 - Responsible
Consumption andProduction#14 - Life
BelowWater#2 - Zero
HungerReduced risk ofhealth issues
caused due toBPA/BPS ink onreceipt paper

Responsible
consumerism
ensuressustainableagricultural
practiceschallenges and future directions

Mapping an increase in consumption over aninterval doesn’t necessarily imply wastageof resources. The logistical problems withassuming so leads to an incomplete andignorant portrayal of responsible orirresponsible consumerism

Ideas that shape human behavior
have to be bold, but cannot beimposing, manipulating or guiltinducing. A sense of trust andtogetherness are key to fostering acommunity of individuals who care

Records of personal expenditure areprivate, protected and sensitive
information. Paramount importance will
be placed on transparency and consent forthe storage and analysis of expenditureand transaction history

Future directions include developing a working minimal viable product with basic functionality, whilst
simulating test scenarios, evaluating the effectiveness of the application through customer discovery
Acknowledgements and Bibliography
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iOTEJp5jNRjNNclPNwi3_nKsC7iyofO6HuXAfBF1C5U/edit?usp=sharing
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