01
Before arriving
Hours beforeShould feel
Anticipation — a small held asset that is worth carrying.
Must never feel
Guilt. Obligation. The feeling of doing homework.
If the bottle feels like rubbish, it is discarded. If it feels like unspent value, it is carried.
- —The app shows a pending balance for material still at home, so value exists before the trip.
- —Push notifications reference reward, never waste: 'LKR 240 waiting' not 'Recycle today'.
- —A live map shows the nearest station's status so the trip never feels like a gamble.
02
Approaching the station
30 seconds beforeShould feel
Recognition and ease — this thing is for me, and it is working.
Must never feel
Uncertainty about whether it is on, full, or for someone else.
Approach anxiety is the highest drop-off point in every physical interface. It must be resolved from ten metres away.
- —A slow ambient breathing light readable in daylight signals live and ready.
- —The screen shows one instruction only, at a distance-legible size.
- —A visible queue-free zone; nothing about the station suggests a form or a wait.
03
Scanning
2 secondsShould feel
Instant recognition — the network knows exactly who I am.
Must never feel
Login friction. Typing. Doubt that it registered.
Identity confirmation is the emotional handshake. Delay here converts a habit into a chore.
- —QR scan resolves under one second, with the user's first name and streak on screen.
- —One confident chime — never an error-adjacent beep.
- —No account needed to start; identity can be claimed after the first return.
04
Returning
The physical actShould feel
Satisfaction — a clean, mechanical, slightly addictive act.
Must never feel
Hesitation about whether the item is accepted.
The deposit is the core physical loop. It must feel as good as posting a letter or racking a weight.
- —Acceptance confirmed before release: the item is validated as it enters, not after.
- —Deliberate mechanical feedback — sound and motion tuned, not incidental.
- —Rejections are explained visually in under two seconds, and never blame the user.
05
Watching progress
3–6 secondsShould feel
Momentum — value visibly accumulating in real time.
Must never feel
A blank spinner. Dead time. A silent gap.
The verification window is where the reward is emotionally earned. Empty time here erases the whole act.
- —A counter that climbs with each verified item rather than resolving at the end.
- —Progress toward the next tier, streak or league position shown live.
- —Every second of processing shows something moving; nothing waits in silence.
06
Receiving reward
Under 1 second afterShould feel
Certainty — the value is mine, now, without conditions.
Must never feel
Ambiguity about when, how much, or whether it clears.
Delayed or conditional rewards break the causal link between action and payoff, which is what forms the habit.
- —Settlement is instant and irreversible; the balance updates before the user looks away.
- —The exact figure is shown in local currency, not points that need translating.
- —Sponsor attribution appears as gratitude, never as an ad interrupting the moment.
07
Opening the app
Later that dayShould feel
Pride of ownership — a record of what I have actually done.
Must never feel
Feed fatigue. Marketing. The sense of being sold to.
The app is a trophy case, not a channel. Its job is to make past effort feel permanent.
- —The first screen is lifetime impact and current streak, not promotions.
- —History is complete and permanent — every action, forever, with proof.
- —Impact is stated in physical terms people can picture, not abstract tonnage.
08
Competing
WeeklyShould feel
Friendly tension — I am close enough to catch them.
Must never feel
Hopelessness at a leaderboard led by strangers.
Competition motivates only within reach. Rankings must be local, small and beatable.
- —Leagues are scoped to class, campus, workplace or neighbourhood — never global.
- —Users are placed in brackets where the leader is within realistic range.
- —Seasons reset, so no one is permanently behind and everyone gets a fresh start.
09
Winning
End of seasonShould feel
Public recognition — status that others can see.
Must never feel
A silent badge no one else witnesses.
Status is only valuable when it is observed. Private achievement does not compound socially.
- —Winners are announced on the station screens in their own area.
- —Physical or civic recognition where possible — school assemblies, city mentions.
- —Standing persists into the next season as visible history, not a reset to zero.
10
Sharing
The moment after winningShould feel
Generosity — I want people in this, not just impressed by it.
Must never feel
Feeling like an unpaid marketer for a brand.
Sharing must transfer value to the recipient, otherwise it costs the sharer social credit.
- —Invites carry a reward for the friend, not only for the sender.
- —Share cards show verified impact — a fact about the person, not a promo.
- —Teams and households can pool returns, making invitation self-interested and honest.
11
Returning tomorrow
The next dayShould feel
Pull — an open loop that is mildly uncomfortable to leave alone.
Must never feel
Punishment, nagging or shame for a missed day.
Retention comes from unfinished progress, not from reminders. The loop should close itself.
- —Streaks have a grace day, so one miss never destroys months of effort.
- —Something is always partially complete: a tier, a league week, a team target.
- —Reminders are framed as opportunity and stop entirely if ignored twice.