In an era dominated by climate anxiety and ecological challenges, 24-year-old Prachi Shevgaonkar has emerged as a bold new voice in grassroots climate action. A Pune-based changemaker, Prachi is the founder of Cool The Globe, a citizen-led climate app designed to help individuals track, reduce, and offset their personal carbon emissions. What began as her own sustainability journey has snowballed into a global movement that encourages climate-conscious living—one action at a time.

From Engineering Dropout to Climate Crusader

Prachi’s unconventional journey began with a bold decision. Despite hailing from a family of IIT graduates and having secured a seat in computer engineering, she dropped out of college within a month. Her pivot was rooted in a deep personal reflection triggered by a rediscovered school essay from fourth grade, in which she had dreamt of creating meaningful societal change.

Rather than follow a conventional academic path, Prachi crafted her own curriculum. She took a year off, seeking mentorship and experience from social entrepreneurs and environmentalists across India. This hands-on learning led her to pursue a degree in media and communication—an unconventional choice that would eventually empower her to merge environmental activism with digital innovation.

The Birth of ‘Cool The Globe’

During her research and interactions with environmental experts, Prachi identified a major gap—while climate change is a global crisis, there were very few accessible tools to help individuals quantify their carbon footprint and act on it.

In response, she developed Cool The Globe, a mobile application that helps users track their daily carbon emissions from activities like commuting, electricity usage, food consumption, and more. The app provides real-time feedback, goal-setting options, and community engagement tools, transforming climate responsibility from a vague concept into a concrete personal mission.

The app’s mission is simple yet ambitious: inspire one billion people to cut down at least one tonne of carbon emissions annually. If achieved, this could eliminate one billion tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere—a goal that aligns with global climate targets.

Technology Meets Climate Action

Unlike many climate tech platforms that require significant investments or lifestyle overhauls, Cool The Globe focuses on empowering everyday citizens with small but impactful changes. It offers:

• Personal Emissions Dashboard: A daily carbon tracker with visual breakdowns of emissions.
• Custom Reduction Goals: Users can set monthly or annual carbon reduction goals.
• Community Challenges: Collective action challenges to motivate users globally.
• Sustainable Tips: Actionable insights on reducing emissions across categories.

The app’s simplicity and data-driven approach have made it popular among students, working professionals, and even policy advocates. It’s available in multiple languages and has been downloaded in over 100 countries.

Global Recognition and Institutional Backing

Prachi’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. She has received accolades from various global institutions, including the United Nations and the European Union. In 2021, Cool The Globe was among the finalists at the UN Youth Climate Summit, and she has been recognized as one of India’s most promising climate entrepreneurs.

Her initiative has also found support in India’s civic and educational ecosystem. Various universities have adopted the app as a tool for environmental awareness, and local governments have explored its potential in carbon-neutral planning.

A Movement Rooted in Empathy and Action

What sets Cool The Globe apart is its empathetic design philosophy. It doesn’t guilt-trip users or demand perfection. Instead, it fosters a sense of agency and collective empowerment. As Prachi notes, “Climate change is not just a scientific issue—it’s deeply personal. Each of us has a role, and the ability to act.”

Her leadership style is grounded in participatory activism, encouraging people to be climate solutionaries rather than passive observers. Through storytelling, tech, and behavioral nudges, she is building a bridge between policy ambitions and citizen action.

Challenges and Road Ahead

Like any impact-driven startup, Cool The Globe faces its share of hurdles. Behavior change at scale is difficult, and monetizing a mission-first climate app without compromising user trust poses challenges. However, with rising climate awareness and digital adoption, the timing seems ripe for expansion.

The next phase for Cool The Globe involves deeper partnerships with municipalities, NGOs, and corporates to integrate the platform into broader sustainability programs. Prachi is also working on expanding the app’s analytics and gamification features to make the user journey even more engaging.

Conclusion

Prachi Shevgaonkar’s journey—from rediscovering a childhood essay to leading a global climate-tech platform—embodies the transformative power of purpose and technology. In a world overwhelmed by climate inaction, her work offers a refreshing, practical, and scalable solution rooted in optimism and self-accountability.

As Cool The Globe continues to grow, Prachi’s mission reminds us that climate change isn’t someone else’s problem—it’s everyone’s. And with the right tools and mindset, even small individual steps can collectively cool the globe.