The Community of Guardians (CoGs) is a not-for-profit platform that transforms science into measurable sustainability action. Citizens, scientists, and organizations collaborate through science-backed challenges that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We’re now seeking a student team to help us design a foundational blockchain solution for the CoGs Points System — a tokenized model that verifies and records sustainability actions completed by users and organizations.

Your work will help establish the technical framework that brings transparency, trust, and data integrity to our global impact-tracking ecosystem.

Skills Required:

• Blockchain fundamentals (Ethereum, Polygon, or similar)
• Smart contract development
• Cryptography and data integrity
• Database and API integration
• UI/UX for blockchain interaction (optional but valuable)

Activities:

• Design a blockchain ledger to record and verify sustainability actions (e.g., tree planted, waste reduced, energy saved).
• Implement smart contracts to issue and transfer CoGs Points based on verified actions.
• Use cryptographic methods to ensure transaction authenticity and transparency.
• Develop a simple user dashboard where participants can view earned CoGs Points and organizational contributions.
• Document your process with clear technical notes for future development and scaling.

Expected Outcomes:

• A functional blockchain prototype demonstrating the issuance and transfer of CoGs Points.
• Smart contract code for recording validated sustainability actions.
• A simple, user-friendly dashboard (web-based) showing token balances and actions.
• Recommendations for scaling the blockchain to support full platform integration.

Impact:

Your work will help pioneer a new model of sustainability data verification, turning community actions into trusted, measurable impact that governments, corporations, and funders can see and value.

Together, we’ll prove that science + technology + community can create a more transparent and sustainable world. 

By the end of this project, students will have designed and demonstrated a working blockchain prototype that powers the CoGs Points System — a digital token framework used to record and reward verified sustainability actions.

Key Deliverables:

Blockchain Ledger Prototype

 • A functioning decentralized ledger that records sustainability actions (e.g., completing verified SDG challenges).

• Demonstrates transparency, traceability, and immutability of impact data.

Smart Contracts

 • Scripts that issue, transfer, and validate CoGs Points between participants (citizens, organizations, and partners).

 • Clear documentation explaining contract logic and triggers.

Data Security Layer

• Use of cryptography to protect transaction integrity and participant data.

 • Explanation of how the design ensures security and privacy compliance.

User Dashboard (Web Interface)

• A simple, intuitive interface for users to view CoGs Point balances, completed actions, and organizational impact.

 • Demonstrates real-time updates from the blockchain ledger.

Technical Documentation & Recommendations

• Full documentation of design, architecture, and code structure.

 • Recommendations for scaling, integrating with the CoGs platform, and future tokenomics development.

Overall Outcome:

A proof-of-concept blockchain system that validates sustainability actions and quantifies collective impact — laying the foundation for the Community of Guardians’ next-generation sustainability verification model.