Save polar bears and boost consumer interaction with Double Impact

Environmental startup Formative Labs launched a platform to help companies raise money for charities and promote sustainable living while boosting interaction among consumers.

The platform, called Double Impact, turns the act of charity fundraising into a social game for consumers, who work to complete a cause or set of causes by earning Impact Points. Once the goal is met, companies donate money to that cause to help make it a reality.

For example, I chose the World Wildlife Fund’s cause of saving 3,626 sq.ft. of land for animals in need. And for every 10 Impact Points I earn, I save 181.3 square ft. towards my goal (as shown in the screenshot), which means I’d have to earn about 200 points to complete it.

The genius of Double Impact comes in how consumers earn those Impact Points, which can be done by completing quizzes, checking-in via Facebook while shopping at a farmers market, buying an energy-efficient light bulb on Amazon, riding a bicycle instead of using a car for a day and many other ways. The service also integrates with Facebook so consumers can see and compare participation from friends.

Charities participating in the beta program include Healthy Child, Healthy World, and Bright Pink — with donations backed by brands including GoodGuide, Earthbound Farms and Happy Family Foods. The organization is also partnering with the Discovery Channel’s TreeHugger blog to help spread the word to its community.

Founded in 2010, Formative Labs strives to create product ideas that solve problems and change consumer behaviors with regard to energy conservation. It has received angel funding from high-profile investors that include Keith Rabois, Dave McClure, Jeff Clavier, Ben Ling, and Karl Jacob.