Quick post sharing a bigger project. In Jan 2025, using some of the new AI coding apps, I designed a simple app for students to estimate the environmental impacts of their AI usage.

Now in 2026, there is more data available, and the AI coding apps have become better. I rebuilt the app, using updated research (including some from my EdD), and testing out Z.AI’s full stack coding assistant. This allowed me to make a much more complex app that could be embedded. It required ReactJS and hosting with GitHub and Vercel. The GitHub repository is saved here.

I updated the website to include the new app, references and lesson ideas (with Visible Thinking routines and Our World in Data.

See the full site here: https://sites.google.com/i-biology.net/ai-footprint-estimator/home

Or jump to the app here: https://sjtylr-ai-eco-footprints-students-2.vercel.app/

Even though this used a lot of AI, it still took many hours of personal time. But… I learned a *lot* about coding, hosting, troubleshooting and managing an AI coding assistant.

The main site has my methods and an estimation of the environmental impacts of making the app.

The original post from Jan 2025 is here. https://sjtylr.net/2025/01/27/ai-footprint-estimator/