Have some questions about the challenge? Read on...
What is EcoGo?
EcoGo is a free to join rewards programme for staff and students at the University of Sussex, designed to help you get around more sustainably and help tackle the climate crisis. It rewards sustainable travel for commuting and leisure trips from and to campus, and encourages regular walking, running, wheeling and cycling activity for health and wellbeing. The programme will run from 27th September 2021 to 27th May 2023, with points earned and prizes awarded during term time.
How has EcoGo been funded?
EcoGo is funded by the University of Sussex.
Why should I take part?
BetterPoints is an award-winning app that encourages people to get active by walking, running, wheeling and cycling more, or take the bus or train instead of the car. Taking part in this programme will allow you to earn rewards for travelling in more sustainable and environmentally friendly ways. You can support on campus traders and University charity partners with the BetterPoints you earn. The secure and anonymised data your participation provides will also help Sussex to improve provision for active and sustainable transport, helping to make the university a better, safer and healthier campus for you to travel around.
How can I get involved?
Check out the Sign up to EcoGo page, or in a nutshell:
Download the free BetterPoints app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Register on the app using your University of Sussex email address. You must use this email to be eligible.
- Join the EcoGo challenge.
- To manually record a journey, tap the Play button at the start of your journey. Don’t forget to press stop when you’re finished.
- Or, to track your activities automatically, switch the automatic tracking function on - the app will then pick up when you’re on the move. You'll be asked to confirm these later in the day.
- Check your points balance and help your favourite cause via the Donations tab, or treat yourself via the Rewards tab.
How can I earn points or win a prize?
You can earn points and win lots of fantastic prizes for choosing to travel actively and sustainably during term time. Check out all the rewards here.
What is the difference between BetterTickets and BetterPoints?
BetterPoints can be earned by tracking your walking, running, wheeling and cycling activities - over time they add up. Your points balance appears in the menu on the left of the app. Once you’ve collected enough points you can redeem them against vouchers in the catalogue on the app or donate them to charity.
BetterTickets are prize draw entries earned for doing a specific activity. The tickets you earn automatically enter you into our weekly or monthly prize draws. The more tickets you earn, the more chance you have of winning. Prizes can include pots of BetterPoints and specific things such as bike helmets.
What can I spend my points on?
You can spend your points on campus on great local offers or high street vouchers. Alternatively, you can donate your points to local good causes, including Sussex's charity partner of the year Surfers Against Sewage or national charities.
Can I take part if I am in a wheelchair or mobility scooter, and if so, how do I record my journeys?
Yes! All kinds of wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be tracked as 'wheeling' in our app. You download the app as per the instructions above. If you select automatic tracking, your app will automatically track your journey. Due to the motion sensors inbuilt in your device, and our algorithms in the app, it may assume you are cycling, rather than wheeling or using a mobility scooter. In your timeline, after completing your journey you will be able to amend this to wheeling and your journey will be updated. You will be awarded the same amount of points/tickets as walking, running or cycling journeys.
Is the app and website accessible?
The EcoGo mobile app and website have been developed by BetterPoints. As EcoGo is an application which contains third party content this means that some aspects of the website and application accessibility are outside of the University of Sussex’s control.
EcoGo is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, improvements are needed including improving colour contrast and some navigational issues. The University of Sussex is committed to making the EcoGo website and mobile app fully accessible and are actively working to address these issues. The University is working with BetterPoints to improve accessibility in the new version of their app, which is currently in development.
If you have any trouble using or accessing parts of EcoGo, please contact us here: web-accessibility@
The University of Sussex’s full accessibility statement can be found here.
Do you have any more questions?
If you have any other questions in advance of signing up to the programme that are not covered on this page, then please contact [email protected].
If you are already a BetterPoints EcoGo app user and have any questions not covered on this page, then please check out the FAQs in the app. These can be found in the ‘Help’ section in the main menu.