From combating food waste to encouraging reusable water bottles, eco-friendly apps are helping people change their behaviors for the better. Equipped with tools such as carbon footprint calculators and recycling guides, they empower users to reduce their environmental impact proactively.
Olio helps reduce food waste by connecting stores and restaurants with people looking for edible leftovers, as well as helping people sell secondhand clothing on its platform, further reducing demand for new textiles.
Ecosia
Android users looking to live sustainably can download Ecosia for Android in order to support sustainable living. The app plants one tree for every 50 searches performed and displays it in the top right corner of their browser; furthermore, advertising revenue funds community reforestation initiatives. Furthermore, Ecosia promotes intersectional environmentalism, acknowledging that environmental concerns affect more than one demographic or region at a time.
Ecosia’s search engine operates similarly to Google and seamlessly integrates into your browser. There is a slight learning curve to adapting to its interface; once familiarity sets in, navigation becomes simple. Additionally, you can install Ecosia as a Chrome extension to easily switch between Ecosia and your preferred search engine.
What sets this search engine apart is that 80% of advertising revenue goes toward planting trees, with the total amount listed monthly on its website, as well as partnerships across the globe to bring back deforested areas and restore biodiversity. Furthermore, Palm Oil Plantations Solutions aims to address environmental and wildlife damage caused by palm oil plantation projects that threaten biodiversity.
Given the current climate crisis and companies that engage in eco-shaming practices, this app seems like an excellent solution to contribute to solving it. If you are looking for an eco-friendly alternative to Google, however, please be aware that their profits come mostly from advertising networks, YouTube platforms, data and cloud services, as well as other sinister sources, but that does not preclude them from contributing!
While Google has significantly enhanced their reputation for privacy, they have yet to move towards carbon neutrality or reduce all their historical carbon emissions. If they took this action, they could significantly reduce their environmental footprint and gain an advantage over Ecosia. Meanwhile, Ecosia distinguishes itself with a clear mission and lack of affiliations with major tech companies accused of human rights violations or environmental crimes, making them a compelling alternative for Google users seeking to contribute to environmental sustainability.
Zero Waste
Zero-waste apps help individuals reduce the amount of disposable products they consume and use, while also raising environmental awareness through educational content. These eco-friendly apps are perfect for individuals as well as larger entities, offering adaptable functionality suitable for businesses, schools, and institutions to educate employees, students, and citizens on sustainability-related topics.
Recycling is accessible and intuitive for everyone, thanks to apps like iRecycle. Users can scan barcodes or search for specific items like batteries, printer paper, or metals to find the nearest recycling center that accepts these materials; additionally, this app provides information on the types of waste (including electronics and organic) that each location can recycle.
An increasing number of people are turning to reusables as alternatives to disposable items. Unfortunately, purchasing and using them can be expensive. To combat this issue, some app developers are providing solutions that make purchasing second-hand clothing more cost-effective; Depop, for instance, connects users looking for second-hand clothes with those selling theirs, making buying second-hand clothing affordable!
One way to help reduce environmental impact and support local communities is by turning to local food sources for sustenance. Apps like Seasonal Food Guide make it simple to locate local farms and discover which produce is in season at any given time, saving money while decreasing waste generated from shipping food long distances.
Other eco-friendly apps focus on food waste prevention. The Food Rescue app links restaurants, cafes, and shops with individuals who are willing to buy unsold food they would otherwise discard. They then package it into mysterious “Magic Bags,” which they can reserve and pick up at any time, providing an excellent alternative to discarding surplus items!
The Sustainable Development Goals app simplifies the process of monitoring all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and exploring ways to contribute to their attainment. In addition to providing detailed information for each goal, this app also features educational videos, news updates, and events to encourage you to get involved with UN global sustainability efforts.
Refill a water bottle
Switching from plastic water bottles to reusable ones is one way of helping the environment, and the Tap app provides an easy way to find local refill stations, whether these be coffee shops, restaurants, or filtered water ATMs. Furthermore, it displays quick walking directions, as well as what type of chilled, filtered, or sparkling water is available at each station.
Another useful eco-friendly app, Scrapp, aims to make recycling intuitive and participatory. You can scan product barcodes with your phone camera to access locally accurate recycling information, which allows for quick and efficient disposal of unwanted items. Plus, using Scrapp allows users to log new items, earning rewards that they can redeem against eco-friendly products and services in-app.
The Olio app allows users to connect with their neighbors in order to share food and household items, helping reduce food waste while supporting local businesses and farmers. Users have the option to explore listings for the redistribution of soon-to-be-waste food or create their own listings for others in their neighborhood to pick up.
Not only can individual apps help promote sustainable living, but there are a wide range of tools that support it as well. Examples are:
Carbon Calculators: These apps assess the environmental impacts of an individual’s transportation, food, and energy use, as well as suggesting possible improvements.
Sustainable E-Commerce Apps: E-commerce purchases often leave an impactful footprint due to packaging waste, so these eco-friendly apps help users select sustainable e-commerce options, promote responsible packaging practices, and promote responsible shopping habits.
Sustainability Challenge Apps: These apps transform eco-challenges into entertaining games that help users adopt sustainable habits over time. In addition, many feature progress tracking capabilities that encourage further action while celebrating achievement milestones.
Eco-friendly apps are an effective way to kick-start the transition toward sustainable living or to incite the adoption of eco-friendly habits within an organization. By encouraging employees to adopt green habits through such apps, your organization could reduce waste while improving productivity by encouraging employees to go green!
52 Steps
Sustainable living apps make sustainable change simple: start the year off right by taking one small step towards becoming more eco-conscious, be it cutting plastic waste, using green cleaning products, or driving less. The app helps you track, account for, and motivate yourself to achieve your goal.
The app allows users to easily share their progress on social media and compete against friends in a challenge mode, while providing community challenges and educational content designed to encourage more sustainable behaviors. With its simple design and ease-of-use features, this tool makes an excellent way for anyone wanting to increase environmental consciousness to do just that, particularly those leading busy lifestyles.
No matter what kind of home or business owner you are, an app like this can help reduce environmental impact while saving money at the same time. It allows users to locate recycling centers and drop-off points near their location, making recycling convenient without traveling far. Plus, it keeps users up-to-date on green technology innovations while connecting them with suppliers!
Many of us recognize the numerous environmental benefits of leading more eco-conscious lives. Unfortunately, it can often be challenging to incorporate sustainable habits into our daily routines, but don’t fret: there are apps out there to help us be more eco-conscious.
While some apps cater specifically to individuals, others offer flexible functionalities that businesses, schools, institutions, and governmental organizations can use to encourage more sustainable behaviors among their employees, students, clients, or citizens. Such apps typically aim to raise awareness and educate people on topics related to sustainability, such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, and water conservation, as well as other related matters.
Other apps focus on specific aspects of sustainable living, like eco-friendly shopping or green home improvement. For example, Good on You ranks clothing brands according to their ethical practices to assist shoppers in selecting more environmentally and socially sustainable clothing brands. RecycleNation provides information about local recycling programs as well as information about recycling centers near your location.
