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With today’s technology and the rise of smart phones, being ecologically friendly is becoming easier and easier. Delving into the world of green apps, here is a list of downloads to consider for living a greener lifestyle! Not only will these apps save the planet but they will also save you money and time!
Shopping
1. GoodGuide
Shop and help the Earth at the same time! GoodGuide has ratings and information for over 175,000 personal care items, food, pet food, household cleaners, toys, paper products, and more. Learn which products are less toxic than others and what companies have the most environmentally friendly track records by using your camera to scan bar codes to find out if the items rate high or low based on health, environmental, and social impact. If the rates are low, GoodGuide provides alternative options by the same brands.
Food
2. Lovacore
Cut down on transporting food long distance. Find good and local food with Lovacore. There are lots of great farmer’s markets listed and you’ll find a guide to what is actually in season at your location.
3. Seafood Watch
Be conscious of what you are eating by researching which seafood is harvested safely and by discovering which restaurants serve ocean-friendly fish. Seafood can be sorted by three rankings: “Best Choice,” “Good Alternative,” or “Avoid.”
Recycle
4. iRecycle
Make recycling easier with this app that lists over 350 materials which can be recycled in over 1,600,000 different ways. The app will even tell you where you can recycle your items by inputting your current location via Zip Code, city or address.
5. Recyclebank
Recyclebank rewards its members for making eco-friendly choices, providing points for daily activities such as recycling, water usage, energy efficiency, and purchasing green products. Members can view their point balance, report recycling activity to earn points, and order rewards!
Education
6. JouleBug
Learn about how to lead a greener life with tips and information about how to save energy day to day. The actions you can take have been gamified so you can earn badges and compete with others in your quest to be eco-friendly. Makers claim you can save an average of $200 a year by following the advice in the app.
Paper
7. PaperKarma
Get rid of junk mail and cut down on wasted paper. When you receive a piece of mail that you do not want just take a picture of it and the app will then contact the sender and have your name removed from their mailing list.
Transportation
8. Zipcar
If you do not need to drive a car everyday then don’t! Save money on gas, car payments, and maintenance with this car-sharing service! The Zipcar app will show you what cars are available and any upcoming reservations when you are on the go.
9. Avego
A big carpooling network, browse the app to find a ride that’s going your way and then call or message the driver to arrange a pick up. When you arrive at your destination there’s a payment for the driver based on the distance travelled. All the data is shared with the Avego community so you can meet new people, the planet, and money!
10. Ecorio
Ecorio helps you track the carbon footprint you create through your everyday travels, selects the most environmentally-friendly routes, and offers suggestions on how to reduce your carbon footprint in the future.
11. GreenDrive
GreenDrive analyzes road conditions and generates the shortest route you can take to get to your destination in the quickest time allowed by law. It also lists several tips to help you drive in an ecologically responsible way.
12. BreadCrumbz
Explore a city, find new trails in the woods, or discover the best route to a local park. A combination of mapmaking and photo geotagging, users can create maps to locations using their camera and GPS receiver. Browse maps—that are much easier to follow due to the incorporation of photos— and follow them to interesting locations. You can use the maps to find the most direct routes to locations, or to log pathways that are pedestrian-friendly.
Electricity
13. Electricity Meter Reader
Reduce your electricity usage with three simple steps to help you cut costs and to use less electricity: track, graph, and save. The track feature will tell you exactly how much electricity you are using by reading your analog or digital electricity meter. The graph feature will show you just how much electric you use weekly, daily, or even hourly. The save feature will provide you with offers from other suppliers and calculate how much you could save by switching suppliers.
Climate
14. #climate
This app gathers the biggest climate changing actions from a list of organizations, allowing you to view actions that have had the most impact. There are many environmental campaigns for you to learn about or even become involved with.
