GREENER THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
Technology is a great tool for everyday life. Switching to a greener lifestyle can be hard if you don’t know where to begin. This is a list of apps that will hopefully help you in taking those first steps. From finding tap water to reducing food waste and finding out more about the impact of your clothing, there is a little bit of everything.
ECOSIA
Image Source: Ecosia
You have probably heard of Ecosia. It is a search engine, just like Google, that you can add as an extension to your browser. They use the profit from ad revenue generated by our searches to plant trees where they are needed most. It is free and super easy to download and is available on your phone too. At the moment of writing, Ecosia has planted 91.9 million trees.
You can download it here and from your app store.
Think DIrty
Image Source: Think Dirty
Think Dirty is an app where you can scan products and educates users on potential toxins in household items, personal care and beauty products. All you need to do is scan the barcode and the app will give you an easy-to-understand rating system and information on the product ingredients and potential dangers. Lots of shocking surprises of just what exactly is in our products!
The app is free and you can download from your app store. You can also find out more about them on their website.
reGain App
This is the first app in the UK developed for the recycling of unwanted clothing and textiles. It incentivises users to recycle their unwanted clothing by partnering up with fashion brands to offers discounts vouchers in exchange. This helps to divert tonnes of clothing from being thrown in landfills and brings circular economy into mainstream fashion. Partnered companies include Superdry, Asics, New Balance, Boohoo and Missguided. Users can ship their old, unwanted clothes shoes and accessories to reGain free of charge. In order to ensure its carbon footprint is kept to a minimum, the reGAIN app only accepts one drop per week per consumer, with a minimum of 10 items per shipment.
You can download reGain through your app store.
Too Good To Go
Image Source: Too Good To Go
Every day there is a lot of food lost and wasted along the chain from farm to table. About 1/3 of all food produced is wasted. When wasted, food has a harmful effect on the environment, it is responsible for 8% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. The app calls them ‘Magic Bags’ and this is basically delicious, edible food that stores and restaurants have to throw out at the of the day. Through the app you can buy these ‘Magic Bags’ directly from participating businesses at a discounted rate. For example, a ‘Magic Bag’ from Yo Sushi is about £3.50!
You can download the app from your app store or find out more about them on their website.
Good on You
Image Source: Good on You
A great app, loved by Emma Watson herself, which brings you information and links you to ethical and sustainable fashion as well as details on just how good or bad your favourite fashion brands are through a rating system. This is achieved by research and speaking to experts, the campaigners and the brands themselves. Rating is based on three area: people, planet and animals. They then get given an overall rating from ‘We Avoid’ and ‘Not Good Enough’, through ‘It’s A Start’, to ‘Good’ and ‘Great’. It also features great blog posts on sustainable fashion, ethics of certain fabrics and many more articles for beginners and fashion gurus alike.
You can download it from your app store or find out more about them on their website.
Urban Veggie Garden
Image Source: Urban veggie garden
This app is a helpful tool when you decide to plant your own vegetables on your terrace, balcony or any other place that you have in your house in the city. Plan when you have to transplant, prepare the seeders or harvest your vegetables.
If you get stuck you can even ask your questions to other urban farmers through the app.
You can download the app for free from your app store.
OLIO
Image Source: Olio
This free app connects neighbours with each other and Food Waste Hero volunteers with local businesses, to share food (and other things) rather than chuck them away. Snap a photo of the item, set up a pick-up location and post it in your local community. You can check a user’s profile, verifications and star rating. You can browse listings and even request items too. Feel amazing knowing you’ve helped save the planet and made a neighbour’s day.
You can download Olio from your app store or visit their website to find out more.
HappyCow
Image Source: HappyCow
This app/website lets users search for vegetarian/vegan restaurants and restaurants with vegetarians and vegan options near them. You can find out information about the restaurant, type of food, opening times, address, contact information and even a handy 5 star rating system.
You can download the app through your app store or visit their website.
TAP
Image Source: Tap
This handy app displays nearby refill stations. All you need to do is open the app, enable your location and it finds the closest places you are able to refill your water bottle. It is completely free and it works by partnering up with coffee shops and restaurants. Just don’t forget your reusable bottle at home and you will never have to pay for another bottle of water again!
Download it from the app store or visit their website for more information.