Where Tech and Conservation Collide: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Apps
The world we live in is indeed a wonderful place, yet, as its inhabitants, we can often be strange. The reason we’re using the word strange is, given the current ecological environment, and the generally dire state of our planet, one would think we’d all be getting pretty worried about now. Not so. Chances are, you probably have more people looking up Donald Trump tweets or updates from the Kardashians, than you would people looking into ways we can help save our only home! It’s a sorry state of affairs really and one we seem nearly unable to change. It’s almost like our global consciousness tends to lean more towards the mundane than towards what matters!
Conservation and Technology
A pretty big misconception many conservationists and eco-activists may harbor dictates that technology and nature are not compatible. Quite the contrary. If used correctly, technology can be extremely useful in helping us do our bit to keep the planet livable! It is not the technology on its own, rather the direction we have pushed it in that may, in part, be responsible for many of our struggles.
If we had to spend less time and money on war-tech and maybe more on sustainable farming techniques, we’d be better for it. If we started developing renewable energy technology three decades ago as opposed to sitting back while oil conglomerates ran our economies, the world would’ve been in a better position. We could rattle on with such situations, but you probably get the picture.
How Do You Encourage People to Go Green?
Despite all the massive environmental blunders we’ve been making in the past few decades, some countries have contributed to the betterment of the environment. Though land, water, and air pollution is still rampant, one NASA report, according to Forbes, states that the world is greener than it was twenty years ago! This greening of the planet has been credited to two countries, namely China and India. The two countries that also happen to be tech giants in their own right introduced laws and reforms which facilitated extensive reforestation. The benefits are undeniable.
The question on the minds of many today, however, is how does one encourage people to go green? How do you help raise public conscientiousness in an environment where the government or law-making bodies are likely not doing enough? We feel tech might offer some solutions!
The Tech and Conservation Overlap
Our love of exotic and innovative phones is increasing with each passing year. This is statistically evident by looking at user spending on these apps as well as figures showing the percentage of mobile owners using mobile phone internet globally.
Mobile apps are helpful is due to their ability to make certain tasks and processes easier for us. Currently, some of the most popular mobile phone apps include gaming apps, business apps, and lifestyle apps, as shown by one statistical bar chart. That said, we’re going to focus on another kind of app over the course of this blog – an app category that is shall we say, a little more relevant to the general wellbeing of the human race. We’re talking about what are known as eco-friendly apps or conservation apps.
Long story short, eco-friendly apps are designed to help facilitate various processes that relate directly to some area of environmental conservation. As a result, users can keep tabs on what active steps they are taking in the direction of conservation, connect with other likeminded individuals, and learn more about how they can do their bit.
Eco-Friendly Apps worth Checking Out
You might wonder why certain popular conservation apps like #climate aren’t mentioned here, there’s a reason for that. We felt it made sense to focus on mobile apps that facilitated active behavior and eventually lifestyle changes which would be helpful to environmental conservation. In other words, direct action as opposed to social media competing and parading seemed to be the need of the hour! Here are a few useful eco-friendly or conservation apps for those of you out there who are hands-on, prioritize conservation, respect the eco-system, and want to do what you can to contribute individually.
GoodGuide
This free app is designed to facilitate eco-conscious consumers as well as those who prioritize personal physical health. The app allows users to do everything from scanning and identifying products to comparing them with others and searching for better, healthier, and more environment-friendly alternatives.
By making better shopping and consumption decisions, users can help themselves, and if they so choose, do their bit for the environment.
iRecycle
A simple but extremely useful app, especially for those who move frequently or have just shifted from one part of the country to another, iRecycle is an app that focuses exclusively on recycling. The app conveniently categorizes waste by material type and description. It also guides users to concerned recycling facilities and operations depending on the nature of the waste they need to get rid of.
With literally over a hundred thousand recycling setups in its database, spread across over two hundred thousand locations in the US, the app facilitates those looking to manage their waste better.
Kill-Ur-Watts
Though this app is a little old, we felt it was worth mentioning as the features it offers are pretty useful. The Kill-Ur-Watts app is designed to allow users to monitor their energy usage. Some features include:
- Maintenance of energy consumption profiles
- Monitoring annual energy costs
- Identifying peak energy usage hours
- Understand areas where energy may be conserved
Though there are other apps with similar functions on the market, we’re hoping Kill-Ur-Watts redeploys an upgraded version of their app!
Dropcountr
The global water crisis is not a joke. According to reports, 17 countries around the world are experiencing extreme shortages of water. If you think about it, this is pretty terrifying. Fortunately, it does help to do what you can on an individual level, and that’s where the Dropcountr app comes in. Available on both Android and iOS, this app is designed to help users conserve water, monitor water consumption, budget, and set water usage goals to help you save more.
The app also offers other features such as leak notifications and usage comparison charts with other app users in your area. Every drop does count, and Dropcountr is a great way to really do your part by way of water conservation!
Oroeco
Water isn’t the only thing we need to worry about when it comes to conservation. Global warming or unnatural climate change is a serious threat to life on earth. One of the biggest human factors contributing to global warming or climate change is the emission of various toxic gasses such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. These emissions may come from personal activities, industrial processes, and even certain kinds of mass farming!
Oroeco is an app that takes a more holistic approach to the problem by focusing on carbon footprint reduction. By tracking the carbon footprint, they are leaving and making small adjustments to the way they live, which are aimed at reduction of the same. The app helps users make better choices relating to food consumption, travel, daily utilities, and even shopping. Additionally, the app helps users make eco-friendly choices while saving money. Kind of a win-win!
Closing Comment
Though we feel the apps mentioned here are among the best when it comes to helping you do your bit to protect and heal the environment, there are a lot of others out there. We download dozens of apps in the passing and you can develop the app from retrocube. It really wouldn’t hurt to check out one of these and maybe do a little to help save our planet. After all, it is the only home we’ve got!
