For those serious about being greener, there are 101 things to track from the carbon footprint on your food source to energy consumption. If you’re just starting out, all of this can seem a bit overwhelming. Even those who are more experienced don’t necessarily keep track of everything. Luckily, there are now dozens of apps that can help you organize your eco-consciousness a bit better. If you’re need of a little assistance, these five apps can help you stay aware and on track for a greener life.
Released in 2014, Oroeco helps break down all of your activities and then tracks your climate footprint automatically. You can see how all of your actions connect to climate change from things like flying to even eating out at a restaurant. You can then connect with your friends to see how good (or bad) your footprint is in comparison. If you’re not the competitive type, Oroeco also offers tips on what actions not only reduce pollution but save money as well. Not only that but you can also see how much money you’ve saved annually by going green and your carbon offset. You can browse through the different categories to see how much impact you have made and compare this data to previous months and years. Its simplicity belies the fact it is an incredibly powerful tool that shows you what actions have the biggest impact and concrete ways to reduce your footprint.
Available free: iTunes
Similar to Oreoco, JouleBug offers tips and information on how you can save money while also being more environmentally friendly. The app “gamifies” eco-friendly actions by rewarding points every time you follow one of their tips. These points will then add up to your total savings per year as well as the environment. Of course, there’s also a social aspect to the app as well. You can share your green experiences on social media (and earn points) or you join in on some local and national challenges to see who can lead the greenest day or week. Whether you join in on the competition or not, JouleBug aims to build up a sustainable habit in its users whether at home, work or vacation. Besides competitions and points, the app also provides handy How-To videos and links on living a greener life.
Available Free: iTunes | Android
For many, owning a car is a necessity in order to do basic tasks and go to work. Gas is a necessary evil. Luckily, even if you drive there are still plenty of ways you can reduce your emissions and save money at the same tome. With the Fuel Good app all you need to do is input your car model, age and engine size and it will then calculate your fuel savings if you develop good driving habits and follow advice found in the tips section. Some tips include:
When activated, it uses GPS to track your journey and then calculates how much you can save on fuel and CO2 emissions in comparison to the average driver. As well, you can compare your journeys to see how well you are progressing. This is great if you take the same route every day as you can easily see the improvement over time.
Available free: iTunes | Android
One of the best ways to achieve something is to take small actionable steps every day. Eventually these small steps will get you closer to your goal. Green Me is the goal-setting app for people who want to live a greener life every day. Set up like a calendar, you simply enter in five green actions you took that day. The squares then turn darker shades of green the more activities you enter. It’s an easy way for you to visualize your progress and keep you motivated to continue practicing green activities every day. It offers tips and ideas on how you can lead a greener lifestyle broken down into several different categories. You can also submit your own ideas on green living for inclusion in the app.
Available free: Android
If you’re looking for an additional green activity to do or need some ideas on a greener life, Eco-Dice offers a fun way to add in some sustainability into your life. The concept is quite simple: roll the digital die and, once it lands, do the task that is face up for your green task. The tasks themselves are straightforward and require little to moderate effort. The tasks are:
The idea is simple, but because it adds an element of randomness which is great for kids, you’ll always be excited to see where the die lands. Of course, you can also create your own tasks if these end up being too easy, but it’s a great little game that reminds you even the smallest actions have an impact.
If you’re looking for some more inspiration on green ideas or need some more motivation to live an even more sustainable lifestyle, these apps can give you that push you need. Better yet, you can recommend these apps to people in your life that might just be starting off the green path to build their green habits and get them involved in the eco-friendly community.
Available $0.99 – iTunes
Like what we’re doing? Want to share your story or tell others? Do you have a green business in Calgary and want to get in front of a large local audience? Let’s build a green community together!