While many advances seem to be detrimental, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes technology really can help us live better, and it’s important to take note of the good things in the world. That is why you should take note of these five apps. They are easy to use and extremely affordable, and in every case they can help you manage your carbon footprint at your home.
1. Farmstand
Farmstand is a fascinating free app that helps you buy fresh food. It tracks thousands of farmers’ markets across the country, so you can find healthy, affordable food without having to take a pilgrimage.It also helps you rate local farmers so you can support sustainable producers as well as fair trade practices and humane treatment.
This is an app that helps you live a healthy lifestyle while simultaneously saving money and reducing your overall environmental impact. The fact that it is free really pushes it to the top of the list. Check it out on the App Store.
2. GoodGuide
This is another app that helps you practice responsible shopping. GoodGuide puts comprehensive product listing at your fingertips. It can help you find the best place to buy something you want, or it can pull up all the information you need for a product you found. It includes exhaustive rating information, so you have a clear idea of an item’s quality and usage.
More to the point, it includes environmental impact ratings. It’s another amazing app that helps you live responsibly while saving you money. How much would you be willing to pay for access to something like this? It doesn’t matter, because it’s free!
3. Dropcountr
Dropcountr is a great app that is available for iOS and Android. It allows you to conserve water by connecting your water utility company through your smartphone. The water utility company will then send you messages regarding issues like drought, leaks and your water budget.
With Dropcountr, you can see just how much water you use on a daily or weekly basis and compare it with the usage of other users. It can really come in handy as it allows you to save money on your monthly water bill and gives you advice on how to conserve water.
4. iRecycle
iRecycle is the definitive resource for everything recycling. This is another amazing free app, and it will be your complete guide. No matter what item you have, it will let you know what materials can be recycled, how to recycle it and, most importantly, the closest available location to recycle it.
It works flawlessly with Maps, so you can get turn by turn directions on your way to save the planet. This app is so exhaustive, it includes 110,000 recycling locations and ways to manage more than 240 different materials. To cap it all off, the app also keeps track of recycling and environmental awareness events, so you can meet fellow green-minded individuals and always learn more about ways to live responsibly.
5. Oroeco
At last, we come to Oroeco. This is another free app available for download, and it is your best friend for making lifestyle changes that will lower your carbon impact. As sort of a fitness tracker for green living, it turns the lifestyle into a sort of game.
The app keeps track of the things in your life that impact the environment and helps you make small adjustments to better your score. You can link with friends to compete, and it even makes use of a leaderboard, helping you put your drive to win to good use for the planet. No other app designed to improve responsibility will ever be more fun.
We all have to work together to overcome climate change. These apps are a great step in that direction. You can take charge of your lifestyle and promote healthy, sustainable living at your home. You can feel positive about your daily activities and decisions. Best of all, you are not alone in your desire to live better.
Guest article written by: Emily Preston is a stay-at-home mom of a young environmentalist, freelance writer, cat lover, fitness junkie, and a huge fan of nature and eco-living. You can follow her via Twitter @emilypreston555.