Though we often speak of electronic waste and the darker side of technology, whose insatiable energy consumption is causing serious harm to the environment, we can actually use technology for good. It’s possible for the internet and our Smartphones to be environmentally friendly.
This Sunday, June 5th, we celebrate World Environment Day. We wanted to take this opportunity to share some of our favorite applications that help us be more sustainable. Help us save the planet!
How Big is Your Footprint?
Our everyday routines have a greater impact on Mother Nature than we think. The first step in reducing our carbon footprint is to be aware of our actions. GiveO2 is an incredibly useful application that analyzes transportation activity and offers rewards if they are improved. Come on! “Compete to be the most sustainable!”
Leafully helps track how much electricity you consume by showing how your energy consumption is effecting the environment and how many trees are needed to offset the pollution.
We All Need Oxygen
You probably already recycle in one way or another; you try to save water, electricity, fuel and, in general, you try to respect our environment. But you can take it a step further. Applications like Gardenate educate users how to cultivate and take care of their gardens and vegetables. Don’t have a garden? This app can also help you take care of your household plants. It notifies you when you need to irrigate, fertilize or treat them.
Not a Star in the Sky
Light pollution is often forgot about in today’s busy world. Light pollution is when we are unable to see the sky clearly due to artificial lights and street lamps. Loss of the Night is an app that raises light pollution awareness by helping users measure skyglow. The app was created so that, in the future, “cities will save energy and money, while having appropriately lit streets, dark bedrooms, and a sky once again full of stars”.
I Can’t Hear You!
Noise, especially in large cities, is another way we are unknowingly damaging the environment. Apps like NoiseTube helps us track the noise level in the most bustling and quietest cities. Users are able to measure the noise level in their surrounding area then upload it to the app, enabling any Smartphone user to participate in “global noise mapping”.
Take Action
It is time to take action and help save our planet. There are a multitude of apps (like Go Green) that offer advice and recommendations for a more sustainable lifestyle. Are you part of the solution or part of the problem? Find out if you are helping or hurting the environment and, if necessary, change what you’re doing. Check out the official
Go with peace as you download these apps, but make sure to download them off an official site like Google Play, the App Store, or the Windows Store, to avoid malware threats. And remember to have a good anti-virus on your device that will help you protect yourself from any of threat.