Smartphone Apps that Help You Live More Sustainably

You can successfully use your mobile device in your pursuit of a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. We’ve gathered some useful apps that will help. Take a look!

If you’re interested in living a more sustainable life, we’ve found some smartphone apps that can help you. These apps teach you how to reduce your ecological footprint and make more environmentally-friendly choices in your daily life. By becoming more informed and applying small changes in your lifestyle you can do your part in saving the planet. Here are some of the best we’ve found.

Vine.com (iOS, Free)

Vine is an online shop for eco-friendly home products. The app for this website allows you to shop thousands of green products, read product reviews and ratings and quickly find out which products suit your needs and lifestyle.

Good Guide (iOS and Android, Free)

This app reveals whether products are safe, healthy, green and socially responsible while you shop. You can choose the issues you care about most, like nutritional value, safe and healthy ingredients, animal welfare and so on. Then, when you shop, simply scan a product’s barcode. The app will let you know if that product passes or fails on your key criteria.

Zero Carbon (iOS, Free)

Looking for a personal carbon footprint calculator? Zero Carbon lets you know the greenhouse gas emissions that affect the climate as a result of your daily habits. Furthermore, it gives you simple tips to reduce your emissions and live a little greener.

Green Outlet (iOS, Free)

This app allows you to identify which of your household appliances are costing you the most to run. You select the types of appliances you use in your home and estimate how many hours you use them every day. The app will then predict what your electric bill will be for the month. You will be able to reduce your electric use, save money on your bill and also help save the environment. The app lets you determine which appliances you should replace and which you should use less often.

Eco Challenge (iOS, Free)

If you want to challenge yourself to live a more eco-friendly day-to-day life, this is the app for you. Eco Challenge provides information that helps you make small changes that benefit the environment. It presents you with two new challenges a week. The app also teaches you about local produce, sustainable packaging, energy efficient lighting and so on. This useful information will help you become more environmentally responsible, over time.

Transit (iOS and Android, Free), HERE Transit (Windows Phone, Free)

Whether you're on your daily commute or adventuring in unfamiliar territory, these apps provide useful public transportation navigation for anyone on the go. You can see Transit’s list of 49 supported cities and the over 700 cities covered by HERE. The HERE app uses augmented reality, so you can see where the bus or train stop is – just by holding up your phone.

By using public transportation instead of driving you cut down on gas emissions, which helps the environment. You can reduce your carbon footprint and save money at the same time – using public transportation is cheaper than driving.

iRecycle (iOS, free) (Android, free)

This app will help you find local, convenient recycling opportunities no matter where you are. Simply put, it helps you find out when, why and how to recycle a variety of items based on your location. Whether you want to recycle glass, old batteries, paint, plastic or paper, the app uses your current location to offer you additional information about how to recycle and where the closest recycling center is.

More people are looking for effective apps that can make their life easier. If you want to use your mobile devices to live sustainably, the apps listed above will certainly help.

Theresa is a guitar player from Michigan. She started her own band a couple of years ago and regularly plays clubs from all across the state. Writing is her second biggest passion after music.