We humans need all the easy eco-ethical APPs we can get to Learn to Respect Nature!
In this post:
The CO2 footprint calculator APPs & their websites,
the “reuse or recycle” APPs,
Ecosia to plant trees,
One of a kind product APPs,
Add Eco to existing APPs
…a list at the bottom of other posts about the UX of eco-ethical APPs
ECO-APPs/4 – totally User friendly!
This is not a fad, trend, amusement, rage, style, passing fancy or fashion.
This is part of our human lives that we have not considered, since the beginning of the industrial revolution 200 years ago.
It involves absolutely every aspect of our living environment and possibly that of our universe. NASA is becoming concerned about the satellite trash around planet Earth. Scientists are finding that there are not only plastic particles in the ocean but in the air of the Alps in Europe.
This can be solved by the same species that caused it!
Let’s get going!
more ECO-APPs/4
Help the humans on planet Earth add
“eco-consciousness”
to their every-day purchase power.
The first step toward change is awareness.
Nathaniel Branden
The second step is acceptance.
The next step is DO IT!
TerraCycle’s CEO, Tom Szaky says, “We don’t give ourselves enough credit as consumers for how powerful we really are. The role of consumer product companies is to give us what we want. They are really a reflection of our desires. I think many people do not realise just how powerful our buy/vote is.”
Companies need to show that buying their product or service is a vote for our planet which is our self-interest. Eco/climate-consciousness needs to be part of every-day personal consciousness of each of us.
It is clear that going green has its advantages for both the planet and we humans. A growing number of people have accepted the fact that there is a “temperature ticking time-bomb”.
APP developers can make it easier for us all to master the art of “climate conscious buying”.
Wanted APP Developers!
Get to work for all us human consumers and make some more great APPs to help us direct our purchase power and vote planet Earth. APP developers, please work to advance the easiest best friendliest ECO-Ethical USER EXPERIENCE (yes, UX) for consumers.
The APPs and the advertizing are so urgent!
- What kind of APP would help sell your electric cars?
Maybe PlugShare…….. - An APP that would help promote Ocean Power?
???????? - What kind of APP would help advertise turbine wind energy?
???? - Which APP would help advertise local shipping?
Maybe UPS Mobile……. - Where do you find an APP for promotng “eco-ethical air travel”?
????? - What kind of APP would help a housing development become more sustainable?
Maybe Oroeco, Joulebug, or Changers……………..
ECO-APPs/4 – The CO2 footprint calculator APPs and their websites
The Yellow are my remarks.
The Blue – the organization offering the APP. Maybe their words will inspire you.
When signing up and filling your profile on one of these CO2 footprint APPs, you need to be prepared with all sorts of personal data about your utility expenses and uses, etc. So be sure to look over what they are asking for and then get the data together, before you fill in the profile. It will save some time and effort getting set up.
On the Joulbug APP under “activities, one can browse lots of little things that people have done to conserve and this is good. From what I gather, I have to carry the APP around all day long buzzing it. For people who do carry their smart phones around all day – OK. A once a day report, would be my preference. Make it simpler. To learn how to use the APP, I only found an overview of the different pages, but not how to use them. I was directed to look closer and use those pages to figure it out. Not simple – but maybe it is because I am not used to smartphones and tAPPing.
Anyway, an interesting approach to take a look at one’s carbon profile.
Some people do not like challenges/competition. I am one of them.
I only want to know my own situation and maybe how it compares to the average – even the average of all those that use the APP, but nothing else.
But apparently Joulebug, has helped get people involved in climate impact with their APP Shine.
Customize your action focus to fit your organization’s program. Go beyond sustainability to health, wellness, and volunteering, or create your own.
Learn how the JouleBug Enterprise platform helps you build the conscientious culture you want.
Activity = news from other APP users about what they are doing to conserve
Challenge = list of actions you can take and set up a challenge with other APP users
Notifications = news
Profile = where you can see the accumulation of your own footprint and comparisons to others
This sustainable mobility app tracks your transport CO2 emissions and helps you balance your travel footprint, using a virtual green currency.
In order to start making more sustainable transportation choices, it’s important to understand the amounts of CO2 emissions our current methods of transport are responsible for, whether we drive or cycle or take the bus, and to compare them to our other options, so we’re making the greenest choice when we can. A new mobile app aims to make that data much easier to access by serving as a personal transport CO2 tracker, which is intended to encourage, motivate, and reward people to make greener travel choices.
Changers APP is for groups from 25 – 100+ people who want to set up challenges by using the protection of the environment and individual health as the platform. The APP is licensed to your organisation, company, community, city and available in 10 languages.
You don’t need the support of your IT department or any kind of technical skills either for the set up or for running operations with the Changers’ app. You just focus on what you like best and leave the technical stuff to us.
If you would like to customize the app with your own health-promoting and sustainable activities, you can add content like text or even a video within a matter of seconds. The new content becomes available to your employees the next time they open the app on their smartphone.
We also offer a wide array of selected charity projects and work together with a tree planting partner. With just a few clicks, for example, you can set up your own charity run or a tree planting challenge.
Bring your company in front for the Global Corporate Challenge 2019 !
Start with your company, team, branche office, department, or other kind of community. Award bonus points for kilometers traveled on foot and by bike and for participating in health activities.
ReCoins are a sustainable currency in the Changers CO2 fit system. For every kilometer walked or cycled you earn 1 ReCoin. Earn even more ReCoins for healthy and sustainable activities.
CO2 BALANCE
YOUR CO2 Balance is automatically calculated in Kilometres of CO2 saved or CO2 emitted. For using sustainable transportation types your get a CO2 savings compared to traveling the same distance by car. For using “car” or “plane” we add a Co2 emission to your balance.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blacksquared.changers
Continue using what has already emitted a lot of CO2 –
ECO-APPs/4 >>>>>>> Reuse or Recycle
Earth911 has such comprehensive recycling information and more…. !!! This is a website that can tell anyone how to recycle almost anything. But they are so right it is for the USA. Every country in the world should have an organization/APP like this.
Come on waste conscious citizens of the world – Do it! It is a Waste Rush!
I can’t get the APP. I do not know if it is available or not. But if it is, it has to be very good. Anyone who can tell me, please do.
Their website blog has articles called Recycling Mystery: suggest ways to recycle stuff that they had not thought of yet.
For more than 20 years, Earth911 has positioned itself as the Recycling Authority. We were in the green space before it was cool.
The foundation of Earth911 is the recycling directory, available via:
• The internet at Earth911.com
• The toll-free hotline 1-800-CLEANUP™
• The mobile application iRecycle for Android and iOS
The directory provides consumers and businesses with over 1.6 million ways to recycle more than 350 different materials. If you’re looking to recycle a product, chances are Earth911 can help.
At Earth911, We’ve Created A Community That Helps People Find Their Own Shade Of Green, Match Their Values To Their Purchase Behaviors, Adopt Environmentally Sound Practices And Drive Impactful Environmental Changes. We Deliver A Mix Of Targeted Content And Eco-Conscious Products That Influence Positive Environmental Actions So That You Can Live A Happier, Healthier, Sustainable Lifestyle; One That Protects This Wonderful Planet We Call Home.
iRecycle APP is the premiere APPlication for finding local convenient recycling opportunities (United States Only). iRecycle provides access to more than 1,600,000 ways to recycle over 350 materials in the United States. https://earth911.com/irecycle/
And Elsewhere ?????
Every country could use such an APP, or…..other ECO-APPs/4
In 2009, 10 years ago, Earth911 did a series of articles on Trash/Recycling in a number of countries…. Since people are not going to stop buying things and the need for recycling will not disappear completely, I ask what each country world wide has that is like Earth911’s directory for finding the right places to recycle stuff. Germany is still at the top of the list. ………….Or is it???
How a city can recycle at least 1/2 of all it’s municipal waste……………..
I believe that the German bins are better than bags, only because the bags add another thing that needs to be recycled.
It seems that in Germany there is no need for an APP, as even the big things have their day to be picked up and recycled.
Do other countries have a SPERRMÜLL Day ? =bulky waste
In Germany, we also have Sperrmüll, which refers to miscellaneous items. Typically, Sperrmüll days will be announced as a time when municipal trucks will come around for all of the other things you want to have thrown away, like broken furniture, old lamps, or sofas. You place it on the curb outside of your house.
Sounds like it is heading for the landfill, right? Wrong! Second-hand goods dealers, junk collectors, and enterprising locals often collect the Sperrmüll long before anyone from the city arrives to get it. No sense letting something that can be used again be thrown away by your neighbors! 😉
—Marcus
In Australia, they have a good system including an APP.
RecycleSmart is Australia’s most comprehensive recycling APP for you and your council.
Reduce waste to landfills, turn waste into things and cut council costs
Learn to recycle smart and get reminders when to put your bins out.
RecycleSmart allows all Australian councils and community members to access the free digital tool that answers the age old questions ‘how do I recycle this?’ for over 250 items +.
Every single council in Australia is currently represented in our app, which provides an easy tool to educate, motivate, and inspire residents to recycle more consciously.
We put together the business, with partners like MobileMuster: free mobile phone recycling program, and OzHarvest; an Australian food rescue organisation, and with some informational input from Planet Ark. We developed the approach and the software for Australia’s most comprehensive recycling mobile app from the bottom up. We currently have 55K downloads, helping thousands of Australians recycle better : )
We would be happy to talk to other countries that would like to do the same thing.
Giorgio Baracchi
RecycleSmart
[email protected] | web: www.recyclesmart.com
Recyclesmart is another good one like the Earth911 website. Very comprehensive, set up to accompany a comphrensive country-wide recycling/waste managment system. The APP gives you various different suggestions about what to do with lots of things – like coffee grounds. Looks like Recyclesmart might be in a good position to help other countries set up their own business and APP to spread the recycle/reuse concept.
Thailand, Taiwan, India, Malaysia, and more – are all banning imported waste.
China’s waste ban is a blessing in disguise
It’s an incredible opportunity and it’s critical that we don’t waste it.
OR a local recycle APP:
Eco-Cycle A-Z Recycling Guide APP and website We were established in 1976 by everyday residents who had a passionate belief in conserving our natural resources. These Eco-Cycle volunteers brought recycling to town, making Boulder, Colorado one of the first 20 communities in the U.S. to offer curbside recycling. We continue to be driven by these same passions and innovative actions.
Talk about a “no brainer” !!!!! ECOSIA’s – ECO-APPs/4
Let’s plant trees and suck up some CO2!
I started with Ecosia on 25 February 2019 and a couple of days ago (25 April), it showed that I had helped plant more than 700 trees. Then I had to clear my browsing, etc. history and now it has started from zero again from yesterday and I have planted another 20 trees already.
It takes a couple of minutes to put in on top of your browser with Chrome, Safari, FireFox and more.
ECO-APPs/4 – One of a kind eco-ethical APPs
APPs could be for a specific kind of product….. If you have a single thing that you produce that is connected in some way to a very popular consumer item like – chocolate, hand bags, socks, wigs, shoes, you might want to work up an APP that is about the eco-ethical aspects of that popular consumer item, and who sells what. YOU will impress your customers and make it easy for them to become climate conscious consumers, besides it is a way to keep up your market research.
Chocolate List – Eat Your Ethics
Set up an APP for 1 specific thing like Chocolate – it could help your customers if you develop an APP that offers recommendations about your product’s niche’. A scanner on this kind of APP would make it easier for a customer to use it while shopping. http://www.foodispower.org/chocolate-list/
PaperKarma (at least $1.99 per month) This APP keeps showing up in the lists of eco-APPs. This is the kind of user-friendly APP that could be designed for many things…. Take a snapshot with your smartphone of a magazine you do not want to receive anymore and the APP will stop your subscription. Again, only for the USA. Lots of countries to could use a similar APP.
PaperKarma handles magazines, catalogs, credit card offers, most yellow pages, etc. pretty well. But coupons from the local grocery stores, or the local pizza chain don’t work as well – though we’ve seen exceptions. Even when we can’t contact the company automatically, we’ll still locate their contact information in case you decide to contact them yourself.
Or just start a niche’ recycling organization like https://crazycrayons.com/
How to recycle shoes, crayons, toothbrushes, and other random stuff
Another example of “the one of a kind thing” is PlugShare…. only to help find charging stations for Electric Vehicles. PlugShare information is in 16 languages and takes in the whole world.
The APP is full of helpful features for Electric Vehicle drivers; Very useful APP and the same on the website.
PlugShare is your guide to electric vehicle charging wherever you go.
Add Eco to existing APPs
In many cases you mobile APP developers could find ways to plug into APPs that already exist and are very popular with a particular part of the population, like the truck drivers… It looks like they may have some apps that they use regularly – One APP for all their driving needs, but how can you add some eco-consious components to these APPs. They need them desperately…..
TRUCKER TOOLS APP and website
FEATURES
● Find the cheapest diesel fuel prices for your route with real-time pump and parking space availabilities.
● Find truck stops, rest areas, and Walmarts.
● Chat with other truckers on our Message Board
● Locate medical examiners, repair services, weigh scales, and more.
GET LOADS
TRACK LOADS
UPS
UPS?
UPS has been offering Carbon Neutral shipping since 2009 or earlier…CONGRATULATIONS, THANKS, WAY TO GO!!!…but I have the hardest time finding a link or APP or anything that directs me to order a shipment using the UPS carbon neutral option. I click on the “create a shipment” button, but it does not show me how to request “carbon neutral shipping”.
I was told by someone from the Sustainability Communications department that: Anytime you make a shipment on UPS.com, there is an option under the Details tab (part 4 of making a shipment) to add UPS carbon neutral service to the shipment. This can be for any shipment of any size (envelope, parcel, or other). You can also ship packages using UPS carbon neutral at any UPS Store location.
How the UPS CarbonNeutral shipment program works
Customers taking part in the UPS carbon neutral program pay a small incremental amount to offset the climate impact of the delivery of each of their packages.
Great! But how can I ship carbon neutral? Where do I go to sign up for it?
I still do not understand why this important information that would help so many people move a touch closer to real climate consciousness is embed so deep in the shipping order form. Their advertising only hints at what we all want to do, but we can’t jump in. People are really getting eco-anxious out there and every little thing that can help them take immediate action is worth the time and money to advertise out in the open. It might be THE THING that would move a customer to UPS, from a competitor…. Why is this hidden???
The APP is just like the website…. no direct click to Carbon Neutral. I believe that UPS is wasting a big opportunity.
What Is UPS carbon neutral?
The shipment you received was sent by someone who requested that UPS offset the climate impact of the shipment. This means the sender cares about climate change and wants others to be aware of this commitment.
UPS’s carbon neutral option supports projects that offset the emissions of the shipment’s transport. UPS has supported projects that include reforestation, landfill gas destruction, wastewater treatment, and methane destruction.
UPS carbon neutral is an option for eco-conscious shippers who want to take strides to reduce their carbon footprint. When you select UPS carbon neutral, a flat fee will be added to your bill for each package selected. Here is a list of package types and their associated carbon neutral additional fees. (as of Dec. 2018)
$0.20 Express (domestic)
N/A – Express Critical (domestic)
$0.20 Expedited (domestic)
$0.05 Standard (domestic)
$0.10 Standard (transborder)
$0.75 Express (worldwide)
N/A – Express Critical (worldwide)
$0.75 Expedited (worldwide)
2022 and I can’t find any way to update this information or confirm that it is still true.
This is the last of my reviews of existing APPs and my pleas to make more. I hope this all inspires more businesses and APP developers to open up this important way to get us all to add more “eco-consciousness” to our every-day purchase power. Your “captive audience” is every day customers for whom it is becoming urgent to change their habits.
ECO-APPs/4 –
Apps that make it easy to consider a clean planet Earth!
This is a series of posts about promoting Eco-Ethical USER EXPERIENCE (UX) to ward off the “temperature ticking time-bomb”. Can we make it easier for us all to master the art of “climate conscious buying”?
The Words
The Eco-Anxiety
Product Design Review – Form should still follow Function
The APPs – The different kinds
>Transportation APPs
>Clothing, etc. APPs
>Food APPs
>Carbon Footprint and more kinds of APPs
The Gases
Pulling in the Excess CO2