Turn Your Phone Into a Sustainability Tool: 4 Apps to Try Now!
Sustainable living means making lifestyle choices that positively impact the world around us and finding ways to build a better future for everyone. Creating a sustainable lifestyle is a long journey, but it begins with the choices you make in your everyday life. From the products you use to the food you eat—every decision has an impact on the planet.
To build a lifestyle that aligns with environmental and social well-being, action is required. Even small steps can lead to significant change. One such step is using apps that make it easier to adopt a more sustainable and eco-friendly way of living. Today, I’ll introduce 4 apps that you can start using right now to live more sustainably and make a positive impact on the environment and the world.
1. Food & Waste Reduction App: Too Good To Go
In the United States, more than 2.5 billion tones of food go to waste every year. While a large portion of this comes from households, restaurants are responsible for about 26% of global food waste, which is valued at over $1 trillion worldwide. To combat this issue, a company based in Copenhagen, Denmark, developed an app called Too Good To Go. This app allows restaurants, bakeries, and other food businesses to sell their surplus food at discounted prices.
There’s a twist: customers don’t know exactly what they’ll get. The food is packed in a “surprise box,” which can cost as little as $3.99 to $9.99. The process is simple—users can browse available surprise meals in the app, place an order, and pick it up from the restaurant or store. For just a few dollars, customers might get bags filled with bread and ham, a full-sized cake, or a box of assorted donuts. The goal is to give users the feeling of scoring a great deal while reducing food waste. Customers can also leave reviews about their experience, and if the order is unsatisfactory, they can request a refund.
Too Good To Go not only helps people get quality food at a low price but also helps businesses reduce their food waste, ultimately decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. Every year, the app helps cut down tons of emissions, contributing to a more sustainable planet.
2. Carbon Footprint Tracker: Klima
Modern life moves fast, making it difficult to track how our daily activities affect the environment. Many people are unaware of the steps they should take to protect the climate. Recognizing this, a German company created an app called Klima.
Klima helps users calculate their carbon footprint and work toward becoming carbon-neutral—all from their phone. The app asks questions about lifestyle choices, such as travel frequency and eating habits, then analyzes the answers to provide a personalized carbon footprint report.
Users can also take direct action to offset their footprint by donating to impactful climate projects like tree planting, clean cooking stoves, and solar energy. This app not only reduces eco-anxiety but also empowers individuals to make meaningful contributions to fighting climate change.
3. Ethical Shopping App: DoneGood
Consumers deserve to know what materials are used in the products they buy, how those products are made, and what impact they have on people and the planet. However, due to greenwashing and lack of transparency, it’s hard to make informed choices.
DoneGood is a vetted marketplace featuring thousands of sustainable brands. Each brand in the app clearly outlines its sustainability practices—such as fair wages, safe labor conditions, eco-friendly production, and social impact initiatives.
Users can browse products and view detailed information about the brand’s values and practices. DoneGood also offers reward points when customers shop from ethically certified brands, making sustainable shopping both easy and rewarding.
4. Recycling Guide App: Recycle Coach
In the U.S., 9 out of 10 people report that they recycle regularly, especially at home. Still, many individuals feel unsure or overwhelmed when trying to determine whether something is recyclable or how to recycle it properly.
Recycle Coach helps solve this problem by guiding users on what and how to recycle. Users can input their address to receive customized waste and recycling information based on their local area.
The app offers collection calendars, recycling event schedules, and a comprehensive guide on recyclable and non-recyclable items. It also includes educational content such as recycling tips and weekly quizzes. Recycle Coach increases proper recycling habits and helps reduce landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
These four apps—Too Good To Go, Klima, DoneGood, and Recycle Coach—are simple yet powerful tools that can help you live a more sustainable life. Small actions add up, and by incorporating these apps into your daily routine, you can take meaningful steps toward protecting the environment and creating a better world for future generations.
