Thinking Green? There’s An App For That!

The seemingly small eating choices that we all make every day can have a huge cumulative effect on the environment.

Choosing in-season fruits and vegetables, local produce, less meat and foods that are grown with fewer pesticides can make your impact on the Earth a bit lighter.

Keeping track of all the information you need to make the right choices can be a bit overwhelming, but these mobile apps are all you need to know right in your back pocket. Let us know in the comments section which apps you found most helpful, or if you know of one we missed.

Locavore

Locavore ($2.99) tells you what is currently in season in your region so that you can make purchasing decisions that reduce your carbon footprint. It also provides recipes that use all in-season ingredients and shows you nearby farmers markets where you can buy those ingredients.

If you connect the app to your Facebook account, you can share where you came across especially stellar local produce and read what other people near you have discovered.

VegOut

Whether or not you’re a vegetarian, reducing the amount of meat that you eat can reduce the impact your diet has on the environment. And it doesn’t need to be painful; you can easily find great vegan, vegetarian and vegetarian-friendly restaurants using mobile app VegOut ($2.99).

The app is powered by happycow.net, a vegetarian-friendly restaurant search engine with more than 13,000 listings around the world. It uses your location to show you the restaurants nearest you, but you can also search by zipcode if you’re planning to dine elsewhere.

Green Map

This app connects you with the Green Map movement. Seeking local farmers markets, green building and bike lanes? Want to get involved with lower impact, climate-smart activities? This app will link you to a greener healthier community.

iRecycle

iRecycle is a great resource that allows you to look up locations for recycling 240+ materials in your area. Simply type in whatever object you’d like to recycle and nearby centers with contact information, hours of operations and any restrictions are listed. With this handy app, there’s no excuse not to recycle.

Label Lookup

When you see a “free range” label, you may think that it is a better choice all around. However, many people aren’t aware that the USDA only applies this term to chickens, and that access to outdoors can be as little as five minutes a day. Label Lookup enables users to check the validity of label claims using a rating system of zero to three — zero meaning the claim has no validity, and three meaning that the claim is verified and meets rigorous testing standards — “USDA Organic,” for example.

One Stop Green Mobile App

This app allows you to receive daily green tips. Includes, solar, wind, water and lighting calculator and lets you conduct home energy audits right from your mobile phone! Find your home’s green Score and help save the planet.

Did we miss one that you like? Let us know!