There are a lot of ‘eco’ apps out there, promising to make living a green lifestyle available at our fingertips, or that eco-friendliness is just a click away, but how do we know which ones will fulfil their promises, and which will just add another unused icon to our home screens?

Over the last six months, I’ve been trying out every sustainability app I could get my thumbs on to see if they’re game-changers or space-wasters.

So can your screen help you go green? Here are my top 5 picks for sustainability apps that won’t just consume your storage space…

Sharewaste NZ 

The name says it all; Sharewaste is about setting up a network of those with extra composting capacity with those who have food waste to compost. Personally, Sharewaste is an app I use when we are away from home. At home, we compost everything, right down to our meat bones and avocado stones. On holiday I can’t stand the thought of filling our bin with stinky food scraps and sending them straight to landfill. So before I leave home, I pop onto Sharewaste and look for someone near our holiday destination who is happy to take our food scraps. They have a ‘map’ function where you can plug in an address, and look for nearby composters, worm farmers and chicken-keepers.  It tells you what they’ll accept, and you can connect with them right there through the app. Or, of course, you can add yourself to the directory!

Good on you (ethical fashion)

This is my go-to when it comes to deciphering the sustainable, ethical brands from the filthy fast fashion. You can search their extensive database for a brand and find out how it stacks up in terms of labour, environment and animals. It’s also a treasure-trove of articles on all things good about fashion, from ethical work shoes to plus size sustainable brands to eco-friendly wardrobes for uni students. 

 

 

 

 

 

Olio 

Olio combines a whole lot of freecycling-goodness in one app.  They say ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’, and Olio really proves that.  First and foremost, Olio was set up to reduce food waste, but it’s not limited to food.  The idea is that users list items that they no longer need or want, and others nearby can nab them for free.  Right now I could claim various food items, some baby clothes, a tefal pan, building sand or cuisine magazines, all within 2km of my house!  It’s a secondhand shop, where everything is free!  While I am yet to actually request items from others (we have way too much stuff already), I have found it to be a great way to give our own unwanted items a second life, rather than sending them to landfill.  Once claimed, I just pop them in our letterbox or on our doorstep to be collected.

Council Waste Apps 

A number of councils have created (surprisingly good!) apps to help residents manage their waste. Functions include practical stuff like reminders to put out your bins on collection day, but also directories of what items can be recycled and tips on reducing your waste. In my opinion, the pick of the bunch is ‘Chch Bins’ – it has an amazingly thorough directory where you can search for any item to find out which bin it goes in. 

‘Tauranga kerbside collections‘ tells you which days your next collections are (you can even track the collection vehicle!) and has a disposal guide where you can search by item, or by bin. It’s not as thorough as the Christchurch app, but it is still quite new, so hopefully more detail is coming.

While Wellington Council doesn’t appear to have an app, it does have this very good ‘what to do with your waste?’ online directory, which also has some great waste-reduction tips.

Porirua and Hamilton both have an ‘Antenno’ app, which doesn’t offer much in terms of waste but does send you reminders to put your bins out. Hamilton also has a great website called Fight the Landfill, where you will find a waste directory and lots of other great tips and information. 

BinnyNZ is the Auckland version, where you can ask ‘Binny’ questions about what can be recycled, and what you need to do in terms of rinsing out bottles, removing lids etc. I’m pretty impressed with Binny’s waste know-how!

Social Media Apps!  

Ok so they’re not specifically ‘eco’ apps, but good old Facebook and Instagram have some amazing pages to help you reduce your waste and live more sustainably. Join your local freecycle page and embrace the art of giving and receiving preloved items, sign up to ‘Zero Waste in NZ!‘ on Facebook to tap into the knowledge and passion of an amazing community, or find an ‘eco-influencer’ whose style you connect with – here are a few to try; @thesustainablescientist @thegreatecojourney @ethicallykate @therubbishtrip @practicallygreen and @keepnzclean .

A Few Extras

Now I know I said I was going to talk about five apps, but I can’t NOT make some other honourable mentions, because even though these apps may not be ones that I frequently use, that doesn’t mean that they’re not exactly what YOU’VE been looking for:  

Refillnz – find places to fill up your reusable drink bottle when you’re out and about.

Foodprintnz – cafes, restaurants, bakeries etc reduce their food waste by listing food on foodprintnz that needs to be used quickly – you get the chance to buy it at a fraction of the price. Win-win!

Best Fish Guide (from Forrest and Bird) – NZ’s only independent consumer guide to sustainably caught seafood. (Currently unavailable while they fundraise to update it.)

Ecosia – a browser that uses the profit it makes from your searches to plants trees where they are needed most. You can make it your default browser.

Plugshare (international) – an EV charging map with tonnes of locations in NZ

Public transport apps – download your local public transport app to plan your route, check journey times or see how long you’ll be waiting for your bus or train.

Safe Shopper – lets you know which companies are cruelty-free in NZ.

OpenWardrobe – one for the fashionistas out there!  This app helps you get the most out of the clothing you already have, by digitalising your wardrobe.  It’s a personal closet organiser and outfit planner.  You can even get outfit tips from the OpenWardrobe community. 

There’s a little something for everyone here, but of course, sustainability is not just a click away. As handy as it would be, a simple ‘download’, ‘swipe’ or ‘tap’ is not going to slash your emissions or turn you into an eco-warrior. But while an app can’t do all the work for you, some absolutely can be a great place to be educated, inspired and supported to make your sustainable lifestyle that little bit easier.  

Have you found another app that has you using your phone’s power for good? Please add it to the comments below so we can spread the word!