“Go green” is one of the buzzwords of today, but unlike some of the buzzwords of the past, this one has a grander purpose. Companies large and small have begun to take large steps forward when it comes to reducing their carbon footprints, even if it’s just doing something as simple as recycling. Believe it or not, the use of certain smartphone apps can make all the difference when it comes to your business going green. The best part? Most of them are free.
GoodGuide
This is an app that not only allows you to scan barcodes to find the best prices across the web, but can even tell you where a product comes from and how safe it is to use (according to current scientific studies, of course). Though it’s only in its beginning stages, it still has over 170,000 products including Tide, several different types of razors, and even cleaning supplies. The app does only focus on the US, but it’s free on both Apple and Android.
iRecycle
Though this app is only available for Apple products, it’s completely free. iRecycle supports the idea of recycling by simply showing you where you can recycle, what’s recyclable at these locations, and even when’s the best time to drop off something based on average business during a day (as reported by other users). It also provides news and tips encouraging you to do more than just recycle.
PaperKarma
The concept of this app is completely foreign to a lot of people because of the way it works. What it does is attempt to solve the problem of throwing away so much junk mail. Everyone gets it, and no one really wants it, and thousands of pounds of it wind up in the landfills every year. You simply take a picture of the junk you got in the mail and send it to the creator of the app. The creator then sends it to the junk mail distributor in attempts to get them to stop sending junk mail to you. Thousands of people later, the app has actually been met with some success, since it’s been effective in getting some people removed from mailing and junk mail lists.
Going green isn’t difficult. It’s so easy, actually, that you can even do it from your own living room while browsing new apps available in the AppStore or Play Store.