Effects of Climate Change are becoming worse and disturbing the overall culture of living being. Increased carbon dioxide emissions tend to the greenhouse effect and the heat emerged from that, melts the ice of the poles and the ocean that worsens the weather and expands the oceans. Uneven weather is a major threat to agriculture that reduces outcome or destroys all crops in a single attempt. Polluted air directly affects the human respiratory system, causing different health disorders. Polluted water also leads to different diseases of stomach, eyes, bones, and much more. Pollution not only affects the humans, but also all living beings. Species dependent on forests, polar/sea ice, etc. are vanishing. These effects make human beings to take efforts for changing their living style for the survival of self and the entire world.
Many fruitful efforts have been done and are going on to reduce or stop emissions of carbon and other pollutants into our atmosphere like; use of hydrogen in vehicles, use of solar/wind/tidal/water energy for power production. All these efforts are limited to specific authorities, but from an individual point of view, that needs different solutions. Growing mobile technology helps a lot through the mobile apps which guide an individual towards the cleaner environment that results in great future and health of living being. There are millions of apps specially developed for an ecological purpose. This large growing eco-apps market is making a significant effect on cleaner and greener future of our planet and its inhabitants.
Ecologically oriented apps are available in a number of categories that includes air and water, energy, transportation, education, food, chemicals, and much more like;
Air & Water Apps
Pollution: Pollution app by aMobileFuture informs about local pollution sources, and their measured exposures like; Electromagnetic Pollution, Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Pollution and emissions to soil, Real-time air quality, Interactive map, with visualization of pollution sources, and more.
State of the Air: The State of the Air app gives the ability to see what your lungs are collecting anywhere in the United States. That provides through different tabs like; Today’s Air Quality, Air Quality Alerts, Get Informed, Speak Up, Donate.
EPA’s AIRNow: The app will allow users to get location-specific reports on current air quality and air quality forecasts for both ozone and fine particle pollution. Air quality maps provide visual depictions of current and forecast air quality nationwide, and air quality-related health effects explain what actions people can take to protect their health at different AQI levels, such as ‘code orange.’
Bluesky Map: This is a mobile app by the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) of China, which allows users to monitor air and water pollution in the China. It reports real-time emissions from sources all over the China. High pollution areas are shown with orange circles. This app encourages citizens to report the government official regarding high levels of pollution.
Transportation and Energy Apps
Alternative Fueling Station Locator: The Alternative Fueling Station Locator app helps the user to find fueling stations that offer electricity, natural gas, biodiesel, E85, propane, or hydrogen. It shows the stations on a map or list of stations ordered by distance from current location. It also provides the contact info and other details.
Carbon Emissions Calculator for Air Travel: Carbon Emissions Calculator allows passengers to estimate the emissions attributed to their air travel. The user just needs to select origin-destination airports, and then specify the class of travel and number of the passengers. It will evaluate the carbon footprint on that specified trip.
GasHog: GasHog is a fuel-efficiency app that evaluates the efficiency of the vehicle by entering the odometer reading and the amount of fuel added each time in the tank and compares it to historical averages. The app also offers tips for improving fuel efficiency.
Waze: Waze is a community-based traffic and navigation app. The user can join drivers in their area who share real-time traffic & road info to save time, gas money, and improve daily commuting for all. This traffic navigation app helps the user to waste less time and reduce emissions.
Breeze Wind Farm Monitor: The Breeze app collects data from users wind turbines and presents it in an intuitive interface. It provides detailed data of wind farms and the status of each wind turbine on the go. It provides a track record of wind turbine stops and warnings in the real-time.
Consumer Information Apps
GoodGuide: This app helps consumers to find safe, healthy, green, and ethical products with product reviews based on scientific research and ratings. Products are rated on the scale from zero to 10 for their impact on health, environment, and social life. The user can find ratings for food, personal care, and household products, by scanning the barcode of products and get information about it.
Light Bulb Finder: It is a mobile app that makes it easy to switch from conventional light bulbs to energy-saving equivalents with the right fit, style and light quality. The app allows users to view bulb images, cost, savings, and its environmental impact.
Think Dirty: Think Dirty provides the easiest way to learn about the potentially toxic ingredients in the cosmetics and personal care products. It allows the user to compare products on shopping. It needs to scan the product barcode and it will give the information about dirty ingredients that helps to shop for cleaner options.
Visualization Apps
NASA’s Images of Change: NASA’s Images of Change app provide the close-up view of many of changes due to human activities which are rapidly altering the face of our planet. For example; it compares Alaska’s Muir Glacier in 1941 to the glacier as it looked in 2004, Shows the expansion of agriculture in Saudi Arabia as viewed from satellites. It provides constantly updated, informative, compelling, and up-to-date visual experience.
These are some of the mobile apps which are benefiting us and our environment by securing our health and future. The introduction of new technologies in mobile phones again easing the working of apps with new improved features. These are only some initial steps taken towards green and clean future using mobile apps. No doubt in the future, numbers of new Eco-Apps will be introduced with improved features using advanced technology; helping human beings in securing the future of the Earth.
