By: Erin Resch
Table of Contents
I confess: I used to be that person who scoffed at the idea that there’s an app for that. I tried dozens of apps promising to ‘save the planet with one click.’ Honestly? I was almost over it but once I thought about the top purchases I was making, that really simplified the app process for me. For example, We rarely eat out during the week. However, since we do on weekends, I prioritized apps focused on food and restaurants. These six eco-friendly apps helped simplify my life for things that I’m doing everyday. If I hear of any additional I will add them on EcoErin.com.
1. Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go is a favorite of mine. It connects you with local bakeries and restaurants that have leftover food at the end of the day. Instead of throwing away they offer “surprise bags” for a fraction of the cost. We tried this for the first time a few weeks ago and planet benefited from the reduced waste, and my budget? Thrilled.
The best part? It’s not just about saving money. It actually feels good knowing you’re not letting food go to waste after someone worked hard to make it. I’ve also found new local spots I never knew existed, and it’s become a fun “surprise bag Saturday” tradition for us.
Pro tip: Set notifications for your favorite spots. The good bags go quickly, especially on weekends! This is a top ranked item on my eco-friendly apps, keep this app on your home screen, you will thank me later!
2. Happy Cow
Happy Cow is amazing because you have an app that will find all the best restaurants near you that have vegan options. I like this so much better than google maps because sometimes on google maps even if a place has a few vegan dishes but they might not be something you like they will show up if vegan is in a few reviews. Usually, in my opinion, if there’s a restaurant that has a good variety of vegan options you will see it show up on Happy Cow. I recommend this to anyone who is looking to incorporate more vegan food into their lifestyle. This is a top item on the eco-friendly apps list to simplify your life.
3. Good On You
I used to waste so much time researching “Is Jack & Jill brand sustainable?” while shopping. Good On You is also one of my favorite eco-friendly apps. It enables you to see how fashion brands are rated regarding environmental impact, animal welfare, and labor practices.
Their rating system is pretty cool too. They have categories like (We Avoid, Not Good Enough, It’s A Start, Good, Great), making it easy to make quick decisions while shopping. This leading eco-friendly apps item is so great because I’ve found amazing sustainable brands I’ve never even heard of. It’s helped me stop shopping for brands that claim to be eco-friendly but are actually not.
4. Olio
Olio is one of my favorite eco-friendly apps that’s for food sharing. I compare it to borrowing a cup of sugar, but with food. You can share food, and your neighbors can take it for free.
I’ve shared things like extra veggies we had from our garden (we had 42 oranges from our tree – no joke), and even half a bag of flour I wasn’t planning on using before it expires. I’ve also scored some amazing foodie finds like homemade sourdough starter, a pack of organic chicken someone purchased but wasn’t able to use, and even fancy tea from someone who was moving.
It’s like the complete opposite of our normal isolated waste-so-much lifestyle. Not to mention, I’ve actually met the people living in the houses around me that I would never normally speak to.
5. Think Dirty
This app was such a wake up call, it allows you to scan the barcode of household items, beauty items, or personal items you are thinking about purchasing or that you are currently using. Then it will rate the level of safety of the ingredients. I scanned my “natural” shampoo that I had been paying $18 a bottle for and it gave it a 7/10 “dirty” rating due to the sketchy fragrance ingredients.
I went through my whole bathroom cabinet in an afternoon. Some of these items I had been using for years. Think Dirty also provides cleaner alternatives to the items you are currently using. Not only is it easier to switch to these new products, but it also gives you peace of mind. This doesn’t just top the list for eco-friendly apps but also non-toxic beauty as well.
6. Ecosia
I can’t even put into words how happy I am to have this app.There’s nothing quite like waking up every day and realizing that just by looking up how to do something, you can actually make a difference in the world.It almost seems unreal—a search engine that plants trees every time you look something up, I had my doubts as well. After using Ecosia as my default search engine for a year, I’ve managed to help plant over 200 trees just by doing what I usually do—like Googling how to get red wine out of carpet late at night or looking up easy weeknight healthy plant-based dinners thousands of times.Here’s the deal: Ecosia earns money from ads, similar to how Google does, but instead of keeping most of the cash, they put 80% of their earnings into planting trees where they’re needed the most.They put out monthly financial reports that clearly show where the money is spent, and I really like that. I’m just fed up with companies being vague about their so-called “eco-friendly” promises.The search results come from Bing, and honestly, it works well enough for what I need, but it is different from google so keep that in mind. The only time I had to go back to Google was when I needed to do some very specific research for work. But for everyday searches, it works just fine.It’s the same.What I like the most is the small tree counter in the corner of my browser.Each time you search, it adds one more tree to your personal count.It’s strangely motivating.My husband and I have started this silly little contest to see who can plant the most trees every month.I guess I’m winning at this because I seem to Google “how to organize kitchen cabinets” every couple of weeks but never actually get around to organizing them.The mobile app also has a cool feature that lets you see exactly where trees are being planted—there’s a map with projects in Madagascar, Indonesia, Brazil, and many other spots.My kids really enjoy zooming in to check out the actual planting sites.It’s changed from “Mom’s always on her phone” to a lesson about reforestation.Honestly, changing your default search engine only takes around 30 seconds.That’s all there is to it.If you’re anything like me and spend a lot of time Googling stuff (no judgment), those trees really add up quickly. This is a great one to have at the top of your eco-friendly apps list.
The Bottom Line: Figure Out What Really Works for YOU. The thing about eco-friendly apps and sustainability is that not every app works for every person. I’ve probably tried about twenty other apps, but none of them really stuck with me. Some felt way too preachy, others asked for too much effort, and honestly, a few just ended up making me feel worse about myself.These six worked because they made my life simpler, not more complicated. They helped me save some money.They brought me closer to my community.And yeah, they helped the planet too, but honestly, that just felt like a bonus compared to the real benefits I got from using them. Don’t let the pressure of being a ‘perfect’ environmentalist get to you. Just start with one app. Give it a shot for a month.If it stays, toss another one on. Making small changes and sticking with them over time really leads to real results.If you delete an app after a week because it’s annoying, that’s pretty normal. Sometimes apps just don’t fit your routine or they get on your nerves, so getting rid of them makes sense. It’s better to keep your phone clutter-free with stuff you actually use.That works well. The aim isn’t to be perfect, but to figure out what fits best with your own life
Wait—One More Essential App…
While the six apps above are my go-to foundations for a sustainable lifestyle, I have to mention one more that has recently blown me away: Commons. I’ve been deep-diving into their interface over the last few weeks, and as a Eco Advocate, I’m incredibly impressed with how they handle carbon transparency and sustainable spending. It’s clear that this is the missing link for anyone who wants to see the real-time environmental impact of their bank statement.
If you’re looking for a way to turn your everyday purchases into a force for good, I highly recommend downloading it alongside the other eco-friendly apps. You will be amazed at how seamlessly it connects to your bank accounts and monitors your progress.
Resources:
- Reference this eco-friendly apps Mango Marketing Eco Essentials article to find more tips on other eco-friendly apps that might be ideal for your family!
- As Mango Marketing highlights, small actions add up. To make sure your small actions are actually hitting the mark, I recommend using Earth911’s article to verify where your hard-to-recycle items should actually go or their guide on Eco-Friendly Apps Essentials.
- Subscribe to save $ money with eco-friendly apps, live more sustainably at EcoErin.com
- Into hair care & beauty? Check out my Herbal Remedies blog for beauty secrets.
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