Top sustainability apps

The fight for a more sustainable way of life is one which cannot be divorced from modern technology and innovation. Our phones now allow us to live sustainably within seconds. Here are some of the top apps that you can download in order to start living more sustainably.

Food

The Too Good To Go app is perfect for both the student on a tight budget and the environmentally conscious consumer.  Launched in the UK in 2016, the app looks to tackle the UK’s food waste levels (valued at £17 billion per annum) by allowing users to buy perfectly good, unbought food and groceries that would otherwise be thrown away by businesses, restaurants and households for slashed prices. Since its conception, this app has saved over 39 million meals from being wasted globally and could easily help everyone of us live more cheaply and sustainably.

Olio is another great app designed to combat food waste. If you end up buying non-discounted food at the supermarket, the app Giki can tell you how sustainable the products you are buying are, by simply scanning them with your smartphone’s camera. Finally, if you do feel like treating yourself to a restaurant meal, the Happy Cow app helps you find veggie and vegan restaurants near you.

Ethics

Finding businesses that align with your ecological and sustainable principles could not be easier thanks to the CoGo app created in 2015 in New Zealand, which allows you to rapidly find businesses nearby that support and share your values. CoGo has managed to work with businesses across the UK that have stopped 96,000kg of CO2 from entering the atmosphere annually. Whether you care about sustainability, climate change, or finding vegan restaurants, this app connects you and your spending to sustainable principles.

For detailed information on how ethical your favourite apparel brands are, check out the Good On You app.

Plastics

Cutting single-use plastic usage is the ethos behind the app, Refill, which allows users to rapidly locate businesses that provide free drinking water and water bottle refilling services. Refill helps users to locate and navigate themselves to local Refill Stations, allowing them to save money and avoid plastic bottles. With over 20,000 stations nationwide the app has received vast media coverage and praise.

If you are outside the UK, use the app “Tap” to find refill stations near you anywhere in the world.

Last revised: 8 September 2021

Roshan Jeebun, UCL Sustainability blog contributor