Recycle Coach
Recycle Coach is an essential reminder app for trash day and waste disposal. It’s easy to get confused about what’s being collected which week, and what waste goes into which bin. Recycle Coach makes your life easier by giving you weekly reminders to put your trash out. You can search for how a waste item should be disposed of and the proper disposal method to use, if you’re unsure which bin it goes into. The app also includes a “Discovery” tab for kids aged 3-12 to learn about recycling concepts such as composting. This app has saved me from overflowing recycling and garbage bins.
Download Recycle Coach on iOS or Android.
Olio
Community involvement is key to reducing waste on a local level. Olio is a free app to aid waste reduction efforts by engaging with local community members. You can donate, sell, buy, and borrow items such as food, tools, and clothes. The app allows you to view community members near your location and what they are requesting, selling, or giving away. I’ve often found temporary or one-time use tools from community members, and since items can be borrowed, I’ve never had to pay any extra fees on the exchange. Download Olio on iOS or Android.
NoWaste
NoWaste is an essential app for keeping track of your food’s shelf life. It helps you create an inventory of items in your kitchen and fridge while adding a recommended expiry date for each item you log. You can cross off items from your virtual pantry as you consume them or mark them as expired when you throw them away. NoWaste also lets you earn “coins” in the app for every item consumed on time and track your impact on the earth by calculating your carbon footprint. Download NoWaste on iOS or Android.
Too Good to Go
Too Good to Go is a must-have app for reducing food waste while saving money on takeout. It lets you view nearby participating stores and place a “surprise bag,” which contains items that the store has left at the end of the day. You pay significantly less on this app than what you would actually pay when you buy normally. You can also schedule a pick up and save stores you frequent in your “Favorites” tab. Download Too Good to Go on iOS or Android.
Depop
Depop is a great resource for finding second-hand clothes, jewelry, and even kitchen or home items from local vintage and thrift stores. You can save money while shopping sustainably and locally, contributing to reducing the waste you generate. Depop is similar to Facebook Marketplace in terms of transactions but offers a borrowing/lending option, making it a unique platform. Download Depop on iOS or Android.
PoshMark
PoshMark is an excellent sustainable shopping app known for its collection of second-hand items and designer finds. You can view an item’s original price as well as the discounted deal you are getting. PoshMark also lets you sell your items too, with an AI tool that quickly fills out the description of your item. You can set a listing price and deal with buyers directly. Download PoshMark on iOS or Android.
WaterFlow
WaterFlow is a water-saving app to track your shower time and estimate if you’re within the recommended time of 5 minutes for each shower. You can either manually set a shower timer and stop it when you’re finished with your shower or use the app’s microphone to automatically track the minutes spent in the shower. WaterFlow also tracks how much water and trees you have saved, with daily tips for water conservation. Download WaterFlow on iOS or Android.
Scrapp
Scrapp is a detailed waste disposal app that lets you sort your trash into different bins. You can scan barcodes for specific items that may have different disposal instructions than their category. Scrapp provides detailed waste disposal breakdowns, including how to dispose of items with mixed packaging or deconstructed parts. Download Scrapp on iOS or Android.