8 Best Sustainable Apps for Zero Waste Wannabes
Okay, real talk…
There are a lot of apps out there to help you live more sustainably, but I don’t think that they’re all worth your time.
Many of them glitch out or simply don’t offer a good user experience regardless of their good intention.
With that being said, here are the apps I DO think are worth your time checking out.
Technology for the planet!
Now that’s what I’m talking about!
Here are the top recommended sustainable apps for zero waste living!
Forest: Be Productive, Plant Trees
Do you ever feel distracted by your phone when you’re trying to focus?
Yeah, hi– that’s me too! 🙋🏼♀️
What if I told you there was an app that planted actual trees in the real world for being focused and not messing around on your phone?
I mean, let’s be honest here: TikTok is probably the most fun place on the internet, but it’s also where productivity goes to die!
Here’s how Forest works:
- Set a timer for your focus session.⏳
- Watch your tree grow as long as you keep the app open!🌱
- If you close the app (aka get distracted), the app kills your tree! 😭
- Grow your virtual forest and earn tree credits. 🌲
- Redeem your credits and have Forest plant real trees on your behalf!
Freaking. Brilliant.
I can be a skeptic, and this was all sounding too good to be true so I checked out the reviews and their planting trees story.
And what I found was this 19-minute, inspirational mini-documentary.
I learned that this app provides a lot more than just “planting trees”. It’s fighting food insecurity to nearly 1 million across this planet. It’s empowering women, educating children, and transforming entire communities.
No wonder why this app has over 20K 5-star reviews! 🤩 The hype is real, y’all!
Slay distractions.⚔️ Be productive. 🤓 Plant trees Forrests around the world. 🌱
I’m obsessed!
Price: $1.99 (so worth it!)
Download it here: iOS | Android
Related: 42 Powerful Sustainability Quotes To Inspire Eco Friendly Living
Share Waste: Best App for Composting Food Waste
Want to start composting but don’t have a space to build a composting empire? (Hi, 🙋🏼♀️ that’s me!)
Wouldn’t it be rad if you could keep your coffee grounds and food scraps out of landfills and compost them back into our nutrient-thirsty soil?
BEHOLD, ShareWaste: an app that shows you a map of your neighborhood and your composting neighbors who want your food scraps!
As someone who lives in an apartment (and doesn’t have much space for a compost) and really has been wanting to compost forever, I’m so about this app!
ShareWaste definitely ranks at the top of my favorite sustainable apps for zero waste living. 🙌
Price: FREE
Download it here: iOS | Android
EcoCred: Best App for Tracking Your Carbon Footprint
This app is pretty freaking dope.
It helps you see identity what small actions you can take in your lifestyle to reduce your carbon footprint on the daily.
EcoCred helps you:
- create eco-habits with the daily tracker
- calculate your carbon footprint everyday by evaluating your lifestyle
- earn sweet eco-friendly swag and products
Decide what eco-habits you want to track on the daily + earn rewards.
Price: FREE
Download it here: iOS | Android
Related: Zero Waste Bathroom Swaps Under $15
iRecycle: Best App for Recycling
Wondering how to recycle your old, burned out light bulbs? 💡🤔
iRecycle helps you find recycling centers in your neighborhood, which makes recycling and your zero-ish waste goals so much more simple! ♻️
From mattresses, to car batteries, to computers, this app will direct you to the best local spots to recycle- well, just about anything! 🙌
Additionally, this app has daily, eco-focused articles to help you reduce your waste and find healthy options for your home. 🌱
Price: FREE!
Download it here: iOS | Android
Related: 6 Easy Ways You Can Make Shopping On Amazon More Eco-Friendly
PaperKarma: Best App for Stopping Junk Mail
This app makes stopping junk mail super easy. 📬
How easy, you ask?
- Take a photo of the mailer logo.
- Choose the name and address to remove from the mailing list.
- Hit the unsubscribe button. BAM! 💥
Easy, right? 😎
If you don’t mind spending 10 minutes to remove your mailing address from a few websites, then you can save your dollars and check out this post on how to stop junk mail!
Price: check out their subscription prices here.
Download it here: iOS | Android
Related: Stop Junk Mail Forever In 4 Easy Steps
Poshmark: Best App to Shop For & Sell Second Hand Clothing
Poshmark is my favorite place to buy and sell second-hand clothing! 🤩
>> Use invite code: DTBAWILDFLOWER when you sign up on Poshmark for a free $10 🤑 <<
You can follow specific sellers, brands, or items you want to keep your eyes on for a piece drop!
Things I love about this app:
- search for a specific items by size, price, condition, colors, and brands.
- sellers can send you a private discounted offer.
- price drop notifications when an item you’ve favorited goes on clearance.
- you can ask the seller more questions about the item like “What’s the inseam? What’s this material?” etc.
- sellers will often give you a discount if you buy a few items from their shop with the “bundle” feature.
If you’re like me and obsessed with thrifting, this is a great place to start a reselling business. 💰
A few years ago, I was actively selling and reselling second-hand clothing on this app and had a really great experience. 👌👌
Price: FREE
Download it here: iOS | Android
Related: 10 Tips To Help You Remember Your Reusable Bags
Happy Cow: Best App for Finding Plant Based Meals Near You
If you haven’t already heard, cow farts are killing the planet. Seriously. 🐮💨💔
HappyCow is essentially like a Yelp for plant -based meals. 🍽🍠🥕🥑
Eating more plant-based meals will help you:
- save resources like water, food, land.
- produce less CO2 emissions and green house gases.
- avoid contributing to the deforestation of the Amazon forest.
- avoid harming animals for your meal. 💕
You can filter nearby food spots by:
- vegan
- vegetarian
- veg-options
- small businesses only (there’s a button to hide chains)
Happy Cow can also help you narrow down searches for veg friendly bakeries, catering, delivery, farmers market’s, and more.
I’ve been using HappyCow to find plant-based meals while on the road (even throughout Asia) for as long as I can remember so I felt I should share it with your here.
The website is totally free, but the app now has a small cost.
If you eat a strict vegan diet, I do think it’s a valuable tool to have.
It’s always nice to read previous reviews from other vegans who’ve done their research at a restaurant to find out what is vegan-friendly and what isn’t.
Price: $3.99
Download it here: iOS | Android
Facebook Marketplace: Best App To Shop Your Neighborhood
Is any roundup about sustainable apps for zero waste living complete without the Marketplace?
Fact: My entire condo is full of furniture and decor I found on Facebook marketplace. And it looks freaking dope!
I look at it as a neighborhood thrift shop with a comprehensive online search feature. Genius!
This app is great if you’re on the hunt for a particular item! You can filter:
- how far your willing to drive to pick something up
- delivery method (drop off/ pickup or shipping)
- price range
- condition
- material
- color
You can even have the app notify you if something becomes listed matching your description. It’s basically a thrift shoppers dream come true. 🤩
Also, check out the current yard sales happening in the neighborhood, free stuff getting posted, and sell/ give away your no-longer-needed goods.
I’ve purchased everything from plants, to furniture, to vinyls, to craft supplies.
It’s the first place I look when I’m “in the market” for something.
Shop second-hand and #dontfeedthelandfills! 🙅🏾♀️
I prefer Facebook Marketplace over Craigslist because I like that I can see someone’s profile pictures, know they’re an actual human being, and sometimes we even have mutual friends.
Essentially, I feel a little more aware of who I’m meeting up with.
Tip: I recommend meeting up in public places with good lightning!
Download it here: iOS | Android
Related: 30 Zero Waste DIY Projects with Video Tutorials
Whew, are you still here with me? You are a champ!
I hope you found a new favorite app to help you reduce your carbon footprint and embrace more zero waste practices in your life.
If you have a favorite eco-friendly app that you don’t see listed here, please drop it down below in the comments so I can add it to the list.
Pin for Later | 8 Best Sustainable Apps for Zero Waste Wannabes
Into saving the planet? Here are a few blog posts you’re gonna dig: 👇👇
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