What Goes In Matters: HappyCow
What better than to start your sustainability journey by opting for sustainable eating options when travelling to new places. With HappyCow, the travellers get access to the best vegan and vegetarian options available in the surrounding areas. The explore page allows you to explore local veg shops and market places while the social page connects you to other travellers opting for a vegan meal nearby. So the next time you are in a new city, check this app to find vegan foods and other eco travellers who are conscious about the environment just like you.
Available on both Apple and Android devices.
For more info, check here.
Refilling To Reducing Plastic: Closca Water
Refilling our water bottles and not buying new ones while travelling could be listed as the oldest by the book example of travelling sustainably. However, one major problem that can occur here, is the lack of knowledge as to where one can refill their bottles from while travelling to an unknown destination. Closca Water is trying to bridge this gap by providing an in-app map showing the nearest clean water refilling spot that can be used by travellers. The app is appreciative of the users and rewards amazon gift cards for not purchasing a plastic bottle.
Available on Apple and Android devices.
For more info, check here.
Creating A Carbon Balance: Klima
Klima is the app created to restore the balance between our carbon emissions and their neutralization strategies. The app calculates your carbon footprint based on how much you travel, what you eat, and all other lifestyle preferences, and then provides neutralising options such as planting trees and shifting to renewable energy. It works on a monthly subscription model and the lesser your carbon footprint, the lesser you pay. By owning a subscription, we become responsible for our lifestyle and travel choices and try to take neutralization actions for the same.
Available on Android devices.
For more info, check here.
Jog It Off: Strava
Sustainable travel is not only limited to the problem of emissions by taking those long hour flights but it also has a lot to do with how you commute within a new city. Strava is an app that promotes activities like running, hiking, cycling, skateboarding and swimming. The app provides routes for all the race tracks, hiking or jogging trails as well as routes for walking and cycling created by the community of users. You can create your own routes as well if you find new ones and share them with other travellers.
Available on both Apple and Android devices.
For more info, check here.
Share It, Rent It, Return It: BlaBlaCar and SmartBike
Sharing can be the truest form of caring for nature. In many cities, walking or hiking may not be feasible and one might need a bike or car to commute. Hence, apps like BlaBlaCar and SmartBikes allow users to reuse these modes of transport. While BlaBlaCar is a carpooling app that reduces the fuel consumption per head, SmartBike is a city-run chain of bicycles and two-wheelers that can be rented from the owners and returned or re-rented to other travellers. Making these little steps towards conscious travel can lead to long term changes over time.
Both apps are available on both Apple and Android devices.
Browsing Made EcoFriendly: Ecosia
While travelling, we search for a hundred different things from the best place to eat to shopping markets near us. What if with each search, we could contribute to the planting of a tree? Ecosia is a search engine that tries to save the planet by providing 100 per cent of its proceeds to climate change research, out of which 80 per cent is directly used to plant trees. It is the easiest way to be eco-friendly on a vacation or otherwise.
Available on both Apple and Android devices.
For more info, check here.
