Green Apps to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
There really is an app for everything these days. Some ideas are fun, some are rather inane. Some are incredibly useful. Apps these days can even 
help you go green more effectively. Check out these green apps for iPhone and Android to reduce your carbon footprint and live more sustainably.
Alternative Fuel Locators
Whether you’ve just upgraded to an alternative fuel car or are in a new area, these handy apps help you locate gas stations with alternative fuels.
Alternative Fueling Station Locator (iOS, free): Find stations with E85, electricity, natural gas, hydrogen, biodiesel and propane. Search within a 30-mile radius and use filters to find exactly what you need. Information comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center.
Alternative Fuel Finder (Android, $2.99): Again, you can find E85, electric, biodiesel, natural gas, propane, and hydrogen fuels. Information also comes from the Alternative Fuels Data Center, but users can submit information about the station, which is verified by publisher MapMuse.
Gas Mileage Trackers
Improving your car’s fuel economy benefits the environment and creates cost savings for you. These handy apps help you track that mileage and many other details about your car besides.
Gas Cubby (iOS, free/$1.99): Gas Cubby helps you track your gas mileage, fuel costs, and maintenance schedules with charts and even downloadable reports. The app even supports multiple vehicles and customizable alerts. Gas Cubby has a free sponsored version and a paid version with no ads, so take your pick.
FuelLog (Android, free/$2.59): Track your gas mileage and fuel consumption as well as other expenses. The app supports multiple cars and you can download your expense reports. The paid version the app adds more features, including
Green Living Tips
So you’re committed to going green, but maybe not sure about the little things you can do to make a difference. These apps will give you suggestions for way to make your lifestyle more sustainable.
GreenGenie (iOS, free): Green Genie has a fair share of accolades, and it’s no surprise why. In addition to green living tips, GreenGenie suggests projects that you can undertake and provides resources. It was developed with the input of a LEED accredited professional and a sustainability consultant.
GreenTips (Android, free): This app provides green tips suggested by the European Environment Agency, with suggestions for environmental friendliness around the house, water usage, air pollution and more.
GoodGuide (iOS/Android, free)
This handy app is available on both iOS and Android, and it’s free for both. Its goal is simple: help you find the most environmentally responsible products based on scientific ratings that assess the environmental, health, and social effects. GoodGuide’s database consists of more than 200,000 products from a variety of industries.
Energy Use Trackers
Home energy use is a major contributor to our carbon footprint as well as a major expense. Energy use trackers help you monitor ways to cut your costs and reduce the effect you have on the environment.
Green Outlet (iOS, $0.99): Green Outlet will help you estimate your monthly electricity bill and point out which appliances are using the most energy based on how frequently you use them. It’ll even give you an alert when you exceed your recommended carbon usage.
Electricity Calculator (Android, free): Electricty Calculator helps you better understand your appliance’s energy usage and the operating costs. You can even use the app to calculate lifetime savings for upgrading to more energy-efficient appliances and the breakeven point.
What are your favorite green apps and tools? Tell us about them!
