8 apps for a less impactful life in London

Let’s be honest, we spend an awful lot of time on our phones so why not use technology to your advantage and help save the world? We all want to make changes to our lifestyle to reduce the impact we have on the environment but it can be quite daunting to know where to start. Thanks to our smartphones, we can access all the information we need to make a green lifestyle just that little bit easier.

The apps below are the ones I use the most and couldn’t recommend enough.

Too Good To Go and Karma

The problem is simple: too much food is being thrown away. It happens at stores and in households, from fresh sandwiches sitting in rubbish bags behind cafes, to uneaten vegetables tipped into bins at home. It’s all delicious, made to be enjoyed – but it’s getting wasted instead. 

With either Too Good To Go or Karma, you can rescue unsold food that would otherwise be thrown away. Restaurants, cafes and grocery stores post items that are approaching the end of their life and you can pick them up at a discounted price. Karma also offers produce boxes filled with fruit and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste because of their looks – they can be too big, small or misshapen, but they’re all perfectly delicious. Click HERE for the Karma app and HERE for the Too Good to Go app.

OLIO

Super easy to use, OLIO connects neighbours so surplus food can be shared, rather than thrown away. We use this every time we go away and have food left in the fridge.

To make an item available, simply add a photo, description, and when and where the item is available for pick-up. To find items, simply browse the listings available near you, request whatever takes your fancy and arrange a pick-up via private messaging.

Good On You

We love clothes. But there are some skeletons in the closet that can’t be hidden. The global fashion industry has a huge problem with pollution, waste and human rights abuses. With the Good On You app, you can discover the very best fashion from around the world and learn everything you need to know about ethical and sustainable fashion.

The app rates thousands of clothing, footwear and accessory brands on their impact on labour, the environment and animals to help you make an informed choice when buying new clothes.

reGain

ReGAIN came up with a solution to one of the largest environmental problems fast fashion is creating – vast amount of post-consumer textiles becoming waste. Instead of throwing unwanted clothes away, reGAIN wants you to recycle your old and used clothes, and they give you money off coupons to say thanks. It’s the modern day equivalent of the charity shop.

To get your mitts on the discounts you need a minimum of ten items to donate. Package up the items and print off a free shipping label. Then leave the package at a local drop off point. reGAIN will sort through the clothes and recycle what they can. If there is no hope for an item then it is sent to a waste-to-energy plant to produce electricity, some of which will go to generate new clothes – it’s the circular economy in action.

NatureHub

NatureHub is a community of environmentally sustainable individuals who aim to create a paradigm shift in the way people think about their lives. The focus of this community-driven platform is to help you can discover all sorts of ethical and sustainable small businesses near you ranging from zero-waste stores to yoga studios.

It’s a brilliant tool for parents like us, who don’t want anything toxic around your children. With NatureHub, you can support your conscious approach to food, household supplies, toys – and connect with parents who shares your values.

Giki

Helps you make sure that your grocery shop is as sustainable as possible. They have awarded thousands of products various badges based on their eco credentials and the general idea is the more badges a product has, the better.

On the Giki app, just scan the barcode, see which badges the product wins, and check out the alternatives for new ideas. When you use it frequently, you can track, understand and reduce your footprint on the planet, and celebrate your  successes with just a few steps a week. We can all make a difference, one step at a time.

Refill

If just one in ten Brits refilled once a week, we’d have 340 million less plastic bottles a year in circulation!

Refill is a super simple but VERY useful one! If you need a top up for your reusable water bottle (that you have with you at all times right?) then you can quickly find a place to refill it using this app. It’s perfect if you don’t like asking for water from random shop owners.

If you think an app is worthy of an entry, let me know in the comments.

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Hi! I’m Beatrice and I created The Fair Edit from a mutual love of lifestyle, and of life. Combining my devotion to ethical and sustainable practices with fashion and style.

Seeking out fashion that supports sustainability and fair trade, philanthropy, green travel and cruelty free beauty, The Fair Edit is a paragon of meaningful lifestyle tips.

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