Trying to remember which fish and shellfish contains high levels of mercury – and how often it’s safe to eat these hard-to-resist favorite foods – can be difficult. It’s tough to remember specifics about which foods are healthy and sustainable, not to mention which companies match your values in terms of their business practices.
Here are six “do-good” mobile apps to help you make well-informed decisions about the food you eat, the companies you support and even how to get rid of belongings you don’t need in a socially responsible way.
1) GoodGuide:
If you’re wondering if a food product is as healthy as you might hope, and if it was produced by a company with transparent business practices, you can use this app while shopping at the grocery store. To help you make your decision, scan the product to access health, environment and social ratings; information is available for over 30,000 food products. You can also use the app to find healthier alternatives to your less-than-healthy favorites.
2) Social Impact:
To find restaurants, coffee shops, artisan stores and other companies that are socially responsible-anywhere in the world-the Social Impact app will use the GPS feature your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to display nearby retail social enterprises and green businesses. Now you won’t have to worry about the values behind the businesses you support when you’re traveling and away from businesses that you’ve already vetted.
3) Givium:
If you’re getting rid of unwanted household items and want to donate the items to a cause that resonates with your values, you can use the Givium app to take images of your belongings, list them for sale, and also purchase well-cared for items. Use the app to find the charity that you’d like to support, and feel good that cleaning out your closet or storage unit will benefit a family or organization in need.
4) Cruelty-Free:
Make sure the companies you’re supporting are cruelty-free with this shopping app that allows you to look up household products, cosmetics, and personal care items. Over 200 companies that don’t test products on animal are included, and you can browse companies by product categories or alphabetically.
5) Free2Work:
A project of Not for Sale, a nonprofit organization that combats human trafficking, this app lets you can scan a product barcode to access a rating of the manufacturer’s track record on human rights and other labor issues. Learn the story behind the barcode and make sure the companies you’re supporting are transparent.
6) Seafood Watch:
Get help choosing sustainable, healthy and ocean friendly seafood at your favorite restaurants and stores with this app from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. See which seafood received a “Best Choice,” “Good Alternative” or “Avoid” ranking before you decide what to feed your family. The app includes information about which kinds of seafood should be wild-caught or farmed, and you can contribute to the app by adding the names of restaurants and businesses where you’ve found sustainable seafood.
What apps have you found that help you make well-informed decisions while also organizing your life?
Garret Stembridge is part of the team at Extra Space Storage, a leading provider of self-storage facilities. Garret often writes about sustainable practices for homes and for businesses. Many Extra Space Storage locations, including several in Orlando, have been retrofitted to reduce energy consumption.