Nowadays it seems we turn to our phones for pretty much everything. We socialise, we read the news, we play games, we take pictures and now we can begin to educate ourselves further about energy saving. Below we have highlighted the top 7 energy saving apps that you can download to help you monitor your energy use, use to get tips on how to be more efficient and to track other people’s usage in a Watchdog type way… Sound fun, read on.
One of the most obvious features about energy saving and the future in the UK is education. Educating our population on simple changes they can be making to save energy is key, that and participation. With mobile apps paving the way for the future of self-education, it was only a matter of time before energy saving apps joined the iTunes and Google Play worlds. Here are some of our favourites:
Mathtappers
This is a great one for children, parents and teachers. Its simple design informs users about how much energy they use on menial everyday tasks like showering, eating food and transport. The app compiles a chart to show them their daily usage and users can share this on Facebook. It is great for helping users understand their personal impact on the environment with things they probably didn’t associate with energy. http://www.mathtappers.com/
Energy Smart
This app is bought to you by British Gas and steps it up a little from the Mathtappers app. This app shows you how much energy you will have wasted leaving your phone charger plugged in all the time or how much energy leaving the heating on all night burns up. The aim of the app is to show you how much you are using and the small changes you can begin to make to save energy and save money on your bills. Ideal for homeowners and tenants alike, this will help you begin to save. http://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/gas-and-electricity/energysmart.html
Commute Greener
This app is designed for commuters to calculate their CO2 emissions during their daily commute. It is compatible will all types of commute from cars, buses, trains, bicycles and other means of transport. This app helps you plan and set goals for your future CO2 emissions and also allows you to challenge friends and family to beat your score. Great for those competitive, environmentally-aware souls out there. http://www.commutegreener.com/
Climate Counts
Each company is ranked in this app by how well they are responding to climate change and what action they are taking to reduce energy usage. By using this app you can select the higher scorers and give them credit for being environmentally aware. You can also message lower scorers and encourage them to start making changes too. http://www.climatecounts.org/
AlertMe Map
This app will either make your inner nosey neighbour smile or make you quiver with privacy issues. This app allows you to see the people in your area who aren’t making a responsible effort to reduce their carbon emissions. You will be able to find out stats on how much money houses spend on electricity and gas and how much carbon this releases into the atmosphere. It also shows you how your area ranks in comparison to other boroughs in the country. https://www.alertme.com/
Chasing Ice
This is both a beautiful app and terrifying app. It is based on the documentary film Chasing Ice and shows footage from the time-lapse camera that captured a multi-yer record of the world’s changing glaciers. The video takes years of footage and compresses it in to seconds showing the worrying rate at which the glaciers depreciate. James Balog’s photography is stunning; the underlying issues behind his work is very concerning.
Voodoo Skies
Finally, this apps is like a miniature time machine on your phone. You can compare the weather forecast in your area with weather from previous years. It can compare the temperature in your area to previous trends, temperatures and patterns and will tell you whether the current weather is a result of climate change or not. Voodoo Skies
What phone apps do you use to monitor your energy usage? Have you used any of the above apps? Did you find them helpful and inspiring? Tell us more below.
