PaperlessKitchen Blog

Great Apps and Programs to Help You Go Paperless

 Smart phones and tablet computers have made it easier than ever to make many aspects of your daily life completely paperless. I'm always on the hunt for ways that I can stop writing things down and use my handheld devices and laptop instead. Here's a rundown on some of my best finds for specific tasks that I used to use paper for. 

For Your To Do Lists

While there are many apps and programs for list keeping, my personal favorite is TeuxDeux. This unique program can be used in your web browser on your computer and is also available in the App Store for Apple products. TeuxDeux gives you a calendar that allows you to enter tasks, cross them off and move them from day to day. With the browser-based version, your information is saved, so that you can access it across multiple computers and devices.

For Your Notes to Self

Among the many note-taking programs out there, Evernote is by far my favorite. The free program allows you to save information easily and share it across all types of devices. You can download Evernote for use on your computer and purchase apps for iOs and Android devices.

For Your Shopping Lists

Grocery iQ has become an indispensable part of my grocery shopping. You can use the program to create online shopping lists, share your lists, find coupons and much more. In addition to the web app, there are also versions for Apple and Android smart phones and tablets.

EcoChallenge App Review

I first saw EcoChallenge mentioned on my Facebook feed when I read a status update that said a friend of mine had completed a challenge. Used to seeing updates from FarmVille, Sorority Life and a host of other games that I'm not particularly interested in, I didn't pay much attention to the update and continued scrolling down the page.

A month or two later, when I was having dinner with the friend in question, he dazzled me with an eco fact that I had never heard before. When I asked where he learned it, he told me Eco Challenge, and I then inquired as to whether it was a green trivia game or something of that nature. With a laugh, he went onto explain the purpose of this unique app developed by a team at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam in Germany. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try. Here's a summary of my experiences and some background about the app:

The Basics

- Available for Phone, iPod touch and iPad models with iOS 3.0 or later. As of the date of this post, there is no version available for Android devices

- Free to purchase from the App Store 

- Offers English and German versions

 Features

- Provides environmental facts around a specific green theme with topics changing weekly

- Includes a calculator that allows you to determine your own personal contribution to a specific environmental issue

- Offers two challenges that can allow you to make a change in your lifestyle and help with the week's eco concern

- Allows you to share your progress with friends on social media and complete challenges together

The Takeaway

Reducing your eco-footprint can be overwhelming. Sometimes, I feel like the little changes that I can make couldn't possibly help, but EcoChallenge makes the change that I can affect very tangible. For instance, the calculator showed me how much carbon dioxide the non-organic cotton in my closet had released into the environment. Once I saw the number, I was anxious to do better, and the challenges immediately made it possible for me to do so.

For each challenge, the app gives handy tips that help ensure your success, and the social media capabilities make the challenge more fun. Even if you can't commit to taking a weekly challenge, the app allows you to participate in the green tasks whenever you're able, making going green a little bit easier.

Good Guide App: Grocery Aisle Road Test

For me, one of the biggest challenges to going green and leading a healthier life is trying to decide what items to buy when I’m in stores. As I push my cart up and down the aisle at the local market, I find myself looking helplessly between the items on the shelf, trying to decide which is the better choice for the planet and my body. I know that there are dramatic differences in the safety and eco-friendliness of even natural and organic products, so often I find myself just hoping for the best and selecting whichever product has the most convincing spiel on its label.

The Good Guide App was developed with uncertain, yet green-eager shoppers like me in mind. I had read about its features in the “New York Times,” so I was anxious to try out this app. To give it a thorough test, I took it along on a recent shopping trip. Here’s a brief summary of the app and the results of my “grocery aisle road test.”

The Basics

- Works with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad products with iOS 4.0 or later and with all Android products with Android 2.1 and up

- Free purchase from https://itunes.apple.com/app/goodguide/id294447660?ign-mpt=uo%3D6&mt=8 for Apple products or https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goodguide.android.app for Android products

- Only available in English

Features

- Allows you to scan bar codes on any item. The app then searches through a database and displays information about products.

- Rates products on a scale from 1 to 10, assigning scores for their effects on health, the environment and society as well as an overall quality score. The products are rated by the Good Guide based on ingredients lists and public financial information.

- Provides ratings on personal care products, household cleaners, food, pet food, paper products, cars, cell phones, appliances and apparel. In addition to scanning bar codes, you can also browse a category to see all of the rated products.

- Has additional features like product lists and online shopping capabilities

The Takeaway

My feelings about the Good Guide are mixed, and I think that how useful the guide is will depend largely on where you're shopping and what you're shopping for. As an example, I scanned Lysol and instantly saw that the product had only a fair rating. With the touch of a button, I was able to see alternatives to the product, one of which was conveniently positioned just one shelf over. It was easy, green shopping success.

I had a much different experience when I tried to scan both a bottle of olive oil and a Hershey's chocolate bar. The olive oil came up with a different company name at the top. From reading the information about the ratings, I wasn't convinced that I was actually reading about the olive oil at all. There were also no recommended products. I was confused and not confident enough in the information to use the app to help me select the brand of olive oil I purchased.

With the chocolate bar, the product wasn't found. I decided to just look in the snacks section for suggestions, and almost all of the products shown there were not available at this particular market. In fact, most of them I had never heard of before. I could have used the app to purchase one of the bars online, but that wouldn't satisfy my spontaneous chocolate craving.

For those in major cities with a wide variety of shopping options, the Good Guide App is likely a very helpful tool. If you’re limited in your shopping choices or in a more rural area, you may not find the app as useful if you want to do all of your shopping in a store. Still, the app can help anyone make small changes that can enhance their green lifestyle.