Green apps make your shopping experience greener

I’m a total shopping addict – especially in the summer. There’s absolutely nothing better when the sun shining down on me makes me forget about the past week of torrential downpours. (Living in New England has taught me to appreciate sunshine when I get it!).I love taking strolls down boutique-filled streets while casually sipping on my French roast in the morning.

Although I normally feel guilty after my weekend splurges, I’ve found a way to not feel so bad about that dent in my bank account. In a world of growing technology, a few companies have developed smart phone applications that help our shopping experiences be more and eco (and wallet) friendly.

Find Green

The Find Green app locates green businesses around your area. Users can submit, rate, and review their favorite green businesses and receive deals and coupons to various participating shops. In case you’ve found a green shop you’d like to visit, but haven’t been there before, Find Green also provides users with turn by turn directions to the desired destination.

• Available for iPhone and Android smart phones from 3rd Whale Mobile
• Cost: Free

GoodGuide

The GoodGuide app helps you find sustainable products while you shop. Users can scan product barcodes or do a quick product search to find ratings for health, environment, and social responsibility reports for the particular products. The GoodGuide quickly pulls all the information you need to make your environmentally conscious shopping decisions.

• Availble for iPhone and Android from GoodGuide.com
• Cost: Free

CardStar

If you’re like me, you have one or more plastic reward cards dangling from your keychain. With the CardStar app, you can consolidate all your membership and rewards cards on your smart phone. You can get rid of all the dangling plastic on your keychain and pull up your reward cards when you need them at the store. Deals and coupons are also offered through the app.

• Available for iPhone, Andriod and Blackberry from MyCardStar.com
• Cost: Free

Peekaboo Mobile

Peekaboo Mobile uses the GPS in your smart phone to locate deals around you. The application strives to eliminate paper waste from unused coupons. Users simply launch the application, choose and redeem deals from everything as boutiques to restaurants straight from their smart phones.

• Available for: iPhone, Andriod and Blackberry from PeekabooMobile.com
• Cost: Free

ShopGreen

ShopGreen rewards users with coupons for tracking their green efforts. The more points a user earns through completing green tasks, the more deals a user receives – a great incentive to be more environmentally aware! The application also has daily tips and suggestions for leading a greener lifestyle.

• Available for iPhone, Android and Blackberry
• Cost: $0.99

What green apps do you use?

Michelle Moore is an intern at Mom Central Consulting.