Geek and Green: GoodGuide’s new Iphone app to scan products & get product info on the spot

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:22:36 +0000

Few months ago on Sustainability Conversations, I have written about the GoodGuide, a website in the U.S. which rates consumer products based on their health, environmental and social impacts (by looking at the performance of the products – ingredients, toxicity with carcinogens for instance – and the companies / manufacturers themselves – i.e. climate change policies, labour concerns, etc.) A great website and initiative, which illustrates the blurring lines between corporate reputation and brand equity with the rise of ecopowered consumers in the digital age.

This was without GoodGuide’s latest innovation, which makes it an even more powerful concept: thanks to a newly developed Iphone application (which is free!!), consumers can scan a barcode in the supermarket aisle and immediately see detailed and independently researched ratings for health, environment and social responsibility for over 62,000 products and companies right on the phone.

The presence of too many eco-labels, their complexity, and the inability to discern what’s authentic from what is not are often mentioned as the main barriers to consumer’s ‘ecopowerment’.

Well, now it seems that this application can make it easier. Helping consumers make informed decisions, real time, and all the time. Everywhere, anywhere. This will have major implications for retailers and brands.

Definitely a trend to watch. To download the app., click here.

Credits Image: GoodGuide

Sources: Treehugger

Geek & Green :: ECOBOT, a carbon calculator application

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:45:54 +0000

While reading Ad Age’s latest Creativity Online newsletter, I came across this innovative, free and open-source Adobe AIR application called ECOBOT that calculates your carbon footprint by automatically measuring the fuel, power, and paper you use. For instance, the app. calculates your fuel consumption by automatically detecting where you’ve traveled with your laptop by keeping track of the wireless networks you access. Of course, the calculator then suggests you ways to reduce your footprint or how to buy carbon credits or offset yourself.

This is definitely a very cool and smart application with great potential.

The application was developed by TAXI, an advertising & marketing agency in Canada, as a result of a company-wide eco-challenge called “Green for Green”, which encouraged all TAXI employees to submit ideas on how to help TAXI be greener and help the society at large.

You can download the application here. However, as of today, it is in Beta and only available for Mac.

For sure, this application makes me think about all possible applications that can be developed for the IPhone, are you using any carbon calculator on your IPhone? Any that you recommend?

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Geek and Green: GoodGuide’s new Iphone app to scan products & get product info on the spot

Geek & Green :: ECOBOT, a carbon calculator application