We’re often caught in situations where we think of giving back to our immediate surroundings or at least, have this innate desire to be aware of the environmental changes that affect the globe.
Yet many of us don’t quite know where to start. Technology comes to the aid of such people, doing its bit to bridge this gap. Ahead of World Environment Day on June 5, we take a look at some websites and apps that take us a step closer in this initiative and staying connected with our immediate environment.
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An app-cum-website, named after an NGO that facilitates plantation and environmental projects across the country, helps mobile users to plant a sapling by paying just Rs 149. Interestingly, there’s an option to donate a plant of your choice based on your zodiac sign. They are currently working on projects including Green Deccan (to promote greenery and horticulture in Talupula mandal, Anantapur), Protect Himalayas (to promote environmental awareness, check soil erosion around Uttarakhand), Enrich Biodiversity (in Takari village, Maharashtra), Green Thar (in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan) and Green Leh Ladakh. For every sapling you pay for, there’s a ‘My Forest’ option that visually showcases the difference you make.
Green Car
The first and the largest carpooling NGO in the country, Green Car brings together car owners and travellers across India and lets them coordinate their travel needs.
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The website-based service is a direct C2C service sans a third-party, that has two options, ‘Post your ride’ and ‘Find your ride’ offering time-bound carpooling solutions to its users, with various riding and budget sharing options.
Earth Now
An app officiated by NASA, it makes use of an instrument (that collects infrared imagery and measurements of land, atmosphere and oceans) in an orbiting spacecraft to deliver information on various factors (air temperature, ozone, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sea levels, water vapour) across every area on the earth. No particular technical knowhow is required here, as the app loads the images of the parameters across the earth each time you open it and procures the details with the respective units.
WWF Together
Do you know there are 400 types of sharks or that polar bears have the ability to swim over 426 miles? That the rhino’s skin is two inches thick? More such facts welcome you as you hold on your nerves for an elaborate installation time to download WWF Together, an interactive mobile app that’s equipped with interesting information about endangered species around the world. From being able to take a virtual selfie with the species, and games that don’t force feed information and well-researched facts, WWF Together does make you more aware of the threats surrounding their existence and how you could do your bit to help too.
Swacch Paryatan
Think twice before you despair that nothing can be done to maintain our historical monuments in good shape. Among the better aspects of the Swacch Bharat initiative, this app, jointly maintained by the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Culture, lets you capture the filth accumulated in several monuments and notify about it to the immediate nodal officer for swift action. Launched only four months ago, the historical site-list in the app currently includes 25 heritage monuments including Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Humayun’s Tomb, Qutab Minar and Red Fort. More such sites are expected to be added in the near future. The app does have its pitfalls with regard to text detection, but we are not making a fuss about that.