Tech to Help Green Your Shopping Spree

Most people think that consumerism is the enemy of environmentalism. And while there may be some truth in that statement, there’s no reason folks can’t be green while spending some green. Read on for a list of handy tips to lessen your shoe purchase’s carbon footprint.

Shop Smarter

Seek out sustainable products by using the GoodGuide iPhone app and text message alert system. The app lets users scan products’ barcodes with a smart phone and gain access to detailed information on the item’s health, environmental and social responsibility attributes. GoodGuide currently holds stats on 65,000 products and adds thousands of goods to the database every month. Be sure to download the app to help you choose the greenest personal care products, household items, toys and food.

Organize Shopping Trips

Scads of shoppers hit up malls, outlets and grocery stores every day. And in many cases, those consumers make that trip alone. Save money and gas by organizing carpools to commute to shopping centers. If you don’t know anyone looking to go on a shopping spree, fear not: A bunch of user-friendly iPhone apps and Web-based services make it easy to arrange car-shares. Find other local, mall-bound shoppers by using sites like CarpoolConnect.com, NuRide.com, ERideShare.com, CommuterLink.com and ZimRide.com. Or, try iPhone apps like Avego and Carticipate, which also match drivers with folks looking to hitch a ride.

Paper-Free Coupons

Everyone loves a discount, but obtaining paper coupons results in quite a bit of tree death and chemical use. Instead, try using paperless, mobile coupons like those offered by Coupon Sherpa. The site provides exclusive and internet coupons for deals on jewelry, clothing, shoes, sporting goods and more. Download mobile coupons by using Coupon Sherpa’s iPhone app. The app allows users to display coupon barcodes right on their phones so cashiers don’t need to scan paper coupons. Coupon Sherpa offers new discounts daily to hundreds of stores.

Sarah Parsons

Sarah Parsons is a freelance writer and editor living in New York City. After learning about deforestation of the rainforest at seven years old, she wrote a strong-worded letter to President H.W. Bush complete with a drawing depicting the plight of homeless gorillas. It was then that her future as an environmentalist became clear. After graduating from Syracuse, she moved to New York and began her career as an environmental journalist. Over the past three years, she’s written about everything from endangered golden lion tamarins to the economic costs associated with unabated climate change. In addition to covering energy and technology for Inhabitat, Sarah has also written for Plenty, Popular Science, Audubon and OnEarth.