Top 5 recycling apps you need to download
We’ve all done it: you have something in your hand and you have no idea if it can be recycled, so you chuck it in with your general waste to go to landfill. Maybe it’s a lack of information, the fear of recycling contamination, or sometimes just pure laziness that makes it easier for us to bin it and forget about it. Does that sound like you?
We all know we can do more when it comes to reducing the impact our waste has on the environment, but it can be hard to know where to begin. Well, now there is no excuse – we have compiled five recycling apps you can download and start practicing better habits.
Horizon – Reduce plastic waste
The UK’s leading recycling app encourages you to make small changes to have a big impact. Horizon is extremely user-friendly – simply scan a barcode on a product, and it will tell you whether the packaging can be recycled, composted or reused. You can even gain points for reducing your plastic and recycling, as well as get discounts on sustainable products and local businesses.
Its community is vitally important to its goals, with members sharing packaging data so the app can tell you exactly what you can – and cannot – recycle in your area. So far, Horizon has helped its users to recycle over 20,000 products, saving 1,597g of CO2 emissions. It’s free to use, so get scanning!
OLIO
OLIO connects you with local businesses and neighbours so surplus food can be shared and enjoyed, rather than thrown away. Whether it’s nearing its sell-by date in a shop, or a neighbour is going away for a few days, or you’ve some spare home-grown vegetables, OLIO allows you to save your tasty wares from the food bin (or worse…).
With over 4 million users and 34 million portions of food shared, OLIO has big ambitions for hyper-local sharing networks, creating a world where nothing of value goes to waste and everyone has enough to eat – all while helping to protect the planet.
Read: Our top 5 food waste apps
Too Good To Go
Another way to combat food waste - Too Good To Go is also on a mission to save perfectly good surplus food from being thrown away. Download the app, find a local store or business and receive a surprise package of delicious delights.
47.6 million people around the world have already saved food through Too Good To Go, which has over 124k cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries and hotels on board to offer their leftover supplies. The company believes strongly that when we all come together to fight food waste, we can create a positive change in our society.
reGAIN
This one is good after a wardrobe clear-out – working with the British Red Cross, reGAIN encourages you to recycle your unwanted items in return for discount coupons. According to reGAIN, 50 trailers of clothes are deposited in landfill in the UK every day. Some garments will even take up to 50 years to decompose!
With reGAIN, users can simultaneously raise money for charity and protect the planet – and receive an incentive for doing so, saving you money on clothing, household goods, or even travel. Just pack up your items, ship them or drop them at a collection point, and do some good for the world, charity, and your bank account too.
Freegle
If you’re looking to declutter your house of unwanted items, Freegle is a handy app to help your stuff find new loving homes! Simply upload some images and write a small description, and wait to hear from interested parties. You can even put out a wanted request if there’s an item you are looking for that you’re happy to have second-hand.
Freegle describes itself as online dating for stuff – so why not download and get tapping? Maybe you’ll find the chair of your dreams, or give away a perfectly good bike to a new owner who will give it the love it deserves.
Now you don’t have any excuses for not recycling your unwanted items! The power to make a difference is literally in your hands, so don’t wait until tomorrow or next week, make that difference today. At Toucan we’re here to make that leap a little easier for you; download our app and you’ll have an accessible way to find charities dedicated to reducing plastic consumption, fighting food waste, and giving old clothes and furniture a second life all in one place. Go on, give it a go.
