Green Group discussion
How To Make A Difference ?
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Apps to share environmental data
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As I recall, I think I found out about this one via the Racing Extinction Challenge. It's a mobile app put out by the Monterey Bay Aquarium providing a guide to sustainable seafood called Seafood Watch. It helps you find restaurants and stores near you that serve "ocean-friendly" seafood choices.
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https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.ph...
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These real world observations will help tie in with the work of the module observing plant habitats.
Other observations which can be made include temperatures and even locations of mosquito larvae sites.
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.ph...
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.ph...
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Keen birders use this app to track which birds they see when and where. This also helps scientists to observe bird migration, rarities and population movements, as the data you store is visible to the birding community.
I find this one tough to get to grips with, because it wants to know when and where exactly I saw a bird. So I can't just build a life list or say when in Arizona on holiday I spotted a road runner; the app wants to have me fill out which road I was on, what exact date, whether I was near any wildlife parks.
I might be stuck recording my own garden.
Others clearly manage to use this so here is the link:
https://ebird.org/home
Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World
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https://www.theguardian.com/sustainab...
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"You can choose between future scenarios such as "Make No Change," which conjures a dystopian vision of crumbling buildings and rising sea levels, or "Be the Change," where power-generating wind turbines spin in the distance and fish and manatees swim in a clean ocean."
https://www.ecowatch.com/street-art-c...
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Generally you charge the watch part from a flashdrive or Universal Serial Bus port.
I am on my second fitness watch as the bracelet for the first one broke and I could not get a replacement. The new watch is a different brand and the bracelet is made from silicone this time, I am assured (by the sports shop) it should last.
The app is usually free to download and there are now generic free apps for Android phones. I find this a good way to be more conscious of my walking and I may be inspired to walk instead of driving. Or take the stairs instead of a lift.
Some newer versions are promising to monitor heart and blood pressure; you can also see calories burned. For me the handy part is that the watch lets me know about an incoming call or text on my phone.
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https://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys...
Log sightings using phone GPS and compile life lists and local lists, as far as I can tell.
An alert will let you know if the sighting is unexpected for location or numbers, like a count of 500 instead of 50.
When you upload to the site, of course you are sharing data. You can see how many of a species, say grey heron, have been reported this year compared to last year.
Works with various phones.
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https://www.ecowatch.com/world-food-d...
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Many chapters are followed by a list of suggested apps on the chapter's topic.
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https://gizmodo.com/these-birders-flo...
Clare wrote: "E-bird is a famous app from Cornell University. Keen birders use this app to track which birds they see when and where. This also helps scientists to observe bird migration, rarities and populatio..."
I absolutely love eBird! You can use the app on your phone to add lists while away from the house. The website is also great for researching species and hotspots. I love their migration forecasts and migration clips.
Candice 🦉
Another fun app/website is iNaturalist. You can take a picture with your phone and find out what you’re looking at. I like to use it with plants and insects, mainly. It’s possible to upload pictures of birds, and other far away critters. I’m not sure about the global coverage, but I have used it extensively in the states and a bit in Canada.https://www.inaturalist.org/
Citizen science rocks!
Candice
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One Save a Day.
https://www.ecowatch.com/ecowatch-liv...
Candice wrote: "Another fun app/website is iNaturalist. You can take a picture with your phone and find out what you’re looking at. I like to use it with plants and insects, mainly. It’s possible to upload picture..."This one's great. I used it before in British Columbia and now am moving to Halifax with a real back yard, which already has lots of native plants and animals and insects. I reinstalled this app to start cataloguing stuff in the yard, plus when we're out hiking.
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Play a game while you are at it.
https://earther.gizmodo.com/help-nasa...
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"A comprehensive analysis on the total number of obsolete dams in Europe has yet to be completed. However, we can all now help to map them. The AMBER (Adaptive Management of Barriers in European Rivers) project works to apply adaptive management to the operation of European dams and barriers, boosting river connectivity and mitigating the impact of habitat fragmentation. AMBER’s handy #LetItFlow app lets Europeans become citizen scientists as they help to map all of the barriers in European rivers."
https://portal.amber.international/
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https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/gardeni...
More of them!
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/helpful...
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The handy Make Use Of site has compared Bing search and Google lens, which have many other uses. The site then looked at apps specifically for plant ID both sharing to a community and not. They all depend upon taking a photo with your phone, and the photo is stored in your collection. The more you use these apps, the better the system gets at identifying for everyone.
The downside is that the more specific apps are often just for iphone.
Upgrades to pay apps are available, and even just the instructions on using the free search engine apps are helpful.
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/identif...
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"Made by the wizards at Omni Calculator, the Plastic Footprint Calculator determines your annual plastic consumption by asking a series of questions. You might be shocked by how much plastic waste you're generating by yourself or in your household.
"My Little Plastic Footprint (MLPF) is a free mobile app to assess how your daily habits affect your plastic consumption, and how you can change it. The app encourages you to change bad plastic habits in small steps by pointing out every possible plastic waste in your house.
"Plastic usage is a habit and we've seen how micro-challenges change bad habits. Plastic Free July is a 30-day challenge to reduce one type of plastic usage at a time. Don't go by the monthly name, you can start at any time, and even change the length from a week to a year."
The other two are a blog and a diary.
https://www.makeuseof.com/sustainabil...
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"An innovative app to survey insect populations is launched today by Kent Wildlife Trust with insect charity Buglife. The user-friendly Bugs Matter app brings meaningful citizen science to the pockets of thousands and will help wildlife organisations better understand how our insect populations are faring.
Smartphone users can take part by downloading the free Bugs Matter app from their app stores. The concept is simple; before making a usual or necessary journey in a vehicle, clean the number plate. When you reach your destination count the bugs squashed on the number plate using a ‘splatometer’ grid, which will get posted to you when you download the app. A photo and details are then submitted. You don’t even need to be the driver of the vehicle you are travelling in (though you will need their permission).
The survey, which was originally developed by the RSPB in 2004 is based on the ‘windscreen phenomenon,’ a term given to the observation that people tend to find fewer insects squashed on the windscreens of their cars compared to several decades ago. Kent Wildlife Trust's previous survey in 2019 found 50% fewer bugs than in 2004.
There is growing evidence of insect decline on a global scale, caused by habitat loss and pesticides. The consequences are potentially catastrophic for the integrity of our ecosystems, the future survival of other wildlife and the pollination of crops. "
https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/...
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Make Use Of show us five phone apps specifically for identifying trees. Some are only for iPhone and some cost money, other work on Android and are free.
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Not on NG or Goodreads yet.
Chasing Bats and Tracking Rats.
Urban Ecology, Community Science, and How We Share Our Cities
by Cylita Guy
Annick Press Ltd.
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https://www.makeuseof.com/help-the-pl...
https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Ecosia on the store for Android.
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https://www.rte.ie/news/newslens/2021...
"One of the largest collections of rare marine fossils anywhere in the UK has been discovered by a couple - using Google Earth.
Non-professional palaeontologists discovered the site in Wiltshire during the country's second Covid-19 lockdown, while researching the geology of the area online.
After being contacted by the duo, Dr Tim Ewin, a senior curator in Earth sciences at Britian’s Natural History Museum, secured funding for a dig at the site and was amazed at the number of specimens discovered.
The findings of hundreds of samples, from the Middle Jurassic (174 to 164 million years ago) should allow new research that was never before possible due to the small number of samples held in collections.
Feather stars (stalk-less crinoids), sea lilies (stalked crinoids) and starfish (Asteroidea) fossils are rare as their multiplate skeleton quickly falls apart after death and they require instant burial for preservation."
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"Dr Hollingworth, is also an honorary research associate at the University of Birmingham’s school of geography, earth and environmental science.
He told the PA news agency: "About six months ago, at the beginning of the year, when we were doing some research on local geology we noticed on Google Earth this little quarry and got in touch with the site manager and asked if we could visit.
"So we came on down to the bottom of the quarry and we noticed that the floor of the quarry was a clay layer, and on the surface of the clay with lots and lots of little fossils which we call crinoids or feather stars."
The couple took a slab from a site and cleaned it up at home, where they discovered an "incredible sight" of "beautiful" sea lilies, crinoids, starfish and brittle stars."
Great article.
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https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021...
"Herdwatch is the fastest growing farm management software in Ireland and the UK, used on more than 15,000 farms.
The additional jobs will support the further expansion of Herdwatch as it seeks to reach new markets and also to broaden their current service. This will include measures to help farmers meet the climate change challenge, beginning with the newly released farm mapping functionality.
As part of its research and development programme, the company has released what they call "Farm Maps by Herdwatch", a new tool in the existing Herdwatch app which allows farmers to easily map their farm for free, using satellite imagery. This tool is seen as a foundation stone for more advanced upcoming developments in the environmental sector, from precision soil health in partnership with FRS (Farm Relief Services) to fertiliser and carbon emissions as well as carbon sequestration management.
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"Herdwatch CEO, Fabien Peyaud, said, "We are taking this step because we want Herdwatch to continue to expand – helping more farmers in Ireland and around the world but also offering even more benefits to our existing members.
"Since we first launched we have been embraced by the farming community because we offer them a tool which really makes a difference. Using Herdwatch makes farm management easier, which is why we are the most popular farm management app in Ireland and the UK and why a growing number of farmers use our app on a daily basis.
"We are also very conscious that the needs of farmers are constantly evolving and we are determined to ensure that Herdwatch evolves with their needs. We will be bringing forward a range of additional features within our app, like our newly launched 'Farm Maps by Herdwatch'. Thanks to this service our 15,000 members, and in fact all farmers across Ireland and the UK, can now map their farm for free at the touch of a screen, see their field size and even colour code their land based on what a particular field is used for. We believe this will revolutionise farm mapping for farmers and it is all part of the Herdwatch service," Mr. Peyaud said."
Users need to be aware that whatever they upload they share with the company, I understand.
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https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/vegetar...
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https://play.google.com/store/apps/de...
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https://phys.org/news/2022-06-bird-sp...
"The BirdNET app, a free machine-learning powered tool that can identify over 3,000 birds by sound alone, generates reliable scientific data and makes it easier for people to contribute citizen-science data on birds by simply recording sounds.
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""The most exciting part of this work is how simple it is for people to participate in bird research and conservation," Wood adds. "You don't need to know anything about birds, you just need a smartphone, and the BirdNET app can then provide both you and the research team with a prediction for what bird you've heard. This has led to tremendous participation worldwide, which translates to an incredible wealth of data. It's really a testament to an enthusiasm for birds that unites people from all walks of life."
The BirdNET app is part of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's suite of tools, including the educational Merlin Bird ID app and citizen-science apps eBird, NestWatch, and Project FeederWatch, which together have generated more than 1 billion bird observations, sounds, and photos from participants"
More information: The machine learning–powered BirdNET App reduces barriers to global bird research by enabling citizen science participation, PLoS Biology (2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001670
Journal information: PLoS Biology
Provided by Public Library of Science
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Nice one for kids and even a coffee break for adults. Thanks to the UN for this game.
https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/p...
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This new app is working in Ireland and you can see if it is useful near you. A store has spare unsold food at end of day, parcels it up and sells a 'surprise bag' at reduced cost. Buy it via the app.
You don't know what you are getting but the store will say it is mixed groceries, or baked goods, etc. Vegetarians and vegans can specify their wish, but will see fewer bags. The point is to reduce food waste, and the savings of cost can be considerable. Stores also have to pay to have refuse collected, so they win.
This is set up by a green-minded firm and you can see a list of stores and order the bag on the app. The stores sell out. To me, the downside is that you need to pay via the app - it takes you to a separate secure platform - as I do not pay for anything over a phone. If I could just book the bag and pay when I collect, I would be happy.
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"Loddlenaut is a cosy solarpunk survival game, set under the ocean of a mysterious alien planet. You swim around cleaning up toxic waste, trash, and microplastics, all while befriending the local wildlife. It’s very low-key, with managing your oxygen level only a small consideration and with no combat or other threats to ruin the calm atmosphere.
As the player swims around, they discover little tidbits of story, discovering that the planet is the victim of capitalism run amok, but the corporate entity that’s hired them to clean up the mess may have been a victim of their own hubris as well. It’s not all aquatic cleaning simulator either, as the axolotl-like “loddles” can be befriended, fed, and bred to produce a variety of adult loddles to populate each zone of the game.
The game features a number of nice accessibility options, include settings for degree of pixelation of the art, control remapping (both mouse+keyboard and controller are natively supported), individual volume controls, screen resolution and framerate adjustments, camera adjustments, and even removing some of the in-game text. There’s a map to help orient the player, and a log book to keep track of current goals. The latter two features are well-integrated into the theme of the game, much like the multiple indicators for the oxygen and boost meters.
It’s ultimately a peaceful, thoughtful game, and it’s meant to leave the player wanting more - from the game, and from the real world. The developers donate 0.05GBP per sale to the charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation, regardless of sale price. It doesn’t sound like much, but every little bit helps, and the developers have also engaged in beach cleanups and other conservation and recycling activities throughout the development and post-release period."
https://www.loddlenaut.com/
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"Loddlenaut is a cosy solarpunk s..."
Very cool, I LOVE solarpunk! My sons are always on me about getting into gaming. I ended up buying the Restoring Nature bundle on Steam: includes Loddlenaut and Terra Nil. Will share my impressions when I get time to try them out. Thanks for the tip, Clare!
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Birds of Ireland - which is free! - has some interesting text which looks to be translated or written by East Europeans, but it is perfectly understandable.
If you wish you can pay for the premium version which lets you identify birds from song; this also requires data usage of course.
Some realtor apps now have the added feature of listing the environmental hazards of an address. It shows the probability of wildfire risk, flood risk, plus risks related to heat, wind, and air quality for a particular address."Neighboring properties can have significant differences in environmental risks, due to property building characteristics.
Fire Factor™ predicts risk based on a home’s probability of being in a wildfire, the predicted fire intensity, and the predicted exposure to flying embers.
Flood Factor™ incorporates differences in elevation, proximity to water or wetlands, and proximity to flood risk reduction projects. Differences in Wind Factor™ can be caused by surface roughness (being near water vs. in a wooded area).
Heat Factor™ can differ due to areas that have more concrete vs. being closer to the water."
https://www.realtor.com/environmental...
Green Group
Books mentioned in this topic
Feasible Planet - A guide to more sustainable living (other topics)Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World (other topics)
This Clean Swell app from Ocean Conservancy seems like a good idea for committed beach-cleaning volunteers.
And occasional litter pickers might become motivated to do more.
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/do-yo...
They say:
"With Clean Swell, simply “Start Collecting” trash wherever you are around the world and the data you collect will instantaneously upload to Ocean Conservancy’s global ocean trash database. These data deliver a global snapshot of ocean trash, providing researchers and policy-makers insight to inform solutions.
"Join the thousands of International Coastal Cleanup® volunteers who are working for a cleaner ocean by picking up the millions of pounds of trash that wash onto beaches around the world. Even check out your Cleanup history, so anytime, anywhere you can see the impact you’ve had on making our ocean a cleaner and healthier ecosystem."
If you use this app, tell us your experiences.
Please post details of any new phone/tablet apps you come across on this green theme!