Mobile Phone Apps That Can Help You Save the Ocean

So many of us want to give our oceans a helping hand to alleviate modern day pressures, such as plastic pollution and overfishing, but the question is often how? Many of us aren’t trained scientists, we still have lots to learn about the ocean and its inhabitants and maybe we don’t get to spend anywhere near as much time on the coast as we’d like. However, these reasons have now turned into excuses as it is easier than ever to make a difference to our blue planet. With mobile phones nestled in the pocket of almost every person walking down the street, researchers, conservation organisations and eco-conscious individuals have used technology to their advantage and created a diverse range of apps which are designed to both collect and share information.

Whilst thousands of free apps can allow us as individuals to gain knowledge, find communities and discover new forms of entertainment, they are also an invaluable tool for researchers and scientists. In comparison to the population as a whole, the number of scientists in the world is very tiny and there is only so much data this small group can collect. This poses a problem when we want to learn new things about a subject as vast, as deep and as surprising as the ocean. Smartphone apps have therefore allowed scientists to engage us, the wider population, in their pieces of research as the amount of information each of us can easily collect totals an astonishing level of data when we all come together. These apps are also a fantastic way for us to learn about a whole manner of new topics, from how to identify a common dolphin from a bottle nose dolphin to what packaging can be recycled and even what the health of a coral reef on the other side of the world to us is like. So let’s dive in and see what apps are making a splash in the realms of ocean conservation.

One of the most common types of app helps you document wildlife sightings. There are thousands of these available for free and it’s best to search for ones which are relevant to the species in your country. The UK has recently launched a new app which is similar to many others which can be downloaded around the world from Australia to the Maldives. ‘Sea Watcher’ has been developed in a partnership between Bangor University, the wildlife charity Sea Watch Foundation and tidal energy developer Nova. It allows anyone in the UK to register their sightings of whales, dolphins or any other marine megafauna they are lucky enough to spot, such as seals and porpoises. The UK has many fantastic coastal wildlife watching spots from Northumberland to Cornwall, Scotland’s remote islands to Pembrokeshire. The app helps users identify which species they have spotted based on fin shape, colour and behaviour before the data is used to understand how marine mammal populations are fairing under the stress of pollution, overfishing and an increase in maritime traffic. It is great to see the energy developer Nova in this project as they seek to understand the impact of their business on our wild species.

If you’re a keen diver and enjoy seeking out marine life under the waves rather than from the clifftops, ‘Dive Against Debris’ is a global app which hopes to empower scuba divers and enables each dive to have a positive environmental impact. In the decade that the programme has been running, over 86,000 divers from 120 different countries have collected over 1.6 million pieces of trash! The organisation equips keen conservationists with mesh bags and underwater data cards and in return, divers collect any rubbish they find, write down their findings and upload the results online. Not only does this make an immediate impact on the local ocean environment that divers love spending time in but it also allows researchers to gather masses of data from across the globe which is used to influence government policy decisions regarding waste.

Along similar lines are apps which allow any water-lovers, including swimmers, kayakers and sailors, to collect data on seagrass beds and coral reefs. Both of these ecosystems are extremely fragile but also incredibly important as they provide safe havens and feeding grounds for many creatures whilst seagrass beds actually absorb just as much carbon dioxide as our terrestrial forests, making them crucial in our battle against climate change. ‘Eye on the Reef’ is one example and asks both locals and tourists spending time marvelling at the Great Barrier Reef to contribute any information they have on coral health, animal sightings and any incidents. ‘Seagrass Spotter’ is similar and collects photos from people in all corners of the globe to assess the health of our seagrass beds so protected areas can be put in place before it is too late.

Many of you may want to tackle the issue of plastic pollution specifically and don’t worry, there are hundreds of apps which enable you to do just that! Initiatives that tackle plastic are also a fantastic way for those who don’t live close to the coast to give our oceans that little helping hand. ‘Litterati’ is quickly becoming well known and allows you to expose the amount of trash you find absolutely anywhere, from city streets to canal banks, mountaintops to country lanes. Whilst out and about, the app asks you to take a photo of any litter you find before placing it either in the recycling or the refuse bin. The app automatically tags the location of the litter and identifies what type of litter it is, such as food packaging or cigarette butts. This data is then incredibly useful for authorities when they want to know where the worst pollution lies, what type of trash is blighting the landscape and from there, they can start to identify both the culprit and the solutions. ‘Litterati’ has been particularly useful during the Covid-19 pandemic as it has allowed conservationists to use creative solutions to mobilise local communities and ensure clean-ups can still take place. River Network in the USA ran their ‘Masks On, Litter Gone’ campaign during the pandemic and encouraged people to take part in socially distant recreational activities, collecting litter and data along the way. Within only two weeks they removed 10,000 discarded items from roads, hedgerows and parks, a brilliant achievement which also found a way for a sense of community to remain intact during this difficult year.

If you’re looking to make a difference to your own personal actions, there are so many apps which help you make a change at home. ‘My Little Plastic Footprint’ is a great start for reducing your plastic consumption by going on a ‘plastic diet’. Once you have inputted what plastic you consume regularly, the app will give you your plastic footprint and tips to reduce it. Every item you log on the app will come with suggestions for sustainable alternatives, for example, plastic shampoo bottles can be replaced with shampoo bars or you can visit a zero-waste shop to refill your empty containers. ‘Everyday Plastic’ is a very similar app which also allows you to monitor your plastic use and find out how you can cut down on this unsustainable material. However, ‘Everyday Plastic’ also hosts large national surveys which ask you to monitor all the plastic you consume in a week. Their last survey took place during the first UK lockdown of the pandemic and so received a huge response from families who were getting a little restless at home. If you want to get involved in their next survey, keep an eye on their website for upcoming dates. The information that they collect hopes to inform businesses, shops and manufacturers and encourage them to move towards alternative forms of packaging.

Of course, you will always have some packaging that needs to be disposed of even once you have made multiple sustainable swaps. Here is where ‘Horizon’ can be a lifesaver. The UK-based app is a fount of knowledge about what can and cannot be recycled; no longer will you be umming and erring over that yoghurt pot or slightly greasy pizza box. The app is linked to local UK authorities so you can find out what exactly can be recycled from your kerbside and with their barcode scanner, it couldn’t be any quicker to use. You could even use it in the supermarket to find out if packaging is recyclable, compostable or biodegradable before you buy it. If you wish to, you can track your progress or get information on alternative packaging materials, such as bamboo.

For many of us however, our plastic downfalls occur when we are out and about and a takeaway coffee or quick panini on the go sounds like such a good idea until we are left with the single-use packaging. ‘Refill’ is an app which has grown enormously since its launch in 2015 and helps you find cafes, shops, public spaces and local businesses where you can refill reusable containers. The organisation focussed initially on refilling water bottles to help reduce the enormous number of plastic bottles which are bought and thrown away every day. Today, they have over 30,000 registered water refill sites but also tips on where you can get your own lunchbox filled with food, where discounts are offered for using reusable coffee cups and even which shops have plastic-free aisles or are zero-waste altogether. This app really is giving us the power to forgo packaging in a world which seems overflowing with plastic.

Finally, the UK’s Marine Conservation Society have created the ‘Good Fish Guide’ which advises seafood lovers on which species are the most sustainable choices. This list is frequently updated and considers stock sizes, the type of fishing equipment used for that particular catch and where in the ocean they are being caught. They use a traffic light system to make it super easy to spot which fish you should be dining on and even include seasonal considerations which tell you when certain species should be avoided due to breeding. This type of app is available in many countries and tailored to the popular catches on your shores.

We all spend so much time swiping and tapping away on our phones and whilst social media is fun for a while, these apps allow us to make so much more of our screen time. Whether your goal is to reduce the plastic footprint of your food shop, be more selective with your seafood or help researchers understand the health of our reefs, all of this and more is available with just a few clicks of our fingers, meaning making a difference to our planet is easier than ever. The next time you unlock your phone, why not have a quick search for ocean conservation apps and download whatever catches your eye?

By Neve McCracken-Heywood