Maybe a few of us have forgotten the smog that engulfed us in the beginning of the year, making leaving the house a game of "to choke or not to choke". Now it is the scorching heat that seems to be worse than before. While short-term solutions do a little to elevate, we know that the root of the problem is climate change. If we don't take action now, it's going to get worse later. Bangkok has its share of eco-problems whether it's pollution or waste, but instead of listing them, we can figure out ways of how we can help, even in small doses. And technology has made this easier. Guru has listed a few of the best apps in the climate change business to help you help the environment.
NEURON
Neuron helps you get around the city in a new way: using e-scooters. While this trend is catching on in other cities, it's new to Bangkok. The way to use it is pretty straightforward: Sign up and link a debit or credit card to your account, after which you're ready to start renting e-scooters that are parked in spots all around the city. A map directs you to the docks or individual scooters, while a complete orange circle indicates a fully charged e-scooter. Scan a QR code to unlock it and you're free to use it with a downpayment of B20 and B2 for every minute. They also offer daily, weekly and monthly passes depending on usage.
Since they're just starting out, there is a limited area for you to ride in and as of now they've only got a few spots in Bangkok: from BTS Phrom Phong to BTS Ekkamai, Habito at On Nut and a few areas in the outskirts of the city. I rode one from Thong Lor to Ekkamai, which was better than having to walk in this heat... for most of the time. Due to the uneven and obstructed sidewalks, I had to walk with the e-scooter at some points. All in all though, it's a service I'm glad is here and will definitely use it again.
LILUNA
www.LilunaGo.com, www.fb.com/LilunaGo
At first glance, Liluna may seem like just another ride-sharing app but it's not. While Grab lets you rent a chauffeur to take you to your destination, Liluna lets you carpool. For those that don't know what that means, the driver sets the destination and you can tag along and be dropped off along the way or at the same destination the driver is going. The creators of the app decided to give it a go after realising there were people heading the same way from their condos. After seeing carpooling in other countries, they decided to give it a shot in Bangkok.
While people weren't used to the idea at first, they've warmed up to it and the app now has 200,000 downloads with almost 10,000 registered drivers. All you have to do is to look at the list of people and choose which one has a route that best suits your destination. Prices are set by the drivers. If you're wondering how this helps the environment when cars are still being used, it actually helps in reducing your carbon footprint since you're not adding to more cars on the road and in other words -- more pollution. Also, it's yet another alternative to picky taxi drivers.
RECYCLE DAY
www.RecycleDayThailand.com, www.fb.com/RecycleDayTH
Recycle Day makes recycling easier and more accessible. Members sign up to view a list of the many items that can be recycled. Each item has a different price per kilogramme so, for example, you can recycle newspapers for B3.50/kg or cans for B20/kg. There are a couple of service points on the map where the Recycle Day team will pick up the items but you can also just call them up, set a date and they will come by and pick up the items. Not only are you helping the environment but also you're getting paid for it.
ECOLIFE
www.EcoLifeApp.com, www.fb.com/EcolifeApp
Ecolife encourages people to say no to single-use plastic. At the very root of it, Ecolife is a game. But to progress in the game, you've got to do some eco-friendly stuff IRL. You start off in the game with a small piece of land that's barren and uninhabited. To expand your land and get more creatures, you're going to have to go to establishments where QR codes need to be scanned. Of course, these aren't just QR codes that you ask for, but you scan them when you refuse the use of single-use plastic bags, straws, utensils or cups. That helps you get points, which can be exchanged for creatures or expansion of your land. You can also get points and exchange them for actual items from Ecolife's "Eco Partners".
Originally, the app started out in universities but it since has branched out and is tracking the number of single-plastic refused at different universities and organisations. They also plan to expand to stores and businesses. They're currently inviting shops and stores in Suan Luang-Sam Yan area to join their campaign. The participating businesses will receive QR code which their customers can scan when they say no to a piece of single-use plastic. It's a win/win situation. The shops reduce cost on single-use plastics they buy while the customers get points on the app.
VIABUS
It now costs a minimum of eight baht to ride a public bus (up from 6.50 baht) but there seems to be no improvement in the passenger experience. Still, you can't deny that using public transport is a way to become more environmentally friendly (and save some money), and there's a bunch of apps out there dedicated to making the BMTA more palatable and comprehensible.
ViaBus is an easy-to-use app that maps the nearest bus stop and real-time locations of nearby GPS-equipped buses in relation to your current location. Simply type in your destination and it'll figure out which bus you should take along with the number of stops -- all in English. Gasp! You may not be able to find your destination on a map as it seems to include only well-known venues, such as malls and temples but you can get around that by simply tapping on the bus stop closest to your destination.
Once you've selected your destination, it will show you the route on a detailed map and even how far you need to walk from the bus stop you get off to your destination (if listed on the app). While you are on the right bus, you can tap to open the traffic filter to gauge how much time you have to catch up with your games while being stuck on the road. One minor flaw of ViaBus is that there seems to be a slight delay locating the moving buses on the map.
Nonetheless, the free app is a good companion for experienced and new bus passengers. Whether you want to figure out an alternative way to explore the city cheaply on weekends or wait for a bus inside a 7-Eleven instead of at the hot bus stop, ViaBus has you covered.
