Submit an Idea for an App
2011 June 1
Thanks for all of your great ideas! We’ve organized them in a list and we’d like you to tell us the ideas you like best. Then we’ll show developers what you like so they can convert the ideas into apps.
If you want to add something new, you can suggest a new idea on another page. You can also submit comments or questions about Data Resources, Data Sets, Services, and Existing Apps.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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Develop an app that is geared toward citizens and small community-based organizations and which would, in plain English, help folks understand the range of environmental statutes and regulations while at the same time help navigate users through the EPA website’s many pages and tools that can assist with understanding and assessing the data collected/developed pursuant to the broad range of environmental statutes/regulations.
An emergency response app for residents impacted by floods with specific practical information about dealing with flood water, cleaning up after floods, and dealing with private drinking-water wells after flooding. This information is online at http://www.epa.gov/naturalevents/flooding.html but people may have limited computer access and time after a disaster.
Could be combined with CDC ( http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/after.asp ) and/or with USGS information about flooding conditions (http://water.usgs.gov/osw/floods/ ) such as WaterWatch.
What’s in YOUR water?
An app that takes you to local drinking-water quality information based on your location.
Basically this would be a mobile, simplified and automated version of the EPA web site that allows you to step through this information to get to your local public water supplier to find their annual water-quality reports: http://water.epa.gov/drink/local/
(I can’t take credit for this idea – it came up in discussions on twitter some time back)
I’d like to see an app that provides visualization and statistics of air quality data in the EPA AQS DataMart database: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/airs/aqsdatamart/
The purpose would be to provide people with easy access to local air quality data (these data extend beyond basic Air Quality Index data such as displayed on airnow.gov).
By using the phone’s GPS, a user could be offered options of the nearest data monitoring location(s). Users would also have the option to select a location on a map or enter a location (zip, county, etc).
The app could then provide access to the data collected by a particular air quality monitoring station, including a graph for each analyte (maybe you could set the time period), statistics about the concentrations of a particular analyte, perhaps comparison to any applicable federal standards. It would have to provide the information about sampling method and frequency (perhaps with a link to the relevant method guidelines).
For a given analyte, links could be provided to applicable EPA toxics/health info, or a link to an ATSDR ToxFAQs profile: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/index.asp Basically, connect people to plain language information about what is this, why do we care about it, and what are the possible health effects.
The app would also provide a link and phone number for the appropriate Regional EPA office to contact for more information.
My neighborhood could have used an application like this. We had an ambient air quality monitoring station for a few years, but neighbors could only get the data through the database or by putting in a records request. These options were not useful for neighbors who just want to know what is in their air, but who don’t have the skills to use the database or to download, graph, and run stats on the results. However, the graphs aren’t enough – they needed easy access to plain language information providing context such as ARARs, applicable standards, tox info, and who to call with questions. (Looking at the site the EPA developed for reporting west-coast radiation monitoring after Fukushima would provide examples of this.)
It’d be nice to have an App which is very similar to EPA’s enviromapper but would work on a handheld device so that it’d provide realtime data while visiting a site.
Also possibilities of reporting any map/data discrepancies should be provided in the App to make it more precise and better.
Green Cooking – Website/Smartphone Application
We are all familiar reviewing cookbooks, magazine articles or websites which include recipes on how to prepare main dishes or desserts and list Calories, Total Fat, Cholesterol, etc. as part of the recipe. What is missing, however, is the impact of extensive cooking or baking times have on the consumption of energy. Is the preparation of this particular recipe energy responsible? If a food item takes 90 minutes to 2 hrs. or more to bake in an oven or cook on the stove top, do we really need to make this recipe? At the minimum, I think this should be a consideration when someone is deciding what to prepare.
My recommendation is the creation of a website/smartphone application that will assist authors of cookbooks, cooking magazines and food website owners to rank a recipe on its conservation of energy. Just like Energy Star system ranks an appliance on its efficiency, a ranking can be created for food preparation time. The background calculations of the program would need to account if someone is using an electric appliance, a gas stove/oven or a crockpot. (Crockpots consistently save more energy)
The ranking of the recipe could be as simple as showing four leaf icons for energy savings to one leaf showing a recipe that consumes a wasteful amount. The appeal of this to me is that everyone can participate in this conservation. It’s not just limited to manufactures of appliances but to each individual making a small energy savings that would dramatically accumulate as each author and home chief makes a choice.
Of course a private business could come up with this type of guideline, but I feel it’s important to be originated from the EPA as recognized standard.
I am developing an IPhone/IPad app for contractors who want to follow RRP – it will be available August 15th on the Itunes store. The Android version will be available by the end of August. It will be called Renovate Right.
Mike
Mike, Are you considering entering this into the Apps for the Environment challenge? For others on this page, RRP stands for the new lead rule for contractors: Renovation, Repair, and Painting. See here for more details: http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm .
how about an app that shows the various contamination levels on a water body (chesapeake bay). The contamination levels would indicate healthy water which would correlate to the amount of fish and widlife in that region. Fishers and trappers would be able to spot out the more promising regions on a given body of water. An app like this would appeal to a more general public rather than just those concerned with environmental issues.
With all of the growing evidence about the risks to pregnant women posed by certain foods, personal care products, etc, it would be great to have a “healthy pregnancy” app that women could use when they’re shopping to help them make informed decisions right there in the store. I have several friends who just had babies, and I know they would have used an app like this.
National Public Radio wrote a blog post on July 20 about apps for pregnant mothers: http://www.npr.org/blogs/babyproject/2011/07/20/138543438/pregnancy-smartphone-apps-which-ones-are-useful . The list doesn’t include apps that cover environmental issues – who’s going to make one?
I run a green parenting website, http://www.OnePartSunshine.com, that gives pregnant women and moms all of the information they need to raise their children in a healthy and green way. We are in the process of developing an app just like you mentioned that will assist women with choosing the safest products during pregnancy. In the meantime, please check out our articles, blog and product guides for more information.
What about an app that tells where our recycled materials go? Do the materials go to a recycling processor or a landfill? What percent of the materials get recycled into new products?
Is this product green? Is the factory that makes the product green? Is the company that owns the factory green? I want an app that helps me evaluate how green products, factories, and companies are so I can make better consumer decisions. A mobile app would be great. And how about if the app combines EPA data with data from other bureaus like Consumer Product Safety and Workplace Safety, so that I can see the big picture of which companies are responsible and which are not? And I want facts, not just claims that things are green that aren’t backed by data.
This is a comment from Austin W. that was posted on the challenge.gov Discussions tab (http://appsfortheenvironment.challenge.gov/forum_topics). EPA copied it to this page to foster more dialogue.
Geo-tagged pollution wiki – citizens may mark areas suspected to be contaminated with pollution using their cellphone. They can guess which type of pollution it is, the severity of it & post pictures of it. The pictures could be put into a pattern recognition (like facial recognition, but dif.) program to identify possible types of pollution. After a certain # of postings, or after verification of the polluted spot by a government official -> the EPA will be notified. All historical polluted spots will be added to this map. Citizens will be able to truly see what is effecting their local environment the most & now they will finally be able to get together and do something about it. Identification is the first step to recovery, so this app would be the ideal platform to ensure that identification efforts are not wasted.
I thought about this after taking longs walks and noticing small areas of pollution. These areas are probably unknown to the citizens & the government, so by providing a transparent platform for this information to be aggregated we will help ensure that nearly all envornmental conatminations are known about.
I’d like to see an app that allows home owners and professionals to report on location and number of people served by onsite wastewater systems to demonstrate both the prevalence and success of these systems.
The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment. Our most important asset is our EPA personnel. “Environmental protection is about human protection. It’s about community protection. It’s about family protection”. Lisa P. Jackson. With this in mind I propose an App for oir EPA personnel and contractors. An Occupant Emeregency Planning (OEP) App. This App would allow all Headquarters personnel and contractors the ability to have current rosters of all of the various facility OEP volunteers. All OEP volunteers would be listed in this App.
We have lots of how bad, toxic and degraded emphasis in the apps department so how about reflecting more of the good news stories too… like
How about a GIS app that pops up EPA fact and science based projects and accomplishments by location for place-based projects?
“City of X is removing y from (air, water) with EPA grant funds (technical support, etc..) which will reduce pollutant loads by Z”helped City of X remove y from (air, water) discharge”
Groundwork Anacostia is removing trash, restoring lands, creating community gardens and training youth in the skills needed for environment courtesy of partnership between Groundwork USA, the National Park Service, US EPA, and….
I’d like to see an app that would allow users to look up the Regional Screening Levels (RSLs) for contaminants in various environmental media. The data are available in table form here: http://www.epa.gov/region09/superfund/prg/index.html
This would be invaluable to EPA field personnel and other looking to find screening values on the go. Let’s make it happen.
I would like to see an app for EPA exam 608 universal certification
It needs to be a study app with flash cards , practice exams
Would like to see an app that shows eco-volunteer opportunities in my area. Dates, times, activities, contact info.
Thanks for all of these great ideas! We will find EPA data that relate to each idea (if such data exist), then we’ll post the ideas on the Ideas for Apps page so developers can see what you want.
Please build on each others’ ideas. By working together we can refine the ideas and make them even more useful.
Application Developers! America wants an app that tells us where our water is! “Water is where people want to be”. We want get out on the water but half the time, we don’t know how to access it. It maybe only a stone’s throw where we live or work, but we won’t know that… unless YOU develop an app that shows us where we can access the water to swim, boat or just visit. Let us share our favorite river/lake/water access points and let others vote on them (thumbs up = like; thumbs down = polluted or bad facilities). Use EPA’s impaired waters data to help make everyone aware of the condition of their favorite spots on the water.
Allow individuals to submit GPS coordinates and description of energy and water waste for notifying public works crews. e.g. streetlights on all day, office lights left on overnight, broken water pipes and sprinkler systems, sprinklers operating during peak daytime hours…
The EPA SunWise Team proposes bringing augmented reality to the EPA UV Index App – which currently provides health information to guide users to appropriate timing of their outdoor activities and use of sunscreen and cover-ups.
Background on the EPA SunWise Program:
UV radiation from the sun is a proven human carcinogen. More than 2 million skin cancers are diagnosed in the U.S. every year.
But the good news is that if you follow simple action steps, skin cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer.
Here’s the Challenge from the EPA SunWise Team – Develop UV Index apps to deliver customized health information. Customized health information will allow the user to translate abstract health advice into a personalized risk assessment, and to take action accordingly.
Challenge 1: The Skin Scan App:
The next step in the evolution of mobile communications for the UV Index is the creation of a smartphone app that allows users to take a picture of their skin using their camera phone and estimate the “time to burn’” based on the local UV Index forecast. This app’s personalized real- time delivery of health information will allow users to quickly assess the risk for near-term sunburn and avoid an increased risk for cancer. The app would remind the user when it is time to reapply sunscreen based on the “Time to Burn” and local UV Index – - by way of having the phone vibrate, sound an alarm, or text message. Please note that the concept of a “time to burn” should not be interpreted as a “safe tanning time.” There is no such thing as a safe tan, and you should continue to take sun safety precautions during this time. Using a conservative estimate for time to burn should help prevent people from gaining a false sense of security. Additionally, developers should consider providing a disclaimer that the app is not a perfect predictor of time to burn, and should not be considered medical advice.
Challenge 2: The Aging App:
Use your phone camera to take a photo of your face, and get back an image of what your face could look like in twenty years if you are out in the sun a lot and don’t use sun protection (including sunscreen, hat). Like the skin scan app, the aging app would be interesting to people, and by trying it out, get them thinking about how UV radiation exposure can affect them personally.
Challenge 3: Apps for Kids:
Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of UV radiation. Too much sun exposure in children may contribute to skin cancer later in life. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SunWise program encourages children to be active and enjoy their time outdoors while taking simple precautions necessary to prevent both short- and long-term damage from the sun.
Video games that appeal to children can help educate them about sun safety.
Examples:
Develop a game similar to the very popular game Angry Birds. The birds sling sunscreen and hats at unprotected kids and keep track with a UV protection score.
Learn how animals have developed their own sun protection. For example, hippos secrete a pinkish colored oil that helps keep their skin moist in the sun – and acts like a sunscreen.
Pre-approved message mapping for exposure issues; a selctable threat (PCB, isotope, etc) to a selectable (water,air,soil). Although the current situation would be upto the end user, the pre-vetted scientific information would be available. Could be shared via ASTDR etc….
I would like to see an App for Contaminated Land Cleanup Managers, such as Superfund’s Remedial Project Managers and On-Scene Coordinators, wto use to estimate costs for site remediation using soil amendments to result in ecological reuse of the site.
I’d love to have a recycling app that included all of the different recycling numbers and symbols, so that I always know if something is recyclable. It’d be even better if it could be calibrated to your location, since different cities accept differen materials for recycling.
Another great one would be a shopping app that would allow me to compare the environmental impact of two products, especially groceries and household products.
I was also thinking of a recycling app! Sometimes people don’t realize that something they are throwing away is recyclable…maybe also an app that could tell you where to go to recycle things like electronics or car batteries…
That sounds similar to the app: http://earth911.com/irecycle/
A carbon footprint calculator app where you can enter things that you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and then calculate how much it is. Maybe it starts out and asks questions about your lifestyle. You see how much your carbon footprint is. Then you can pick from a list of things you can do to reduce it, like recycling, gardening, using less energy. Then it shows you what your carbon footprint is if you do those things. Then maybe it can also have a list of tips that are easy to do to help reduce your carbon footprint and some links to other resources for information, including the EPA website.
The Global Footprint Network has by far the best and most engaging footprint calculator I’ve come across… You even get to create a mini avatar! Not an app (yet), but the site says:
“Global Footprint Network is inviting corporate, government and NGO partners to help launch the calculator worldwide. The calculator can be customized for specific organizations and geographical areas, and upcoming enhancements will include social networking opportunities and interactive features. Please contact Jennifer Mitchell at jennifer@footprintnetwork.org if you would like to be involved or would like the calculator customized for your organization. “
Try the calculator here: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/personal_footprint/
A National Wildlife App. Using the smartphone GPS, the app would locate you and tell you which wildlife can be found in the area, including but not limited to endangered wildlife. Especially helpful while in national parks or conservatories, the app would be a vital resource on poisonous snakes, insects, and other dangerous wildlife to lookout for on hikes and camping trips, with first aid advice and phone numbers for poison control. With regard to engendered species, the app will be a great resource for knowledge on which habitats to be careful not to disturb. It could also be used to share national park maps and audio tours of facilities, and give trash receptacle locations, water spigot locations, tent sites, and other important information. A scout for many years and tech enthusiast, I have many more ideas, contact me for more!
I challenge game developers to develop an app designing the greenest city there is! Make it challenging to create the most sustainable city on the globe, where more bikers ride to work than car drivers, where most homes have solar panels or wind mills on their roofs, where all water used in parks is reclaimed and not fresh drinking water and where all factories make goods with less toxics and smaller footprint. Create a game where you get points for being ‘greener’. Go for it!
Great idea — in fact, we’re working on a similar gaming scenario here at EPA’s office in San Francisco. It’s part of an update and expansion of EPA’s Recycle City website (http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity). We launched the site 14 years ago, and are now working to refresh the design, expand into additional sustainability issues, and launch a new gaming element to replace the original Dumptown game.
We’d love to hear folks’ ideas — we can be reached at r9.recyclecity@epa.gov .
I also found a game here for Facebook: http://www.terracycle.net/
Meta data and related layers that would work with the mapping products (various) but specific layers related to environmental issues. Should include hitorical data and the option to provide current information back to EPA (that would need to be confirmed). I find myself searching for more detail than many apps provide….nuclides, plumes etc.
Current studies could be included for passive data collection by EPA via the app users.
make an app which identifies a car on the road by speed, make model and year from a photo and superimposes a black cloud coming from the exhaust showing the amount of carbon in the exhaust. since carbon emissions are mostly not visible, this would be a fun way to educate people on pollution. This could also be used on photos of factories.