GPS-Based App "Green Travel Choice" Makes CO2 Reduction Simple for Responsible Travelers
The leading environmental organizations The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and Cleaner Climate have joined forces as partners to launch a new GPS based CO2 tracker developed by Pocketweb Ltd, the provider of Pocket Life, an award-winning location-based web and mobile platform.
Named “Green Travel Choice” (www.GreenTravelChoice.com), the new application gives responsible travelers a simple and effective way to make informed travel choices, helping reduce the carbon footprint of their journeys – whether it’s the next trip overseas or just a ride downtown.
With only two clicks, the Green Travel Choice map will show possible travel options (out of nine typical modes of transport) for your route and the expected CO2 emissions for each transport option.
When you download the Green Travel Choice app, you will also receive a US$15 voucher to join The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) as a Traveler member. “TIES team is excited to support and be part of this joint initiative to raise awareness of the climate impact of individual travelers,” says Ayako Ezaki, TIES Director of Communications, "Green Travel Choice is not your usual carbon calculator; it offers a new and innovative – and fun – approach to measuring and managing your footprint."
Unlike other tools that offer static carbon calculation, Green Travel Choice allows you to track and monitor your emissions as you move. The application includes the Travel Logbook function that stores information on each trip, serving as a summary of your travel carbon footprint over time. At any time, you can use this information to optimize your CO2 saving, offset your emissions or share your numbers with your friends, colleagues, and sustainability programs at your workplace.
According to Ben Muir, Managing Director of Cleaner Climate, the average motorist in Australia emits around 0.08kg (0.2lbs) of CO2 every week in car travel related emissions. “With the Green Travel Choice application, you can design a weekly route incorporating low-carbon alternatives to car travel and reduce your motoring carbon footprint significantly as well as the related costs such as fuel and vehicle maintenance.”
The partnership approach of Green Travel Choice helps to continually drive clean technology innovation, as well as helping incorporate carbon footprint awareness into consumers’ everyday travel choices. “The Green Travel Choice app,” adds Muir, “is also a unique and innovate way of promoting and supporting clean energy investment, so we are thrilled to be a part of such an exciting development.”
Green Travel Choice is available on the iPhone App Store now.
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About the Green Travel Choice Partners
The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to promoting responsible tourism practices that benefit conservation and communities. Representing the voices of stakeholders from all corners of the world, TIES' global network supports and is supported by members from over 90 countries, who are leading the vital efforts to make travel and tourism more sustainable. www.ecotourism.org
Cleaner Climate is a specialist climate change consultancy providing clean technology solutions to industry as well as cutting edge, low-carbon programs for retail travel organisations and large corporate with current or pending compliance obligations. Cleaner Climate is headquartered in the United Kingdom with local offices in Australia, South Africa and Thailand. www.cleanerclimate.com
Pocketweb works out of Australia, New Zealand and Germany and develops and provides technologies and solutions for Location Based Services (LBS) and LBS-enabled Social Networks including customized mobile applications across leading mobile platforms. In 2008 Pocketweb launched the leading geo-integration platform "Pocket Life" for mobile devices and web browsers which provides applications and bundled solutions for consumer and B2B markets. www.pocketweb.com.au