City Launches New Mobile App in Honor of Earth Day

JouleBug Turns Low-Impact Living into a Game—Sign Up by May 10

In honor of Earth Day, the City of Santa Fe’s Sustainable Santa Fe Program is launching a new kind of tool for the city: JouleBug, a mobile app that makes a game of low-impact living!

JouleBug, inspired by software executive Grant Williard’s own experience trying to understand and apply the thousands of ways to go green, is designed to provide simple, straightforward tips for acting responsibly and saving money as one goes about their day.

The app, available on all smart phones, is a free download. After signing up, members can watch entertaining videos and see cost-savings estimates to learn about the benefits of actions such as riding the bus to work or school. Once an action is completed, users can “Buzz It” to compete with friends and earn points toward local contests. There is also a scoreboard that displays Santa Fe’s green champions for everyone with the app to see.

A friendly contest was launched on the campuses of Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), and St. John’s College to encourage students to use this app and reduce their impacts. The contest runs until May 10, and students will be encouraged to sign up and use the app to earn points. The student with the most points by the end of the competition will receive their choice of a $50 gift certificate to the campus bookstore or an iPod shuffle.

There’s something in it for the schools too: the college with the most players signed up by May 10 will receive a $400 donation to its sustainability club for campus improvement projects such as community garden installations, recycling outreach, and energy-efficient renovations.

After the completion of the college competition, the City plans to host more competitions that will reward the wider community for doing the right thing. Get a head start—download the free app today!