Eco-Apps for Change? Evaluating Mobile Apps to Promote and Support Sustainable Lifestyle Changes

Introduction: Mobile digital devices have developed mainly from voice communications to always-on internet-accessing, mini-computers used universally across the generations. As the consumption and use of smartphones and digital devices and services grow exponentially, their pervasive acceptance has coincided with an increasing demand for mobile software applications. Faced with the evidence of the deepening climate crisis, can mobile digital apps be better deployed in support of critical lifestyle and behavioral changes required to tackle the impacts of climate change? Applying a review of the existing literature on mobile apps and combining this with original data from new eco-app users affords us deeper insights into the effectiveness (or otherwise) and utility of apps in promoting lifestyle changes allowing us to better design, develop, and deploy these digital tools for environmental good. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature on behavioural change and its links to digital ICTs is undertaken. This is followed by an analysis of quantitative data collected from just under 100 novel eco-app users to explore what they found useful, what they found troublesome, and what forced them to reject and uninstall such apps. Results: Findings identified an overcrowded marketplace as a barrier to success. Attrition is also an issue of concern in encouraging digital intervention lifestyle change, with some revealing they would uninstall apps if they affected the operation and running of their device, or if the services on offer were irrelevant to their needs at a particular time. Conclusion: The study concludes by outlining recommendations and guidelines for best practices in future digital interventions for promoting sustainable behavioural change specifically using mobile digital apps.