Apps for the Environment was a challenge to developers issued by the EPA a few months ago that challenged them to come up with creative and innovative apps to address environmental concerns. Some 38 apps were contributed to the effort and several of them were singled out as the winners, although all the contributions did a fine job! You’ll be glad to know that the EPA has made available a resource where you can try all the apps for yourself… cool stuff! One app that I found to be of interest was a winning app called HootRoot. The app usesopen data sources along with Google APIs to provide some useful, green, and innovative results! Here’s the low-down… The Hootroot web application, powered by Brighter Planet, Google Maps, and HopStop, helps you get efficiently from point A to point B. For any route you enter, it compares directions and carbon footprints for driving, public transit, flying, biking, and walking