By Arthia Nixon, The Ambassador Agency
(Nassau, The Bahamas) As The Bahamas reflects on the strides it has made since becoming an independent nation, proof that the area of science and technology has taken a significant step is revealed in a new app which not only combine the aforementioned fields, but is also luring potential tourists. In an effort to create an eco-friendly and eco-knowledgeable nation, a group of developers launched a new (and free) mobile app which centralizes everything related to the Bahamian environment into one simple and easy to use application.
With over 20 combined years of experience in various capacities related to the Bahamian environment including government, nonprofit and private sector work, the developers of the Click242 Nature, app have been continuously upgrading their product with technology and content.
“It took several months to pull everything together and to test the Click242 Nature app,” said Sharrah Moss, app creator and chief developer. “It was released in January 2013 and we update on a monthly basis.”
As a trailblazing product, Moss said Click242 Nature, the app allows users to stay on the cutting edge of all environmental activities and happenings in The Bahamas. She said that locals and anyone who visits The Bahamas will have a powerful database of relevant and up to date environmental information to draw from within seconds. Users, she added, will be able to read the latest blogs, activities, photos, videos and events, plus share content with friends and colleagues.
“From an environmental perspective, the Click242 Nature app is a valuable resource to keep the wider public informed about a variety of environmental efforts,” said Moss. “We also believe there is a direct eco-tourism benefit to The Bahamas, and we expect visitors will get a lot out of the Click 242 Nature app! The app conveniently brings together all relevant information about the Bahamian environment, its biodiversity, the organisations working in our communities, and the important issues related to our natural resources.”
She further explained that in the past, the majority of this information was scattered throughout the internet or housed on a long list of websites, instead of one easily accessible area, an ideal solution for education.
“Students, teachers, visitors, resource managers, nature enthusiasts and anyone who wants to learn more about our environment can benefit from using our app,” Moss noted. “With the app you can access this information on your smartphone or tablet, from almost anywhere. Users can read the latest blogs, check out activities, photos, videos and events and share content with friends and colleagues. The app allows users to access, ‘Like’, post comments and share posts with friends through Facebook, Twitter and email.”
“As an environmental professional, staying educated and informed is a regular activity and a necessity,” she said. “There is a lot of information online, but really no central place to go to that would provide current information on a wide variety of environmental topics. There were several things we had to consider when developing the app including identifying good sources for information, engaging the various organizations of interest, finding good photo and video content and agreeing on the look and flow of the app, as well as which features to include. While the content of the Click242 Nature app focuses exclusively on The Bahamas. However, anyone anywhere in the world can download the app for free and use it to learn more about the Bahamian environment.”
Moss noted that historically Bahamians have had a connectedness to the environment.
“Our history, culture and economy are intertwined with the resources found on the land and in the sea,” she said. “As our islands have become more developed, we moved aware from that to some extent. In recent times we’ve become more environmentally aware and this can be attributed to the global sustainability movement and the efforts of local organizations and individuals to bring about the changes needed for the advancement of environmental education in The Bahamas. We’ve seen the negative results of poor environmental practices and the impact it has on our environment, economy, human health and quality of life. And we recognized and are aware of the benefits of a healthy environment.”
Ultimately, Moss says that developers of Click242 Nature would like to see an increase in the level of environmental awareness within the general public, specifically about land and sea resources and the environmental issues faced locally.
“The Bahamas is more than just sun, sand and sea,” she said. “There are organisms found here that do not exist anywhere else in the world. It would be great to see this increase in awareness take the form of more people supporting local non-profit organizations, participating in local environmental events, signing online petitions and taking pride in their surroundings.”
For more information, follow the group on Twitter @Click242Nature or at www.Facebook.com/Click242Nature.