Taking a step back from the palm oil industry this week, I wanted to talk about an app I came across fairly recently. This app allows U.S. citizens to get information on the most recent happenings in their government, and let their representatives know what they think on each issue. It's called Countable, and let me just say it's really useful for getting informed on today's issues, both big and small. But what exactly is Countable, and how does it relate to protecting the environment? Well, that's exactly what I wanted to discuss today, starting with how this app relates to the environment.
How does it relate?
While we as individuals and consumers do have a lot of power when it comes to protecting the environment, the governments of each individual country ultimately have the most power when it comes to making decisions on environmental issues. But these officials are elected by the people, and in turn represent US (or at least they should). But how can we hope for them to represent our ideas if they don't know what these ideas are?
Well that's where Countable comes in. Nearly all of us have opinions on the environmental issues present today, and we need to make those opinions known if we want to create change. And Countable allows us to do just that. Unfortunately, these ideas aren't always listened to, so while it is important to let your representatives know what you care about, it's equally important to back up those messages with direct action and protest. But, today the focus is on letting representatives know what we think. So, let's take a look at what exactly Countable can do.
What can it do?
Ultimately, Countable can do two major things: 1. Give you information on the most recent policies and topics being discussed in government, and 2. Allow you to contact your representatives and post your opinion on each individual topic. Let's take a closer look at each of these two functions:
Information on Policies
The first thing you will be prompted with when entering the Countable app (after creating an account) is a menu asking you to select all of the issues you care about most (whether that be environment, education, poverty, etc.). Your selections are then compiled, and the app displays a list of all the most recent news surrounding the issues you care about. So, for instance, if you're like me and select environment as one of the issues you most care about, then that is what you will see compiled in your list of news. And the thing is, I call it news, but this isn't news in it's traditional form. All the app does is present you the information on what is happening, and allows you to form your own opinion based on that and the opinions of others.
They even make a point to ask what the reader thinks at the end of every article. Speaking of articles, when you see a policy you would like to learn more about you can click on it and go to to another screen that gives a detailed summary of what the policy is, and what it might do, both the good and the bad, no opinions included. On top of that, it also gives reason on why each bill should AND shouldn't be passed (not one or the other) so it allows the reader to see both sides of the argument in one nice summary. In this menu, you are also allowed to post your own opinions, which we will be talking about next.
Posting Opinions/Contacting Your Representatives
The second major function of Countable is that it allows you to post your own opinion on each topic, and contact your representative with that opinion. The first thing your eyes will be drawn to when clicking on a topic are the big "Yea" or "Nay" voting buttons towards the top of the screen. Here, you yourself can vote on each issue, and write an opinion about why you leaned to a particular side. Not only this, but you can even see the opinions of others, and their reasons for them, which can help you to make decisions of your own.
And finally, the app allows you to take the opinion that you wrote and send it directly to your representative, either through a written message, a phone call, or even a video call. This is a really great way to quickly and thoroughly let your representatives know what you think. The app also tells you who exactly your representatives are for your state, which is always a good thing to know. And lastly, when the bill is either passed or denied, it tells you how your representative voted and gives a detailed timeline of the actions taken on the particular bill. It's a lot of information, but all of it is useful.
My review
So, like PalmSmart, we need to know if this app actually works. And while when reading the reviews for the app it seems like some have had problems logging in, aside from that the app is really great. All of the information it provides is really useful, and it has helped me to make decisions and take stances on some really important issues. Not only this, but the information is broken down into an easily understandable format, which allows for quick reading. It's fast, simple, easy to use, and informative. The only negative I could see to this app is that it's only for the U.S. government. I would love to see multiple apps for each different country down the line, so everyone can take part.
Anyway, my favorite feature of the app has to be the ability to view other people's opinions. When talking about these important issues, it's vital to listen to what other's have to say, otherwise we end up with an opinion that doesn't have all the facts behind it. For me personally this is really great, as being younger I don't yet know all the in's and out's of government, and being able to see other's opinions who may or may not have more knowledge on government than I do helps me to create more informed and understanding opinions. I would recommend this app to anyone who wants to know what is going on in their government.
Conclusion
Knowing what our government does is extremely important. After all, they're supposed to be representing what we think, and if they aren't doing that we need to hold them accountable. Especially now, in a time of such political turmoil, it has never been better to get informed and involved with the policies of our government. And Countable allows each of us in the United States to do just that. It's high time we know what our government is doing, so we can make better decisions and work to create a future that benefits all of humanity and the environment. So, if you want to take part in that, I highly suggest you check out Countable, and start posting your own opinions! And let's start discussing, sharing, learning, informing, and most importantly, doing!
All credit for information used in this post goes to:
https://www.countable.us/
Images:
http://johnbell.typepad.com/weblog/2017/02/the-well-designed-app-countable.html
http://applenapps.com/app-pick/app-day-countable-government-made-easy-app-gives-voice.html#.Wi1KhEqnEdU
http://madisonparksfoundation.org/trees/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.countable.countableapp
https://www.creativereview.co.uk/landing-page/opinion/
(6th image taken by me in the Countable app)
(7th image taken by me in the Countable app)
(8th image taken by me in the Countable app)
(9th image taken by me in the Countable app)
https://thenounproject.com/term/thumbs-up/75325/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States
https://www.strategyshapers.com/2014/10/08/intelligence-just-opinion/
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