QR code: technology at the service of ecology
The environment and ecology in general concern everyone. Recent events such as the wildfires in the Amazon rainforest and those in Australia are clear indications of an ecological imbalance. Furthermore, anything that affects the environment affects us both as individuals and as a community. It is therefore important that we take small steps towards sustainable development.
Technology can be one of our best allies to achieve this. In this article we will see how QR Codes as a technology can help us move towards sustainability.
QR codes and sustainability
A QR code is an advanced level black and white barcode, going beyond an Rfid chip and flash code, which helps you store information. However, unlike traditional barcodes, the QR code is not limited to a few pieces of information in the form of text. Rather, it allows you to store a lot than that, it's a real digital business card. In addition to textual content, it even allows you to add URLs to websites (web page) or to your site, videos, images in JPEG or PNG, documents, a web address for a virtual tour, a discount coupon and images.
How can QR codes help for a more environmental approach?
Here are three potential ways a QRcode can help you walk in the footsteps of sustainability :
Reduction of paper consumption
You probably know that most of the paper you use comes from trees. Moreover, if we trust the statistics, it represents about 93% of the total paper produced.
A QR Code allows you to encode as much information as you wish. This means that you can switch from printed documents to their digital copies with QR codes. Let's say for example that you are a manufacturer. With each product, you give a printed user manual that tells people how to assemble the product or how to use it.
Rather than giving away a printed booklet, you can simply add a QR Code to the product or its packaging via a QR code generator. This QR Code, once scanned, can trigger the redirection to a PDF, a video or even an infographic that explains how to use/assemble the product.
In short, you can generate a code that will redirect the customer who uses his phone or smartphone to the information he needs. Moreover, thanks to geolocation, mobile internet or Nfc technology, the uses and possibilities with a qr code are almost endless.
Reduce printing and setup costs
Dynamic QR codes allow you to modify the data even after you create it. Yet your QR codes remain the same.
Moreover, a QR Code does not suffer from redundancy and remains scannable (not unreadable) even if it is damaged up to 30%. This makes it better suited than barcodes, especially in an environment that involves a lot of wear and tear. Also, you don't need to install any expensive setup to scan a QR code. All you need to do is create a high-resolution qr code via your mobile phone. Code generation is simple and fast and it's your own qr codes.
Then you just need to open your phone's camera (or a QR code reader app) and scan the code. Within 2-3 seconds you will get a popup window showing the encoded data or a window that redirects you to the company site.
Ensuring a sustainable marketing strategy
Sustainable marketing is when you focus on your environmental contributions as part of your marketing campaigns. Consumers today are still concerned about what goes into the products they buy.
Therefore, many companies are now focusing on using environmentally friendly materials to develop their products.
However, it is not enough to mention “environmentally friendly” on the product label. Consumers today demand transparency and hard evidence. After using a qr code generator, you can add and scan all your product details into the Code for further customization. This will not only ensure transparency, but will also help you retain your customers. This is sustainable mobile marketing. Moreover, a qr code generator is one of the free tools available to you in Google play (play store) or Apple store. You just need to open app for android or for ios and search qr code maker app.
How QR Codes are Used for Sustainability
A QR code to know the quality
We talked about “hard evidence” earlier in this article. They are important for ensuring product transparency and building customer loyalty. This is exactly why you should use QR Codes.
If you know a garment is 50% organic cotton, that's wonderful. However, that doesn't tell you if it was produced responsibly. That doesn't tell the whole story. Thus, to give you this additional information, professionals create a file with useful information, and encode it on a QR Code for effective traceability.
This QR Code then goes on the labels or on the clothes. By simply scanning via a "Qr code reader" available on a mobile phone (under Android, Windows phone or Ios) that they can download for free, interested customers can access this information.
This creates a climate of trust and it's as easy as texting or making a phone call through a mobile application. All smartphones can code and create qr codes and can also use Bluetooth technology to share codes.
A code to know the origin
If you are an organic lover, it would be important for you to know where your food and such come from. To help people easily obtain this information, applications are present on the internet. These apps help you trace provenance to understand its quality and origin. In addition, this will also give you the possibility to send your contribution.
The objective with the QR code is to humanize the relationship between each organic lover with the everyday products they use. Consumers can now play a role in sustainability governance by supporting producers. You can download the application that will allow you to make the Qr code readable to do this.
An anecdote to illustrate
A Taiwanese artist has used a giant ecological QR code project to fight against climate change. Tuvalu, a small country in the South Pacific made up of nine islets (Google maps), now offers a giant QR code art project. This giant QR code is meant to draw attention to the fight against climate change.
This somewhat special QR code is made up of 3,000 mangrove trees that the artist planted on the coast of Tuvalu. The trees were planted in the shape of the giant QR code in one of the nine islets that make up the South Pacific island nation. Once scanned, the code directs smartphone users (BlackBerry, iPhone, etc.) to a website. This site shares information on threats currently facing Tuvalu.
The QR code is approximately 23 square meters. The artist took care to ensure that several photographs were taken of the mangrove barcode for encoding. This way the image can also be digitized. After all, with so few people on the island and the barcode can only be scanned from above, another way was needed to be scanned..
In short
A QRcode is a tool that can be ecological. Indeed, a Qr code can replace paper like a flashcode and reading qr codes is not difficult. It is also one of the most popular communication media. A qr code allows you to store information and perform various actions such as putting examples of product use, images, URLs, etc. A simple qr code reader is enough to get the information you want. This reader or app can decode the code in seconds. By using a QR code like business cards, you can advocate for the planet.
How to create an easy-to-use personalized code that you can use as a Vcard, loyalty card, e-ticket, brochures or even posters for your web page? With an internet connection, download the qr code generators on a simple mobile site. In short, producing a QR code is as easy as downloading a code reader app. Simple gestures to help the planet!