Leo Grand of New York has launched and released his own app today after only a month of learning how to code. Grand lost his job at MetLife in Manhattan in 2011 and lost his nearby apartment shortly afterward.
The new app, Trees for Cars is a carpool app that’s hoping to save the environment by helping New York commuters share rides. For those driving, a meeting place is selected on the app and a list of nearby riders is suggested. The users are then connected if they choose to. The app will then track how much CO2 was saved by the passengers.
Patrick McConlogue, 23, is the man who walked past Grand daily and one day decided to offer him one of two optoins – $100 cash or books, a laptop and lessons everyday for four weeks on how to code. Leo wisely chose the laptop and learning experience.
“I can go through $100 in a few days,” Leo said. “But he told me I could have a laptop and learn how to do something and I figured it could turn into something more.”
McConlogue, who is a program developer, gave him a Samsung Chromebook, a wireless hotspot, three coding books, a solar charger to use for his training. He also gave him the $100 in cash, in addition to the one hour of coding lessons each day after working his 9 to 5. The two met everyday where Grand slept for the coding lesson.
Leo’s official announcement:
Trees for Cars is a mobile carpooling app that connects drivers and riders. Every car on the road contributes to pollution by emitting CO2 (carbon dioxide). By using Trees for Cars to find rides in your area, you’ll be helping the environment because more carpooling means fewer cars on the road.
Download the app, sign in, and tell us whether you want to offer rides or take a ride. We’ll connect you with the riders or drivers closest to your complete route. To learn more about the application, watch the introduction video or this CNN piece: https://goo.gl/xOIvSm
Ride sharing is caring!
Leo Grand
PS: For the first two weeks after launch Grand is selling limited edition t-shirts and hacker hoodies to support Trees for Cars. Get them at www.treesforcars.com!
The app is now available in the Apple Store and the Google Play Store for $0.99.
