How many google searches do you make in a single day? In this age, we are constantly online. While the internet is wonderful in so many ways (like the fact that I can talk to you right now), everytime you make a google search, you increase your CO2 footprint. What if I told you that you could use your internet powers for good?
Yes it’s true! The search engine Ecosia uses the income generated from your searches to plant trees! They run their servers on clean power, neutraling the CO2 emissions of a search. By planting trees and running on renewable energy, Ecosia actually removes 1 kg of CO2 from the air with each search. The company breaks down how this is possible on their website: “an average search generates around 0.005 € of revenue. It costs roughly 0.25 € to plant a tree, which means that Ecosia can plant one tree every 50 searches. On average, these trees will each remove 50 kg of CO2 during an expected 15 year lifetime.”
So far, Ecosia has planted nearly 70 million trees. You can keep track of how many trees you have planted with your searches as well. After adding Ecosia to my chrome, I can do something nice for the Earth every day without putting in any thought. So far I’ve planted over 1,000 trees! It only takes a minute to link the free add-on to your search engine, but you can actively support a company dedicated to sustainability without changing a thing in your routine or spending a penny. Whether you are pressed for time or just plain broke, anyone can incorporate more sustainable practices in their day to day lives with things like Ecosia, because let’s face it: we have to act NOW to save our Mother Earth.