Sustainable search engines

Every Google query eats up electricity. So much so, for example, that we boil a liter of water every 30 Google searches. And electricity naturally has a CO2 footprint. Google is still a long way from being completely CO2-neutral, but has set itself the goal of operating completely CO2-free by 2030.

Google is – who would have thought it – the largest search engine in the world with over 3.5 billion search queries daily.

But there are also search engines that attach importance to sustainability and strive to act CO2-neutral. Ecosia is one of them and probably the best-known sustainable alternative. Founded by Christian Kroll in Berlin, Ecosia is the search engine that plants trees. Nearly 180 million trees have been planted and more are being planted every second. It takes an average of 45 search queries to plant one tree. Ecosia is even CO2-negative or climate-positive, which means that more CO2 is taken out of the atmosphere than is caused. Ecosia is a meta search engine, i.e. a mask that uses the algorithms of another search engine, in this case Bing. Ecosia does not store user data, but also does not use it to obtain better search results. This is criticized by some users.

As with Google, funding is provided by clicks on the ads in the hit list. Ecosia operates as a foundation and therefore does not finance itself, but invests in tree planting projects in over 35 countries worldwide. The founder is concerned with putting meaning and good purpose above personal profit. In addition to planting trees, Ecosia also supports companies that convert arable land from monocultures to regenerative agriculture.

Ecosia is now the 8th most-used search engine in the world; however, its market share is only 0.1%. If the all-dominant market leader Google were to put its profits into planting trees, for example, the planet could be reforested in 10 to 20 years, says Ecosia founder Christian Kroll.

Also founded in Berlin is the search engine GOOD, formerly Gexsi. All profits generated by clicks on ads go to various charitable projects selected according to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. For example, GOOD supports startups that remove plastic waste from the environment and recycle it, or programs that support women in the Global South. GOOD also uses Bing as its search engine and operates in a CO2-neutral manner. In addition, it attaches importance to increased data protection and does not sell any user data, as well as enabling anonymous searches.

Ekoru operates on the same principle. A large part of the proceeds goes to non-profits and charities, with a focus on water. Ekoru was founded by Ati Bakush, an Australian software developer who experienced first-hand the effects of deforestation, encroachment on animal habitats, and pollution from the burning of rainforests in Indonesia. So he decided to create Ekoru – a search engine with a mission to help the planet. Every month, it raises funds for a new environmental or social initiative that is highlighted. It mainly funds projects for the world’s oceans, such as restoring coral reefs or reforesting the oceans with sea grass.

Why not try them out, the sustainable search engines, and help the environment, animals and people by simply searching and surfing!

Find out more about a sustainable lifestyle und sustainable mobility here.