Updates to Google Search, Maps and Shopping might lead one to decide which route to take, which hotel to book or which product to buy. As the climate change challenges are being magnified in our cultural and political dialogs, the world’s biggest companies are racing to step up and show the world what they’re doing to deal with it.
Google has been a corporate leader in sustainability and it became carbon-neutral in the year 2007, which means that it has purchased offsets to balance all carbon-emitting energy sources since then and has pledged to run on carbon-free energy by 2030. On the 29th of September the company launched a collection of new features that would help consumers make more sustainable and eco-friendly choices, ranging from the ground transportation to the flights they take. These features added to Google Search, Maps, Travel and Nest focus on reducing carbon emissions.
Search Engine
Google is planning to switch up the way results for “climate change” appear in its Search platform. Google search users will be led to a dedicated results page with climate-related information. It plans to source data from reputable authorities on the subject, including the United Nations, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Climate Action Network and World Meteorological Organization.
The firm would like to make it easier for customers to view more eco-friendly options when shopping on Google. Early next year when car users search for car models and manufacturers, Google will also show results for hybrid and electric vehicles. When searching for a particular electric vehicle, users will also a find local charging station that is well-suited for the model. Google Maps will default to the most environmentally friendly route if the time it takes to make the trip is roughly the same as it would have without taking carbon emissions into account. Google Maps calculates fuel usage based on the road incline, traffic congestion and traffic predictions. The company has estimated that the feature could save more than one million tons of carbon emissions per year which is equivalent to removing more than 200,000 cars from the road, as well as saving people’s money by reducing fuel consumption.
This initiative will also show the associated carbon dioxide emissions for every flight you look up directly in search results, including seat-specific details. If it will take significantly longer to reach your destination by the more environmentally friendly route, then customers will be able to choose between the faster or more sustainable route. Google searches related to travel will debut information about whether hotels have made meaningful commitments to sustainability, including whether they’ve received any environmental certifications.
Google has already launched a new service for Nest thermostat owners in the US, which it plans to start rolling out over the next several weeks. It’s called “Nest Renew,” and allows users to automatically shift their heating and cooling to times when there’s more renewable energy available on the grid. This is a strategy that energy experts and environmental advocates have promoted as an important step to making homes more energy efficient whilst reducing the strain on electricity grids during times of peak demand. In selecting markets, Google is planning to offer a Renew Premium subscription, which would enable subscribers to match their fossil-fueled electricity use with some investment in renewable energy (through renewable energy certificates).
