Causecast

by SARAH NELSON, Contributing Writer

A new, “green” search engine hit the web this week and is making waves in their alternative approach to reinvesting the income generated by search results. In fact, the new Ecosia search engine claims to be the “World’s Greenest Search Engine.”

Ecosia is creation of a group of Berlin-based, environmentally-conscious folks who wanted to make search engines more eco-friendly. Earlier this year, news hit the internet that each online search conducted generates about 7 grams of carbon waste.

While it wasn’t great for Google P.R., the conversation generated a greater concern over the amount of carbon emitted by internet searches and what should be done to counter the potential problem. Obviously, there is some carbon footprint left by web users, so if we have a solution to counter it – why wouldn’t we? Ecosia says that by turning their web searches green, internet users can reduce their carbon footprint and save endangered rainforests at the same time.

This is how it works: every time you search for something online, the sponsored-links you click on generate a few cents of income for the search engine you use. With the income generated by Ecosia searches, the company has committed to giving 80 percent back to rainforest protection programs funded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). So every time you search using Ecosia, you’re restoring a little bit of our planet’s rainforests.

Ecosia is not the first search engine to claim eco-friendly status. Some search engines mix in green content with search results, while others partner with environmental organizations. What makes Ecosia stand out is their approach in directly funding reforestation projects.

Since it’s December 2 launch, Ecosia has saved over 100,000 square yards of rainforest. A WWF spokesperson says search models like Ecosia could become a major source of funding for environmental projects. He says, “An average internet user can protect about 2,000 square meters – about the size of an ice hockey rink – of rainforest every year by using Ecosia. If only one percent of global internet users accessed Ecosia for their web searches, we could save a rainforest area as big as Switzerland each year.”

Watch the video on how Ecosia works and what motivated them to take a greener approach to reinvestment:

To contribute to the Ecosia efforts to help fund rainforest restoration projects, download the add ons to your browser and start clicking. Ecosia lets you track the amount of rainforest your internet searches protect. For more information about how Ecosia works check out their FAQ. My favorite question is: Can I Help Ecosia by conducting artificial searches and clicking in sponsored links? The answer is “no”.

Obviously, you can’t save the world’s rainforest just by clicking away on your computer all day. For more information on the WWF projects to save the Amazon rainforests and how you can help, check out their website.

Photo by Danard Vincente, flickr.