The world might seem terrifying at the moment, but the impact of our search engines doesn’t have to be. There’s a better way to use the internet, and it’s called Ecosia.
My late-night doom scrolling has reached a disturbing level. Sleeplessness and general anxiety about the state of the world rarely leads anywhere nice; however, a recent midnight foray into Google alternatives led to a surprisingly lovely corner of the internet.
Ecosia.
Now, as an environmentalist, I’ve been aware of the eco-friendly search engine for a while. I should really give it a try, I’d often thought to myself as I read yet another report about the negative impact of traditional search engines and big tech. Google, along with other technology companies, has actually increased its carbon emissions over the past five years, despite its public net-zero goals.
I decided it was time to give it a try.
And it’s awesome.
First things first: the reasons preventing me from switching earlier were, I’m slightly ashamed to admit, a concern over a loss of convenience. Yes, convenience. For all their faults, these massive tech companies are incredibly efficient, with new little features popping up like spring daisies. Worried about missing your flight? Not anymore! We’ve just automatically added your flight details (with reminders) to your calendar. Could I give up a feature that I never even knew I wanted?
Enough with the flippant humor, though. For all of us whose lives have become entangled with technology, untangling those threads feels surprisingly overwhelming. I’m a tough cookie, I can do hard things, I grew up in the nineties without cellphones, taking phone calls on the home landline, the whole family listening. Why is it hard for me, someone who believes deeply in protecting the environment, to make changes that support those beliefs?
Research into the basal ganglia’s response to habit development suggests a fairly simple answer: reward. The brain’s ability to reward even small actions makes breaking long-standing habits difficult. So let me give you some rewards for switching to Ecosia.
Ecosia is a web browser with a mission. 100% of its profits (80% of revenue) go back into reforestation and climate action initiatives, utilizing renewable energy to power its servers, and it is a dedicated not-for-profit, certified B-corp. Founded in Germany in 2009, Ecosia has since planted over 200 million trees. And before there’s a dismissive eye-roll about the ubiquitous ‘tree-planting’ campaign (the go-to for greenwashers everywhere), I was impressed by the depth of their tree-planting claims.
We have the choice to choose excellent services that are better for the planet.
AnonymousPlanting one kind of tree across a wide region is just monoculture, endless rows of the same generic foliage, which doesn’t allow for the usual biodiversity we see in true forests. Even the issue of which kind of trees are planted counts; are they native flora or invasive? One aspect of Ecosia’s environmental impact is that their reforestation efforts are grounded in better planting practices, planting six seeds for every one they expect to survive, working with local residents to ensure that tree species and locations work within the ecosystem. And if the vision of a lush, reforested world doesn’t thrill you, what about the solar farms they’ve built? Or their financial transparency and commitment to paying taxes? Recently, Ecosia launched the European Search Perspective (EUSP), taking a wider step toward digital sovereignty and data privacy.
Love a bit of gamification? The browser rewards users with ‘growth points’ which come from using the browser regularly or across multiple devices, allowing users to ‘level up’ with every search, and spend ‘seeds’ on Ecosia collectibles.
Beyond all that stuff, the renewable energy, the tree planting, the ethical financial policies, there’s the fact that it works.
Since switching, I’ve turned off AI summaries and received fewer targeted ads and pop-ups, plus the search results tend to be better quality and more diverse than the ones I would get before – essentially, there’s been no disruption to the already very convenient life I’ve been living.
In a world where it feels like there’s so few options sometimes, this is a great option. We have the choice to choose excellent services that are better for the planet. There are cool people who care, doing cool, innovative things, and all we have to do is ask it for a great Chicken Alfredo recipe for dinner. So, ready to make the switch?
