There are virtually infinite things you can search online. You can look up how to fix a car, bake a cake, and plan a trip worldwide. You can find anything you want with just a click of a button. You make hundreds of searches every day – why not make them count towards helping restore the Earth.
Did you know that you can plant trees around the world just from searching online? There is a search engine called Ecosia that plants a tree every time you make a search.
That sounds cool, right, but how does it work?
This search engine uses its ad space revenue to help and donate to environmental organizations around the world. By the time you have read this, Ecosia has helped plant over 120 million trees globally. Not only that, Ecosia’s servers run on 100% renewable energy, so every search request removes 1kg of CO2 from the atmosphere.
These projects help places like the middle of Africa and Southeast Asia with environments that have experienced severe stress and damage due to the global demand for resources and deforestation. The main goal of Ecosia is to help replenish their forests. This effort provides communities with more food, shelter, clean air, and clean groundwater. Wildlife has new habitats they can thrive in as well.
Our society puts so much stress on the Earth, and we have neglected to take care of it. This team is committed to giving back and helping the places that have been severely impacted. These trees are the backbone of projects around the world.
Here are some examples
1) The chimpanzee population in Uganda was rapidly declining due to deforestation and the firewood industry. These animals have required a stable habitat. Ecosia has planted over 1million trees to prevent this species from becoming extinct. You can read more about it here.
2) In Indonesia, palm oil plantations have dominated the land, forcing wildlife out of their natural habitats. This added environmental stressor has put animals’ lives in jeopardy. Ecosia has been working to restore the natural forests. It helps the wildlife repopulate in a safe environment and creates alternative sources of income for the community. You can read more about it here.
So, if you’re going to be looking something up online, why not help a cause that makes a difference in the world.
It takes no extra energy or time away from what you are doing, and it’s free. You don’t even realize you are using it. It is so simple for you to get involved with this fantastic project helping rebuild communities and ecosystems.
This is the link to the Ecosia search engine. You can also add the Ecosia extension to your existing web browser. It takes no time to download but will make a significant impact on the planet.
We only have one Earth, so finding any little way to protect it is so important!
