The search engine donates 80% of its income to a tree planting program

Dec 20, 2013 21:11 GMT  ·  By

Here's one very simple thing that you can do to help the environment: quit using Google – at least for a while – and switch to an environmentally-friendly search engine dubbed Ecosia instead.

Unlike others of its kind, this search engine donates 80% of its income to a tree planting program that is currently underway in Brazil.

“Ecosia, like any other search engine, earns money from advertisements, which are displayed next to the search results. Ecosia then donates at least 80% of this income to a tree planting program in Brazil,” the folks behind it explain.

“Ecosia supports the ‘Plant A Billion Trees’ program by The Nature Conservancy. This program aims to restore the Brazilian Atlantic Forest by planting one billion native trees,” they add.

What's more, Ecosia actually tells you how many trees you've helped plant while browsing.

Not to brag, but I've been exploring it for about five minutes (I'm at work so I'm not admitting to anything longer than this) and, apparently, Brazil is now two trees richer thanks to me.

Since the search engine was launched, earlier this year, Internauts who have used it have helped plant over 150,000 trees.