Google unveiled new features during their Sustainable with Google event in October 2020, designed to help users make more eco-friendly travel choices. Their goal is to become carbon-free by 2030. With these changes, Google search and maps now present opportunities to plan “greener” trips. Keep reading to learn how to plan a sustainable vacation with Google search.
How to Use Google Search to Plan a Sustainable Vacation
In an effort to help users plan sustainable getaways, Google is promoting a new set of features. Here’s how to use Google search:
1. Find Sustainable Flights with Google Search
Google Flights now allows users to search for flights with carbon emissions estimates provided in the search results and booking pages. Follow these steps to find emissions estimates:
- Go to Google Flights.
- Search for a flight.
- On the right-hand side, click the arrow-down icon.
- View the emission estimates for every part of your journey.
You can also sort your flight results by carbon emissions. Just click on “Sort By” and “CO2 Emissions” located on the right-hand side of the screen.
2. Find Sustainable Hotels with Google Search
Staying in a hotel certified by an accredited independent organization is one way to reduce your carbon footprint while travelling. With Google search, you can now filter your hotel search for eco-certified hotels. Here are the steps to search for a “certified green” hotel:
- On Google Travel, search for Hotels.
- Select a hotel with an eco-certified label.
- On the hotel details page, select the About tab.
- Scroll to the Sustainability section for more details about the hotel’s emissions reduction efforts, carbon footprint, green certifications, and efforts in water conservation, sustainable food sourcing, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.
Final Remarks: How to Plan a Sustainable Vacation with Google Search
We hope this guide showed you how to plan a sustainable vacation with Google search. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know in the contact form below. If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends and family and help us spread the word about sustainable travel!
FAQs
Why is it important to plan a sustainable vacation?
Planning a sustainable vacation helps to reduce your carbon footprint, support local communities, and protect the natural environment.
What is Google’s commitment to sustainability?
Google aims to become carbon-free by 2030, and has introduced new features in Google search and maps to help users make more eco-friendly choices.
How can I find sustainable accommodations using Google search?
You can filter your hotel search in Google Travel for hotels with an eco-certified label to find accommodations that have met environmental sustainability standards.
How does Google Flights help users plan sustainable trips?
Google Flights provides carbon emissions estimates for each flight in search results and booking pages, and also allows users to sort flight results by carbon emissions.