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What's stopping you from using Ecosia? Your searches could plant trees! (www.ecosia.org)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Ecosia is a search engine that aggregates search results from multiple other search engines. The ad revenue from our searches funds the planting of trees worldwide. With over 200 million trees planted so far, Ecosia have learned to be fully transparent about their projects, and financials which are available right on that website. Set it as your default search engine, and start planting trees. They also recently released a Chromium based browser if that's your thing - TechCrunch article for reference.

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[–] 7 points 2 years ago (4 children)

The ad revenue from our searches funds the planting of trees worldwide.

I call that BS. As Mr Oliver once explained, if all companies were to plant the trees they promise, this planet wouldn't be enough for so many trees.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago*

    You should probably not call all reforestation as bullshit projects just based on a John Oliver video.

    There is this interesting blog post on Ecosia :

    https://cariki.co.uk/blogs/the-green-road/is-ecosia-legit-or-fake#:~:text=Ecosia%20donates%20roughly%2059%25%20of,using%20their%20transparent%20financial%20reporting.

    I understand this is just a blog but there is good sources in there. Ecosia looks like a serious initiative and the fact that they got a B corp rating in Germany is impressive.

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  • [–] [S] 8 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

    I was really skeptical at first, but they're legit. It's a non-profit that's been around since 2009, based in Berlin. Have a look at their blog, you'll find project updates, the financials are broken down by expenditure and much more. Finally they're getting some spotlight with this recent TechCrunch article and their big efforts on Social. What really hooked me in is that they signed a legal contract binding them to the not-for-profit purpose forever - more on this. Edit: about Mr. Oliver (love this guy) he is absolutely correct, but he is referring to for-profit companies that pollute and then plant some trees to pretend like they give a damn. Ecosia is a not-for-profit whose purpose is to plant with a purpose, meaning they reconnect forest patches that have been split, they return livelihood and wildlife to areas that have gone through droughts and seen increased poverty etc...

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    That assumes all the trees survive. A lot of them apparently don't.

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 2 years ago

    No such assumption is made. Ecosia is clear when an entire project fails, and takes into account tree survival rates when they claim to have planted over 200 million trees. It's all clarified on their website. Regardless of all of that, they take all ad-revenue to reforest and I'd say that's a better deal than Google or MS.

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