The advancements in technology are rapidly changing our everyday lives. As people become more conscious about their ecological footprint, they seek eco-friendly and more sustainable digital tools. Even the tiniest change can make a difference in the environment, and that’s why these digital tools are the future.
Being eco-friendly is a lifestyle, so if you have already decided to try sustainable travel, choosing the right tools to plan your next adventure is important, too. Let’s explore some of the best eco-friendly browsers, search engines, and apps.
Eco-friendly digital tools for traveling
Reducing carbon footprint while using the internet is not as difficult as it seems. If you are ready to travel sustainably and also plan that experience in an eco-friendly way, here’s where you should start:
1. Posteo
Gmail is not really known for being eco-friendly, but luckily, there’s an alternative option. You’ll need an email address for booking and making reservations, so making a Posteo account is an excellent idea.
You can create an account without sharing personal information such as your phone number or full name, and Posteo won’t use your IP address for tracking. The servers feature energy-saving hardware and are supported by Green Planet Energy. Therefore, you’ll get all the Gmail features and stay eco-friendly.
2. Ekoru
Those who want to help clean up oceans while using a search engine should check out Ekoru. An alternative to Google, Ekoru’s mission is to make donations to their partners, Big Blue Ocean Cleanup and Operation Posidonia, who then use the funds to remove trash from the oceans and save countless animals.
While you’ll notice ads on the search engine, they are there for a good reason. Ad revenue is invested in cleanups. But you don’t have to worry about data collection because Ekoru won’t sell your information to marketers. Furthermore, hydroelectricity is behind delivering power to Ekoru’s servers, which sets them even further apart from Google and other search engines.
3. Opera
Even though Chrome seems to be the most popular browser at the moment, Opera is always close to the top. It is not openly advertised as eco-friendly, but when you look behind the scenes, you’ll be surprised to discover how much energy this browser can save.
For instance, it has a power-saving mode, which means it requires less electricity to work. Turbo mode is capable of faster loading time for all websites, so again, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint while browsing the web with Opera.
4. Ecosia
Cutting down trees is one of the reasons behind all the environmental changes we have been experiencing in the last couple of decades. As biodiversity in certain parts of the globe dwindles, some organizations have decided to restore what has been lost. One of them is Ecosia, a search engine dedicated to making the world greener.
Powered by Bing, Ecosia can be added as an extension to your browser or operating system of choice. They donate 100% of their profit to fight climate change by planting trees where necessary. Organizations supported by Ecosia collaborate with local communities and focus on maintaining biodiversity in certain areas of the world.
5. Give As You Live
Give As You Live is the perfect eco-friendly tool for users who are into online shopping or planning their trips online. They have partnered with websites like Booking and eBay to give a financial reward to anyone who makes a purchase via their platform. All you need is to sign up and stay logged in as you make your reservations or shop online. After all, you would be shopping or planning your travels anyway.
Every user can donate the funds to a charity of their choice. The list of charities is long, and you may support various causes, including animal shelters and more. The only downside to Give As You Live is that you can only support organizations located in the United Kingdom. Hopefully, the idea behind this website will continue to grow, and people from other parts of the world could participate.
Beware of greenwashing
It is good to know that organizations sometimes engage in greenwashing. This term describes businesses that market themselves as eco-friendly but don’t do anything to decrease environmental impact. Greenwashing is essentially a marketing tactic created to trick users into believing they support an environmentally friendly company.
Furthermore, cybercriminals could create seemingly sustainable and eco-friendly digital tools and market them to users through deception and greenwashing. That is one of the reasons why use a VPN and other cybersecurity tools to avoid picking up malware along the way. By choosing reputable and verified eco-friendly digital alternatives, you can make a positive impact on the environment and enjoy your travels with peace of mind.
