Google is putting sustainability in the hands of consumers, one product at a time

Google prides itself on its sustainability efforts, which include being carbon neutral since 2007, and plans to be carbon-free by 2030.

Now, the search giant is introducing a slew of product updates to help consumers become more sustainable as well, per The Verge.

Updates span 3 product categories

1. Search: Google is launching a dedicated results page for high-quality information on climate change, and will prioritize electric vehicles and appliances when users search for those products.
2. Travel: An update on Google Maps will show drivers which route is the most sustainable, and an update to Google Flights will show travelers’ CO2 emissions for each flight.
3. Home: Nest Renew will let Nest thermostat owners optimize their heating and cooling for times where there is more renewable energy available on the grid.

But there’s still an elephant in the room

YouTube has been under fire for spreading false information about climate change. A recent analysis found that 20% of the top 100 results for “global warming” were filled with misinformation.

Google did recently ban videos with misinformation about COVID vaccines. Perhaps climate change is next?