Google Flights now tells you which flights are the greenest
Environmental sustainability is one of the great issues of our time. Large companies are increasingly willing to go [...]
Environmental sustainability is one of the great issues of our time. Large companies are increasingly willing to go to More "green" solutions in their offerings of services. A choice dictated by marketing reasons and also for expense-saving issues.
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The latest news on this front comes in the air travel industry. Airlines have been making efforts in recent times to organize environmentally friendly flights. Or at least More respectful of the environmental balance. This, despite the fact that the sector is responsible for only a fraction of the pollutant emissions on the planet.
Now, even Google Flight is ready to lend a hand, offering travelers a new feature to help them choose the most "eco friendly" flights from those available.
Google Flights' "green" news
We had already told you about Google Flights (originally Google Flights). This is a service offered by the well-known search engine that has been active since 2011. It allows to easily find the flights we are looking for and different information about it, from the company to the ticket price.
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Its most recent innovation adds a tool that also indicates the amount of CO2 emissions of the different flights, allowing travelers to consciously guide their choice according to each individual's environmental sensitivity as well.
Google's estimates are based on data provided by third parties, thus not directly by the airlines. Early analysis finds them to be fairly reliable. The variation between one option and another is based primarily on On the distance to the destination and the type of aircraft on which the trip will be made, since different models consume different amounts of fuel, and long-distance trips pollute more than short ones.
But that's not the end of the story: "Our measurements are not just flight-specific," explained Stephanie Horton, director of marketing for Google Commerce. But also specifics of where you sit". First or business class seats, in fact, are more spacious and therefore have a greater impact on total emissions.
How the new Google Flights feature works
The new "green" tool made available by Google is. very easy to use. In fact, just go to Google Flights, choose the desired destination, place of departure, and dates on which you intend to travel, and then start the search.
In the screen that will open, the amount of CO2 emissions will be well visible in the center of the row devoted to each individual flight available. It is also possible to sort flights by carbon dioxide consumption: by going to the right, select "Sort by > CO2 Emissions," and the results will appear descending from most to least environmentally friendly.
In addition to this, Google Flights will also suggest, if it is available, an alternative to your itinerary to be done by train, a generally less polluting solution than by plane.
