Google has outlined their plan to make sustainable travel an easier choice in a summer which saw a 40% jump in global cycling participation. With the return of unfettered movement in 2022, many seek to reduce the impact of their excursions and tackle climate change with sustainable travel.
Google announced the commitment to empowering 1 billion people to make more sustainable travel choices.
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As the tech giant puts it – the choices made by an individual may seem small, but when people have the tools to make them at scale, they equal big improvements.
Carbon Footprint
If you are going to a destination you can only reach by flying, Google Search helps you understand the CO2 emissions associated with each potential trip directly in Google Flights.
A green badge next to the emissions number to help you sift through your options more easily, and you can filter all flights by “CO2 emissions” to easily find and book the flight with the lowest footprint.
To produce these sustainable travel estimates, Google combine data from the European Environmental Agency with the flight-specific information we get from airlines and other providers such as aircraft type, trip distance and the number of seats in each seating class.
Sustainable Stay
Google Search helps you find hotels that have made significant commitments to green practices and aiding sustainable travel. This includes hotels that are certified for meeting high standards of sustainability.
These certifications are awarded by independent organisations, like Green Key or EarthCheck. The eco-certified badge badge features in the search list when looking for accommodation. You can even filter for eco-certified accommodation.
This can help users understand their eco-friendly practices, from waste reduction to energy efficiency or water conservation measures, aiding in their sustainable travel goals.
Bicycle Boom
Google Maps uses AI paired with data from cities, trusted cartographic partners and feedback from the Google Maps community.
Now, with our new cycling route information, you can easily compare bike routes. You can check on other biking info prepare for the ride ahead. In addition to seeing the elevation along your route, Google Maps offers info on car traffic, stairs and steep hills.
Google Maps gives a highly detailed breakdown of the route itself so you can know at a glance what type of road you’ll be biking on – like a major road vs. a local street.
Smart Charge
If you have an electric vehicle, Google Maps can help with your range anxiety. Just search for “EVcharging station” to see all of the stations nearby.
As well as other helpful details, like the business where the station is located, port types and charging speeds.
And for some stations, you can even see if a charger is available in real-time – helping you avoid queues.
Cars with Google built in can use Maps to automatically help you find stations along your route.
Transit Tipster
Tapping the transit tab in Directions on Google Maps gives you directions to any place by bus, rail, and ferry. When available, you can see real time arrival and departure times, transfer points, and any upcoming service delays.
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And, Google Maps gives you a suite of information to prepare you for the journey. You can see how crowded your transit ride will be and hence if you’re likely to get a seat. As well as information like, what the temperature is like, and if there are wheelchair accessible routes available.
