According to recent research, people want to do sustainable choices when they travel, but often do not have the information necessary to do so. This is precisely why Google has recently integrated sustainability into its travel tools. Now, in fact, it is possible to view the estimated carbon emissions for a route on Google Flights. And when you search for a hotel, the search engine uses an ecological label to indicate the most environmentally friendly properties. But now Google is adding new functions to “Travel”so as to make them even more sustainable for users.
Travel: Google adds new eco-friendly features
Google adds new features to its “Travel” section. With i new filters for both flights and hotels, for example, it’s easier to find more sustainable options. By selecting the “Low emissions” filter on Google Flights, you can only view flights with lower emissions compared to the average of similar trips. And the same goes for the search for a hotel, so you can set the new one “Eco-certified” filter. In this case, users can see a list of facilities operating in an environmentally friendly manner. Indeed, to improve this option, Google is “working directly with organizations such as the United States Green Building Council (which provides LEED assessments) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council“.
And that’s not all. Google now offers the option to replace an airplane flight with a train ride, considering this often proves to be a more sustainable option. Therefore, as Google reports, starting today it is possible to “buy train tickets directly on Google Search, to travel in and around certain countries, including Germany, Spain, Italy and Japan“. Just run a query like “trains from Berlin to Vienna” and you will see a new form in the search results that allows you to choose the departure date and compare the available options. Once you have chosen the right solution for you, Google Travel allows you to purchase the ticket directly on the website of the reference company.
Furthermore, as reported by the official blog, the tech giant is starting “to test a similar functionality for bus tickets in the near future to expand your choices for intercity travel”. So let’s wait to see what other news Google has in store for us, our travels and the planet.