Ecosia, a search engine that plants trees every time you search, has announced a milestone of 200,000,000 trees planted.
“That’s 200 million trees the Ecosia community has helped put into the ground; trees that are monitored, and thriving,” a statement from Ecosia CEO, Christian Kroll, said.
“Trees that capture thousands of tons of CO2 every day, saving endangered animals, restoring ecosystems, and uplifting communities around the world.”
As a Google or Bing competitor, Ecosia’s unique model is offering internet users a simple way to make a difference. The company was founded in 2009 and became Germany’s first certified B Corp in 2014 and began its first tree planting project in Burkina Faso in 2016, according to Kroll’s statement.
The first big milestone the company celebrated was in April 2017 when 10 million trees were planted.
“The big turning point came in 2018 when I signed a legally binding commitment to ensure that Ecosia could never be sold and that 100% of our profits would always go to the planet,” Kroll continued.
But, how does Ecosia even make a profit?
It’s simple; the company makes its money from ads — the same way that Google and other search engines do. Instead of keeping the profits, however, Ecosia donates to organizations planting trees around the world.
These organizations include groups in over 30 countries — from the United States and Canada, to Cameroon, Uganda, and Nigeria.
Ecosia tracks its tree-planting projects in a detailed portfolio, where anyone can see what types of trees are planted in a specific area, what planting methods are used, and even what kinds of challenges and threats the area faces.
Across all of these countries, Ecosia helps plant and protect 1,250 species of trees across 95,000 locations.
“With every search and every share, you have allowed us to do so much good for the planet, and we have no plans to stop here,” Kroll said.
“You have turned Ecosia into the biggest reforestation movement on the planet — and the planet into a better place,” he said in a YouTube video.
Ecosia also does work outside of its tree-planting partnerships. Since 2020, the company’s solar plants have produced “enough renewable energy to power all Ecosia searches twice over.”
According to a press release, Ecosia has also set up an incubator for regenerative agriculture, invested into climate tech solutions, and diversified its search providers for an improved experience all around.
While Ecosia celebrates its newest milestone, as well as its growing climate projects, it’s clear that Kroll is eager to keep the momentum going.
“Please keep spreading the word about Ecosia, so we can continue to plant trees, to protect forests, to support regenerative agriculture, and to produce renewable energy,” he continued in the video. “The planet needs it, and we need you.”
Header images courtesy of Ecosia