Ecosia and the Search for the Future of Earth
What if every single search you made on the internet planted a tree?
What is Ecosia?
Ecosia is a web-based search engine (ecosia.org).
Where is Ecosia currently based?
Ecosia is based in Berlin, Germany.
When was Ecosia founded?
Ecosia was launched on December 7, 2009. This was a deliberate choice by founder Christian Koll, who wanted the launch to coincide with the United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen.
How does Ecosia make money?
Like other web-based search engines, Ecosia generates revenue from users clicking on advertisements.
Why are they ethical?
Ecosia is a not-for-profit. It donates 80% of its surplus income to not-for-profits that focus on reforestation and conservationism. In October 2018, Ecosia invested 81% of their surplus income into tree planting, which is roughly 31% of their income.
Ecosia actively plants trees in 16 countries throughout Europe, North America, Central & South America, Africa, and Asia. As of December 28, 2018, Ecosia claims that it has planted 45, 621, 216 trees (the total number of trees planted is displayed at www.ecosia.org).
What happens if I use their products, but don’t click ads?
Before advertisers purchase ad space on web-based search engines, they look at the number of users that will see their advertisements. Each Ecosia user increases the trust and reputation of Ecosia, and means that advertisers will purchase shares in the company. You don’t need to click the ads to generate revenue for Ecosia. By simply using their search engine, you can increase the number of trees being planted all over Earth.
Do any companies own shares in Ecosia?
In 2018, founder Christian Koll sold some of his shares in Ecosia to the Purpose Foundation. The mission of the Purpose Foundation is to help youth and young adults find life purpose early and build the character skills that will enable them to accomplish their life goals
Where can I go for more information?
For more about Ecosia’s business model and history, you can read the Ecosia Wiki entry.
To see for yourself where their money goes, you can read Ecosia’s financial reports here.
