Google Maps will now help you find more environmentally friendly routes

(CNN) – Traveling by car and plane contributes enormously to carbon emissions and climate change. That’s why Google launched changes to help users make more informed decisions about the way they work. move.

The company created specific features on Google Maps and Google Flights to show how travel plans can contribute to climate change.

Environmentally friendly routes

In addition to showing drivers the fastest way to get to their destination, Google Maps now shows them the route that is most efficient in terms of fuel consumption.

To incorporate this new feature, Google incorporated data from the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which estimates that environmentally friendly routes have the potential to edit more than a million tons of carbon emissions entering. into the atmosphere every year. That’s the equivalent of 200,000 fewer cars on the road, Google says.

In the Google Maps app, the greenest route will be marked with a green leaf on the side. The route option will include information on the duration of the trip and how much fuel the driver could save.

Options for cyclists

It is no secret that the bicycle is a greener option than the car. The use of bicycle directions on Maps has increased by as much as 98% in the last year, according to Google. The company launches for them an option called “lite navigation” that offers cyclists important details about their routes.

This feature is introduced after Google heard from cyclists who were fed up with following turn-by-turn directions on their phones. After all, they tend to put their phones away for most of the journey.
With lite navigation, cyclists can view the details of their route without having to keep the screen on or use turn-by-turn navigation.

Cyclists will also be able to follow the progress of their trip, see their estimated arrival time updated in real time, and find details about the elevation of their route.

Shared use of bicycles and scooters

In addition to the bike feature, in 300 cities – including Berlin, New York and São Paulo – Google Maps is introducing a feature that will provide more information on bike and scooter sharing. With this new option, Google Maps users will be able to find nearby charging stations and know how many vehicles are available at that moment.

To make this feature possible, Google has partnered with bicycle and scooter companies such as Europe’s Donkey Republic, Tier and Voi, as well as Bird and Spin, which are based in the United States.

Find low-carbon flights

In addition to knowing the price and duration of trips, Google Flights users will now be able to see carbon emissions estimates for almost any flight in search results. The estimates are

The estimates are “specific to each flight” and “specific to each seat,” Google said.

“Newer aircraft are generally less polluting than older ones,” the company said in its press release. “Emissions increase for first class and upper economy seats as they take up more space and account for a larger share of total emissions,” Google added.