When you think about search engines, giants like Google probably come to mind. But what if there was a way to help the planet while you searched the web? That’s where Ecosia comes in. Founded in 2009 by German entrepreneur Christian Kroll, Ecosia is a search engine with a purpose: planting trees to fight deforestation and climate change. Unlike most businesses, its goal isn’t just profit—it’s using profits to reforest the world.
Ecosia’s story is one of innovation and environmental action. Let’s explore how it all started, why it’s different, and what kind of global impact it’s making.
Ecosia was founded in December 2009 by Christian Kroll, a German entrepreneur with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. After studying business administration, Kroll set out on a journey across South America and India, where the deforestation and environmental damage deeply moved him. In India, he learned about Buddhist economic principles and social entrepreneurship, which inspired him to create a business with a positive environmental impact.
Before Ecosia, Kroll experimented with other eco-friendly ventures, including Xabbel, a green search engine based on renewable energy sources. However, this early project did not take off. When Google pulled out of its search partnerships in China, Kroll returned to Europe with the idea to create a new search engine with a social mission.
Kroll launched Ecosia during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. His goal? To create a search engine where every internet search helps plant trees. Rather than following the traditional model of focusing purely on profit, Ecosia was built as a social business. This means its mission is as much about helping the environment as it is about generating revenue.
At its heart, Ecosia operates like any other search engine. But there’s a crucial difference: Ecosia uses 80% or more of its profits to fund tree-planting projects worldwide. It’s a Certified B Corporation, meaning it meets strict standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
The transparency doesn’t stop there. Ecosia publishes monthly financial reports showing exactly how much money goes toward reforestation. You can see how your searches are helping the planet—literally.
But why trees? Trees are one of the most effective tools we have in the fight against climate change. They absorb CO2, restore ecosystems, and provide habitats for wildlife. By partnering with organizations such as Eden Reforestation Projects and WeForest, Ecosia ensures that every tree they plant has a meaningful, long-lasting impact.
Now, you might wonder: How exactly does Ecosia turn searches into trees? The process is straightforward. Like Google, Ecosia makes money from search-based ads. Every time you click on one of these ads, Ecosia earns a small amount of revenue. Instead of pocketing that profit, they channel it directly into planting trees.
On average, it takes about 45 searches to fund the planting of a single tree. Since launching, Ecosia has helped plant over 180 million trees across 35 countries, including regions in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.
Here’s a breakdown of their key initiatives:
These projects don’t just benefit the environment—they help communities by providing jobs and stabilizing ecosystems.
Ecosia doesn’t just stop at planting trees. It goes further by ensuring its operations are environmentally responsible. Every search made through Ecosia is powered by 100% renewable energy. The company owns solar power plants that generate more electricity than they need to run their search engine. In fact, Ecosia claims that each search helps remove about 1kg of CO2 from the atmosphere.
This approach makes Ecosia a carbon-negative company. Not only are they offsetting their emissions, but they’re actively working to remove more carbon from the air than they produce.
One of the boldest moves Christian Kroll made was ensuring that Ecosia would remain independent. In 2018, he made Ecosia non-saleable by signing its shares into a foundation. This means that no future owner can force the company to prioritize profits over its environmental mission.
Kroll has built a company that’s not just focused on immediate profits but long-term sustainability. Ecosia’s goal is to make a positive, lasting impact on the world, and they’re dedicated to staying true to that mission.
As of 2024, Ecosia continues to grow, but it still holds a relatively small share of the search engine market. With over 20 million users, Ecosia is steadily gaining traction among environmentally-conscious individuals.
The company’s vision is to expand its reforestation efforts to new areas, particularly those hit hardest by deforestation. Ecosia also aims to promote biodiversity through careful selection of tree species and sustainable agricultural practices.
But the mission goes beyond just planting trees. Ecosia’s broader goal is to inspire other businesses to adopt more sustainable models. They want to prove that it’s possible to be successful without sacrificing social responsibility.
No company is without its challenges, and Ecosia is no exception. One of the main hurdles Ecosia faces is its reliance on Microsoft Bing to provide search results. Because Ecosia doesn’t have its own algorithm, the quality of its results depends heavily on Microsoft’s platform. While Bing provides a solid foundation, some users feel it’s not as accurate or comprehensive as Google’s search capabilities.
Moreover, while planting trees is critical, some critics argue that it’s not enough. Climate change requires a multifaceted approach that includes reducing emissions at the source, not just offsetting them through reforestation. Ecosia acknowledges this and is constantly working to improve its sustainability initiatives beyond tree planting.
One of the significant concerns people have with search engines today is privacy. Ecosia takes privacy seriously. Unlike Google, it doesn’t create personal profiles on its users or sell their data to advertisers. They anonymize all search data after one week, ensuring that user information isn’t permanently stored.
Ecosia also avoids using third-party tracking tools. This means that your searches aren’t followed by targeted ads on other websites. Instead, Ecosia focuses on protecting user privacy while still providing a useful service.
What began as one man’s vision to help the environment has grown into a global movement. Ecosia has turned something as simple as an internet search into a force for good. By choosing Ecosia, you’re not just finding answers to your questions—you’re helping plant trees, protect ecosystems, and support communities around the world.
Ecosia’s model of combining technology with environmental responsibility is a powerful reminder that business can be a force for good. So, next time you search for something online, consider using Ecosia. Your search could change the world—one tree at a time.
If you want to know about the pioneers of search engines, this one’s for you. The Rise and Fall of MetaCrawler: A Timeline