Last year, Google added tools to provide information on eco-friendly routes, such as finding flights with fewer carbon emissions. Today, the company announced adding more such features: sustainability filters applicable on search results and buying train tickets directly from Google.
Earlier this month, Google introduced the extension of the eco-friendly routes feature to 40 more countries, including Poland, Spain, and France. It would allow them to choose between environmentally friendly and fastest ways.
Now Google is letting users add filters like the "Low Emissions" filter while searching on Google Flights to choose trips with relatively lower carbon emissions. Similarly, the “Eco-certified” filter can be applied when booking hotels to suggest only eco-friendly options. Here's how Google plans to improve these features:
“To improve the accuracy of these results, we’re now working directly with organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council (which provides LEED ratings) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council to begin importing their database of eco-certified hotels.”
Additionally, Google is now letting users purchase train tickets for traveling through selected countries such as Germany, Japan, Italy, and Spain, where train travel is common. To access this feature, users can type starting and ending points of their journey and select a suitable date and time. The chosen train will provide users with a direct link to a partner website, where the user can buy the tickets.
Google’s blog post mentioned this feature would extend to bus routes and add more rail providers while simultaneously adding paths to more areas in the future.
