Google now indicates which are the most sustainable flights

¿sustainable flights ? Can they be? Let's face it: lately, aviation has a bad press . When we were still able to travel freely, the Flygskam concept, "the shame of flying" associated with the lack of ecology of this means of transport, grabbed all the headlines.

Now, years after that word was coined, France has just banned short flights, replacing them with train trips as long as the journey does not exceed two and a half hours.

The standard is based on data such as those of the European Environment Agency (EEA, for its acronym in English), which states that each person who travels on a train (of those that can hold up to 150 passengers) emits 14 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2), compared to 285 grams generated by each user of an airplane (usually with capacity for only 88 travelers). There is even an app that shows land routes that are faster than air routes, while causing much less environmental damage.

Spain is also studying the possibility of changing flights for train journeys whenever possible. It is an idea gathered in the plan 2050, a roadmap established by the Government to improve the country in the coming years.

However, while we wait for it to become a reality, or not, it is worth taking into account which flights are the most sustainable, a possibility that the search engine has just implemented GoogleFlights . The application shows carbon emissions from almost all flights in the results, together with the price and the duration of the same.

Furthermore, it allows us order the results by time of departure, arrival, price and duration and, as a novelty, according to their CO2 emissions , allowing us to also take this variable into account when deciding to travel with one airline or another.

See Photos: The 13 Greenest European Tourist Attractions

To produce these estimates, the company combines data from the European Environment Agency with flight-specific information obtained from airlines , such as the type of plane, the distance of the trip and even the number of seats in every class.

“These emissions estimates are flight and seat specific. For example, newer planes are generally less polluting than older aircraft, and emissions increase for economy seats premium and first class , because they occupy more space and represent a greater proportion of total emissions”, they explain from Google.

The seat you choose also influences the carbon footprint of your flight

HOTELS AND MORE SUSTAINABLE ROUTE BY CAR

Recently, the company also launched another battery of measures to make it easier for consumers to make more sustainable choices, such as show the less polluting route on Google Maps and indicate which is the most ecological hotel. Thus, when looking for accommodation, in addition to offering you information such as its number of stars, if it has breakfast included, a swimming pool, etc., you will see information about its sustainability efforts, that have to do with aspects such as waste reduction and the water conservation measures.

In addition, the search engine will show you the certifications Green Key -an international eco-label awarded to accommodation and other hospitality facilities that are committed to sustainable business practices- or Earth Check - which requires businesses to measure, monitor and make continuous improvements in the key performance areas related to the environment - obtained by each establishment.

In this way, Google joins a global trend, responding to a growing demand for travelers trying to minimize their carbon footprint . Ecobnb, for example, is a search engine for unique and respectful accommodation with nature, the economy and local communities, while Beyond Green is a collection of hotels, resorts and accommodation dedicated to sustainable tourism, restoring ecosystems , saving endangered species and protecting cultural heritage for new generations.

Google now indicates which are the most sustainable flights

See Photos: The 13 Greenest European Tourist Attractions

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