Making sustainable choices easier for everyone

As Search trends show, people across Asia Pacific are looking for more ways to practice sustainability, and wwe continue to build products and features that can help people make more sustainable choices in their day-to-day lives.

For example, the new Air Quality feature in Google Search and Maps uses AI to show the air quality conditions for the day, whether it’s unusually smoggy or dangerously smoky. Working with credible data provided by the National Environment Agency, we launched this feature last week in Singapore. This data can help people think about whether to stay outdoors or indoors, bringing more attention to the issue.

A combination of AI, trusted data from sources like transit authorities, and community feedback from Maps users also enables us to offer sustainable transport options. Using this information, we help people understand the schedule, crowdedness and details like accessible entrances and exits — all of which helps make taking public transport an easier choice. Cycling directions — which have rolled out Singapore, and in cities in Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Japan — provide even greener options.

Supporting others to reach their goals

Our technology that’s available to our partners is where we think we can make the biggest difference, whether it’s working with cities, governments, companies or nonprofits. In fact, our Google.org grantees report that the use of AI has enabled them to achieve their goals in one third of the time, at nearly half the cost.

Partners like World Resources Institute in India are using Google Earth Engine to generate maps and the kind of analysis needed to plan targeted interventions. And the Environmental Insights Explorer, available in 17,000 cities throughout Asia Pacific, enables governments to measure carbon emissions sources and identify the right strategies to implement cleaner energy resources.

Customers using Google Cloud not only have zero net operational emissions, they’re able to use our tools to decarbonize their digital applications and infrastructure, while driving sustainable business transformation. Thai food ecommerce platform Yim Platform, for example, uses Google Cloud’s Carbon Sense suite to measure, track and disclose carbon emissions. Their goal is to further reduce this footprint, and become a fully sustainable retailer. And Aruna Fisheries is using Google Cloud to promote sustainable fishing by matching supply with demand based on data insights.