Hello everyone! Wishing you all the best with the week ahead.
Today, I'd like to talk about the internet. I as a uni student can't live without it, and I would never want to because of the wealth of knowledge with which it provides me. However, there are ways we can spend a lot of time online and also do good - because there are good web extensions that you basically have no excuse NOT to download and start using.
Let's discuss two of the most popular.
ecosia
what is it?
Ecosia is a search engine with a twist: with every search, they plant a tree! It has an extremely trendy aesthetic and is really easy to use because it closely resembles Google.To date, they've planted over 40 MILLION. Personally, after about five months, I have accumulated over 600 trees!
They don't just have random people planting these trees, either. Ecosia employs women in communities where reforestation efforts are needed, and they contribute their earnings to a collective savings account that is used for women to launch their own businesses. YES TO THIS EMPOWERMENT.
are you sure it's legit?
Glad you asked! Ecosia is a Certified B Corporation, meaning they as a company have achieved rigorous environmental, social, and economic standards which show they collectively are trying to make the world better. So, yes! Ecosia is completely legitimate and does exactly what it says.
Ecosia is also in and of itself a very transparent corporation, as they publish their monthly donation receipts for the public to see. Finally, they strive to protect users' privacy by refraining from selling your data to other parties. Basically, this means that Ecosia plays no part in those eerily-accurate ads that show up on your Facebook after you looked up something.
how do I get it?
Easy! If you've got Chrome, here's what you do. Simply click here to go to Ecosia's website (which is the browser itself). Follow this tutorial, which will help you to change your default search engine to Ecosia. There are also easy tutorials for all other web browsers too. But if you need those I'm not sure why you don't have Chrome yet. ;)
tab for a cause
what is it?
Tab for a Cause is a Chrome extension that allows you to raise "hearts" with each new tab you open. The "hearts" you collect translate into donations, which you can choose between a number of charities to send to. These charities include Water.org, Human Rights Watch, Save the Children, and more.
are you sure it's legit?
Tab for a Cause realizes that most people have this question, which is why they have a section right on their site here that says "we know that trust must be earned." They publish all their code online for anyone interested, as well as their quarterly financial reports with their exact cost, budget, and donation breakdowns. You can also read more about the app in this Huffington Post article.
how do I get it?
Simply go to Tab for a Cause's website here and click the big button that says "Add to Chrome". That will redirect you to the Chrome web store, where you can download it easily and start collecting hearts right away.
conclusion
There you have it! Two really simple-to-use web apps that'll enable you to start giving immediately. Do you have any similar apps or extensions that you use? Share them below in the comments!
With love and sustainability,
ethigirl