Google Reverses Lifelong Carbon Emissions To Fight Climate Change

A few months after Microsoft pledged to undo by 2050 the climate harm it's done to the atmosphere by emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, Google said it's already done so. "We have eliminated Google's entire carbon legacy," Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said Monday in a blog post. From a report: Carbon dioxide, which can trap heat from the sun in the earth's atmosphere in a process called the greenhouse effect, is a key part of climate change problems humans are causing on the planet. Google said it became carbon neutral in 2007, meaning it offset carbon emissions related to its operations. That's typically done by purchasing "carbon offsets," actions like planting trees, but carbon offsets are a complex and sometimes shady business. The search and Android giant reversed its carbon footprint by buying "high-quality" carbon offsets, Pichai said. Carbon emissions are a major issue for companies seeking to become more environmentally responsible. Google has long pushed for sustainable operations. That's easier at a profitable tech giant, though, than at a more conventional business.