How to plant more trees with Ecosia

Combining Ecosia, the tree-planting search engine, with IdleForest, a bandwidth-sharing Chrome extension, creates a powerful synergy for reforestation. Here’s how to maximize your impact:

1. Leverage Ecosia’s Search Engine

Ecosia uses ad revenue from searches to fund tree-planting projects worldwide. To contribute:

• Switch your default search engine to Ecosia. Each search generates revenue that directly funds reforestation.

• Follow Ecosia’s tree-planting guidelines for personal projects:

  • Source seeds from native species.

  • Prepare soil with organic material and mulch after planting.

  • Prioritize sapling survival by acclimating them to local conditions.

2. Install IdleForest for Passive Impact

IdleForest uses your unused internet bandwidth to fund reforestation, complementing Ecosia’s efforts:

• Install the browser extension to share bandwidth securely.

  • No personal data is collected, and browsing speed remains unaffected.

  • Partners (e.g., research institutions) pay for bandwidth access, with 80% of profits funding trees.

• Track your contributions via IdleForest’s dashboard, which shows trees planted, CO₂ impact, and earnings.

  

3. Combined Benefits

• Ecosia: Directly funds vetted reforestation projects, emphasizing ecological and social sustainability.

• IdleForest: Provides a passive way to contribute, with transparency through open-source code and partner vetting.

Maximizing Reach

• Refer friends: IdleForest’s upcoming referral system will plant additional trees for every two invites.

• Stay updated: Both platforms offer progress tracking—Ecosia through project updates and IdleForest via real-time dashboards.

By integrating Ecosia’s active search-based model with IdleForest’s passive bandwidth-sharing approach, users can significantly scale their environmental impact.