Perhaps the Internet is far more powerful than anyone could have predicted. Google’s nifty applications that make research and communication faster than the 0.23 seconds it takes us to reach for our mug of quadruple espresso skim latte have revolutionized our daily tasks. If the Internet can change everyone’s life to be more energy efficient, why can’t it change the world?

Google.org is responding to the global crises that, in the past few years, have brought the industrialized world to start to realize the implications of its actions. Among the most pressing global issues facing Americans is climate change, and talk of the earth’s impending doom is stoked by exorbitant fuel prices, meteorological phenomena and insufficient environmental policy. To address this, Google.org has developed two programs, “Develop Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal (RE and “Recharge It”.

Recharge It looks like a science fair project with real potential. What they’re recharging are cars. Yes, the future of automotives means plugging your car into an electricity outlet and nearly eliminating the need for gas and oil, and hence, reducing CO2 emissions. The plug-in car endorsed by the Recharge It team has already been tested and proven, and according to the team the car, which charges over night for in-town driving, but has  gasoline back-up for longer trips, is ready to hit the road. The only obstacle facing Recharge It is the current lack of electricity able to power up these projects on a country-wide scale. But of course, Google has thought about that.

RE

Google.org seems to recognize that the global endemic crises are not isolated, but intertwined with one another. And so, while they focus on developing clean energy in America, the rest of their projects primarily involve investing in the developing world. “Predict and Prevent”,  “Inform and Empower to Improve Public Services” and “Fuel the Growth of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises” focus on the dismal health, educational, and economic situations in the developing world, particularly in Southeast Asia.

Google has $85 billion in investments: $20 million of that is going toward research and development of alternative clean energies in the United States, while the majority of funds are being dispersed to research and policy centers, non-governmental organizations, and institutes that are invested in the developing world. In addition, nearly $4 million is being invested in the disaster recovery efforts in China, Burma, and New Orleans.

The scope of Google.org’s project is massive and even mind-boggling to those of us who are trying to comprehend the enormity of the world’s problems – let alone solve them. Where the government has failed and charities have fallen short, Google’s monstrous budget steps in. But while money may be the main factor in achieving some semblance of hope for the planet’s future, what Google really cares about is information: “Better information can help governments and other providers spend scarce resources wisely. And, empowered by information, citizens and communities can demand better services from providers or develop new solutions to meet their own needs”. The information superhighway that Google revolutionized is now being brought to the underserved clinic, the under-resourced school, back to the governments that will be demanded to change, and practically to the moon. Better yet, to the sun.

There are several different ways that companies can adjust their operations to benefit the environment. Read on to which companies are making an impact in each area. The standouts in some of these fields may surprise you!

1. Reducing Carbon Emissions: Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas. In 2002, the US alone emitted 6,862 million tons of the stuff, according to carbonfund.org. Businesses can do their part by reducing the amount of emissions they produce, often by becoming more efficient and burning fewer fossil fuels. For example, Continental Airlines has invested heavily in reducing emissions, adding fuel-saving devices that can reduce emissions by 5% to the wings of many of its planes. Wal-Mart has also won the wary admiration of some environmentalists by taking steps to reduce emissions. First, the company took steps to improve its fuel efficiency by 25%, according to the Sierra Club. This action alone resulted in a savings of 400,000 tons of CO2/year. The company is also using its mafia-like powers to encourage its suppliers to cut their emissions, making them an offer they can’t refuse-better placement on the shelves in exchange for better environmental practices.

2. Taking responsibility for products: For some companies, it’s not just the energy cost of doing business, but rather the products themselves that are a concern. For example, electrical devices like cell phones and computers seem innocuous enough, but they contain toxic heavy metals and other substances that cause problems when the devices are thrown away. Companies in industries that make products like this can go green by reformulating the products, and/or by taking responsibility for disposing of them after their lifespan is over. For example, S.C Johnsonhas reformulated several of its big-name cleaning products, as well as its plastic wrap, to remove volatile organic chemicals and other pollutants. So, next time you’re at the store and can’t find your favorite “all-natural, biodegradable, eco-friendly cleaner,” don’t feel guilty about grabbing a bottle of one of their products instead. In the computer industry, Hewlett-Packard is known for its recycling program, which keeps the toxic components of computers from leaching out into the environment.

3. The three R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle: Reducing packaging or making it biodegradable can help reduce the amount of trash that ends up in landfills. Here again, Wal-mart has used its corporate muscle to take the initiative, vowing to sell only super-concentrated laundry detergent to reduce packaging. Also, Method cleaning products helped to counter the trash-producing disposable cleaning cloth craze with its O-Mop product. This product resembles the popular Swiffer, but its dust-attracting cleaning cloths are actually made of cornstarch and will break down in your compost heap. For wet-mopping, the O-mop uses washable microfiber cleaning pads instead of disposable wet-wipes. Also, many companies have their own recycling programs. For example, Bank of America’s recycling program saves approximately 200,000 trees each year. Wal-Mart offers recycling bins in some its stores, for customer wanting to drop off cans and plastic bottles.

4. Encouraging innovation: Let’s face it-reducing our current energy use can only take us so far. To solve the climate crisis, we have to develop new ways of producing energy that don’t rely on fossil fuels. So, one of the most powerful ways that businesses can help the environment is by pioneering new technologies or by investing in them. For example, Tesla Motors developed an electric car that is not only emissions-free, but fast and sexy, too. Now, if only they could make it affordable… Google is investing in companies that promise to create competitive sources of renewable energy, and has partnered with other companies in the computer industry to develop more efficient machines.

At one time, Wal-Mart was the bane of environmentalists, and the Sierra Club-sponsoredWalmartwatch.com takes the position that even though they are doing better over the past couple of years, they haven’t gone nearly far enough to make up for the past 4 decades of abuse. The website offers a fact sheet that details many of Wal-Mart’s less savory environmental practices. So, just because they are cited in this article does not mean that there’s no room for improvement. However, we can’t succeed in cleaning the planet up without cooperation, voluntary or otherwise, from corporate giants like Wal-Mart. If we don’t give credit where credit is due, there’s no incentive for companies to change their environmental attitudes.