New Tool Calculates the Carbon Footprint of Cities

Google's Environmental Insights Explorer multiplies the power of Google Maps for the benefit of the planet.

1 minute read

September 14, 2018, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Factory Emissions

Chen Min Chun / Shutterstock

"Looking at a city’s Google Maps data, in combination with other data, a new tool from Google can estimate the carbon footprint of all of its buildings–and the carbon footprint of all the car trips, bus and subway rides, and other transportation used by the people living there," reports Adele Peters.

The new tool, called the Environmental Insights Explorer, launched in beta on September 10, and designed to help cities account for carbon emissions—accounting being an initial step before reductions can be made. The accounting process can be labor intensive and expensive—now Google has covered a large portion of the expense, free of cost.

Monday, September 10, 2018 in Fast Company

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