When it comes to running our company, we’re constantly looking for ways to minimize our environmental impact. We value being as efficient as possible in everything we do, from powering our data centers to getting Googlers to and from the office.
Data centers power all of our products and services. For over ten years, we’ve been building some of the most efficient data centers in the world. In fact, our data centers use 50% less energy than the typical data center. Here's how we do it.
Ever wondered what happens when you send a message in Gmail? Follow the journey of an email to see where your message goes and how we protect your account from viruses and spam. Along the way, find out how we minimize our impact on the environment.
We drive down the cost and environmental impact of running our data centers by designing and building our own facilities. We install smart temperature controls, use “free-cooling” techniques like using outside air or reused water for cooling, and redesign how power is distributed to reduce unnecessary energy loss. We can only improve upon what we measure, so we calculate the performance of each facility using comprehensive efficiency measurements.
Since 2007, we've recycled enough outdated servers to avoid buying over 90,000 new replacement machines. Before we buy new equipment and materials, we look for ways to reuse what we already have. When we can’t find a new use for our equipment, we completely erase any components that store data, and then resell them into the market—giving our equipment a second life.
We're the first major internet services company to gain external certification of our high environmental and workplace safety standards throughout our US data centers. All of our US data centers have received voluntary ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications. In a nutshell, both standards are built around a very simple concept: Say what you’re going to do, then do what you say—and then keep improving. Watch our video to learn more.
Whether it’s installing solar panels on our roofs or implementing a bike-to-work program, we’re committed to reducing the environmental impact of running our offices worldwide. That means the overall environmental impact from our company and the products we build is lower.
We’ve built a green transportation system that includes biodiesel shuttles and the largest corporate electric vehicle charging system in the country. Every day, our shuttles keep thousands of Googlers out of the driver's seat. Our on-campus car-sharing program includes the next generation of plug-in vehicles. And we reward our self-powered commuters by donating to their favorite charities based on how often they bike or walk to work.
Google is committed to making healthy foods available free of charge to Googlers on all of our campuses worldwide. We take time to get to know our suppliers—how they raise, farm, and harvest the food. And we do everything we can to buy local, organic, sustainable food from farms and fisheries within 200 miles of our offices around the globe.
We work hard to create the healthiest, most productive work environments possible for Googlers around the world. We create buildings that function like living and breathing systems by optimizing access to nature, clean air, and daylight. Three of our key initiatives as part of this effort include eliminating dangerous substances, designing energy-efficient buildings, and continually measuring and improving upon how we operate our buildings.
