Picsearch AB, Swedish provider of image and multimedia search services, has taken steps to become the world’s first carbon free multimedia search engine. Since approximately 70 percent of all electricty in the US is generated by fossil fuels, Picsearch’s carbon cutting program aims to offset carbon dioxide emissions from computers by planting one thousand new trees for every gigawatt-hour consumed by Picsearch. In addition, they pledge to only use electricity that is carbon free and follows the highest standards of sustainable production.

According to Picsearch CEO, Robert Risberg, “Trying to use energy efficient computers is good, but not good enough. Picsearch believes that we need to increase the price of energy consumption so that the real environmental costs are included in the daily business activities. We call upon all colleagues in the search engine business to follow our example.”

Picsearch’s image database contains more than 1.5 billion searchable images. Try searching for “Kurt Vonnegut” in Google images and then in Picsearch. Big difference in quantity, relevance, and variety.