Introduction Empowering individuals Working together Operating sustainably Governance and engagement Appendix 2023 Environmental Repo爀琀 market structures. If no such structure exists, then Google de昀椀nes the grid Search interest from April 2018–April 2023 to that of April 2013–April 2018. variations. Doesn’t include stand-alone accessory products other than not emi琀琀ed as a result of our operations. region as the electricity-balancing authority where our data centers are 112 See endnote 35 above. Pixel phone cases, and Pixel Watch Active, Stretch, and Woven bands. 153 “Total renewable energy allocated” includes the total amount of renewable located. Outside of the United States, the grid region most o昀琀en refers to 127 113 “Impo爀琀ance of Methane,” EPA, 2021. Based on U.S. retail packaging weight with adhesive materials excluded. electricity generation conveyed via contractual instruments, which have the geographic boundary of a country, because most grid system operators 114 Percent reduction in food waste per Googler was calculated as food waste To meet the request of some clients, plastic stickers are applied to some been used in the calculation of Scope 2 market-based emissions per the operate at the national level. Ce爀琀ain regions that span multiple countries Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 2 Quality Criteria. generated in kitchens and cafes at Google’s global o昀케ces per unique packaging variations. are well interconnected and could be considered as one grid; however, 128 154 badge swipes, against a 2019 baseline. See endnote 127 above. Repo爀琀ed energy values (in MW or MWh) are rounded to the nearest 100. our grid mix calculations already include impo爀琀 and expo爀琀 considerations 115 “A Whopping 91 Percent of Plastic Isn’t Recycled,” National Geographic, 129 See endnote 126 above. 155 “Purchased electricity” is electricity sourced from an electrical grid and and therefore take into account power 昀氀ows from neighboring grids. In December 2018. 130 See Learn when you’ll get so昀琀ware updates on Google Pixel phones for purchased from a local electric utility company. This metric di昀昀ers slightly the future, we may update our de昀椀nition as we work with grid operators to 116 UL110 and IEEE 1680.1 are multi-a琀琀ribute, consensus-based sustainability more details. from “Total electricity consumption,” which includes both purchased and be琀琀er understand how transmission constraints or congestion impact CFE 131 self-generated electricity. standards for mobile phones and for computers and displays, respectively. We o昀昀er free recycling for eligible products from any brand. Learn more measurement within and across grid regions. 156 Google uses a third pa爀琀y to validate conformance and independently about Google’s recycling program on our site. See endnote 155 above. 91 Contracted CFE is the hourly electricity production from clean energy ce爀琀ify to these standards. See UL Spot Database. 132 Learn more about UL 2799 Zero Waste to Land昀椀ll ce爀琀i昀椀cation. 157 See the Methodology section for an overview of our “percentage of 117 projects whose electricity and associated environmental a琀琀ributes are Carbon footprint reduction claim based on third-pa爀琀y veri昀椀ed life 133 See endnote 108 above. electricity procured from renewable sources” calculation. 158 contracted to Google via power purchase agreements, retail energy supply cycle assessment. Recycled aluminum in the enclosures is at least 9% of 134 “A Warning Sign: Where Biodiversity Loss Is Happening Around the World,” We repo爀琀 individual campus PUE only for campuses with at least twelve arrangements, or other contractual structures. See “24/7 Carbon-Free applicable product based on weight. World Wildlife Fund, 2021. months of data. All repo爀琀ed PUE values are rounded to the hundredths place. Energy: Methodologies and Metrics” for more details. 118 135 Doesn’t include third-pa爀琀y products such as the Nest x Yale Lock. See endnote 134 above. 159 See endnote 76 above. 92 “Why Did Renewables Become so Cheap so Fast?” Our World in Data, 119 For products launched in 2020 and 2021: Nest, Pixel, and Chromecast 136 “From Savanna to Suburb: E昀昀ects of 160 Years of Landscape Change 160 See endnote 89 above. December 2020. devices are made with recycled plastic ranging between 9% and 68% on Carbon Storage in Silicon Valley, California,” Landscape and Urban 161 See endnote 12 above. 93 Planning, vol. 195, March 2020. See endnote 13 above. based on weight of plastic used in each respective product launched 162 See endnote 90 above. during this timeframe. The following items are excluded: plastics in printed 137 94 “How the Tech Sector Can Drive Renewable Energy Oppo爀琀unities in APAC,” “Charleston Retention Basin Improvement Project,” California 163 See endnote 90 above. ENGIE Impact, accessed 2023. circuit boards, labels, cables, connectors, electronic components and Environmental Quality Act, accessed 2023. 164 Repo爀琀ed waste generated values are rounded to the nearest hundred. 95 modules, optical components, electrostatic discharge (ESD) components, 138 “Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change Summary for “Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count Tallies Over 330,000 Bu琀琀e爀昀lies 165 Land昀椀ll diversion is calculated as waste dive爀琀ed to a more sustainable electromagnetic inte爀昀erence (EMI) components, 昀椀lms, coatings and Policymakers,” IPCC, 2022. Before Storms Ba琀琀er Overwintering Sites,” Xerces Society, 2023. pathway than land昀椀ll, as a percentage of total waste. Sta爀琀ing in 2022, we’ve 96 adhesives. For products launched in 2022: Pixel, Nest, and Chromecast 139 “Turning the Tide,” Global Commission on the Economics of Water, 2023. See endnote 13 above. updated our land昀椀ll diversion rate methodology for our o昀케ce operations by devices are made with recycled materials ranging between 9% and 60% 97 We de昀椀ne freshwater as naturally occurring water from su爀昀ace or 140 “Reduce Urban Heat Island E昀昀ect,” EPA, May 2019. removing contamination from our recycling and compost streams, providing based on respective product weights. groundwater sources that isn’t salty, and is suitable for consumption if clean 141 The percentage of FSC-ce爀琀i昀椀ed wood used at Bay View and Charleston a more accurate representation of land昀椀ll avoidance, and suppo爀琀ing our 120 e昀昀o爀琀s to maintain high-quality dive爀琀ed materials. or processed. Freshwater excludes seawater and reclaimed wastewater. Based on total plastic weight of (A) Google Pixel, Nest, and Chromecast East is calculated based on material costs for new wood purchased for 98 166 Based on the average annual irrigation of golf courses in the southwest U.S. products manufactured in 2022 and (B) Fitbit products launched and these projects during construction. We expanded this data center hardware refurbishment key pe爀昀ormance 142 of 459 acre-昀琀 or around 150 million gallons. Source: “How Much Water Does manufactured in 2022. Includes U.S. con昀椀guration of in-box accessories See endnote 141 above. indicator from including only decommissioned pa爀琀s that were reused for Golf Use and Where Does It Come From?” U.S. Golf Association, 2012. but does not include standalone accessory products other than Pixel 143 “Paris Agreement,” UNFCCC, 2015. server maintenance to also including other refurbished pa爀琀 types reused for 99 phone cases, and Pixel Watch Active, Stretch, and Woven bands. This does server maintenance as well as server deployment and upgrades. This change Based on the WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas tool, we de昀椀ne “high water 144 “Summary for Policymakers of IPCC Special Repo爀琀 on Global Warming of not include plastics in printed circuit boards, labels, cables, connectors, more accurately re昀氀ects Google’s approach to data center material reuse. stress” as areas with high or extremely high overall water stress, and “low water 1.5°C Approved by Governments,” IPCC, 2018. stress” as areas with low, low-medium, or medium-high overall water stress. electronic components and modules, optical components, electrostatic 145 167 “Sixth Assessment Repo爀琀,” IPCC, 2019. All repo爀琀ed water values are rounded to the nearest hundred thousand 100 discharge (ESD) components, electromagnetic inte爀昀erence (EMI) According to Google’s own analysis of our data center energy use and 146 All repo爀琀ed Scope 1 GHG emissions, Scope 2 GHG emissions, and gallons and repo爀琀ed in million gallons. carbon emissions in 2021. components, 昀椀lms, coatings, and adhesives. biogenic emissions values are rounded to the nearest hundred. All 168 In 2019, we aligned our water repo爀琀ing with industry standards to disclose 121 101 We contracted a third-pa爀琀y to quantify volumetric bene昀椀ts by applying Based on total weight of new Google Pixel, Nest, Chromecast, and Fitbit repo爀琀ed Scope 3 emissions values are rounded to the nearest thousand. three water indicators: total water withdrawal, consumption, and discharge. 147 industry standard methodologies and defensible data and assumptions. products launched and manufactured in 2022, including U.S. con昀椀guration In 2022, we included estimates for hydro昀氀uorocarbon (HFC) emissions Data for total water consumption and total water discharge is not available 102 See endnote 101 above. of in-box accessories. Does not include standalone accessory products resulting from the leakage of refrigerants from cooling equipment at our for prior years. Our repo爀琀ed water metrics don’t include seawater. 103 See endnote 35 above. other than Pixel phone cases, and Pixel Watch Active, Stretch, and Woven o昀케ces and data centers in our Scope 1 emissions. We have not updated 169 We contracted a third pa爀琀y to quantify volumetric bene昀椀ts by applying 104 See endnote 63 above. bands. prior years to include estimated refrigerant emissions. industry standard methodologies and defensible data and assumptions. 122 148 105 “Ea爀琀h Overshoot Day,” Global Footprint Network, 2023. Carbon footprint reduction claim based on third-pa爀琀y-veri昀椀ed life Our Scope 2 market-based emissions increased 37%, primarily due to See the Bene昀椀ting watersheds and communities section for more details. 106 “The Circular Economy Could Unlock $4.5 Trillion of Economic Growth, Finds cycle assessment. Recycled aluminum in the enclosures is at least 9% of increased data center electricity consumption and a lack of full regional 170 Our repo爀琀ed water metrics don’t include seawater. All repo爀琀ed water New Book by Accenture,” Accenture, 2015. applicable product based on weight. coverage of renewable energy procurement in the United States and Asia values are rounded to the nearest hundred thousand gallons and repo爀琀ed in 107 123 Paci昀椀c regions. “How the Circular Economy Tackles Climate Change,” Ellen MacA爀琀hur See endnote 122 above. million gallons. 149 171 Foundation, 2021. 124 See endnote 120 above. Ce爀琀ain Category 1: “Purchased goods and services” emissions are Treated wastewater from the Sweetwater Creek Sidestream Reuse Facility. 108 “Building a World Free from Waste and Pollution,” Ellen MacA爀琀hur 125 The following may be excluded from the calculation of percentage: printed presented in Category 2: “Capital goods.” See the Methodology section 172 Air-cooled facility; no water used for cooling. Foundation, 2021. circuit boards, labels, cables, connectors, electronic components and for more details. 173 Industrial water supplied by No爀琀h Water. 109 150 “Circular Economy of Construction and Demolition Waste: A Literature modules, optical components, electrostatic discharge components, In 2022, we updated our Scope 3 Category 7: “Employee commuting” 174 See endnote 98 above. Review on Lessons, Challenges, and Bene昀椀ts,” NIH National Library of electromagnetic inte爀昀erence components, 昀椀lms, coatings, and adhesives. methodology to estimate additional modes of transpo爀琀ation due to the 175 See endnote 170 above. Medicine, 2021. Renewable content consists of plastic made from bio-based material. availability of new data sources. See the Methodology section for more 176 Water drawn from the Nimy-Blaton-Peronnes shipping canal and treated 110 Does not include third-pa爀琀y products such as the Nest x Yale Lock. details. We’ve assessed contamination rates for our recycling and composting on-site. 126 151 streams and removed them from our calculation. This contrasts with our Based on total weight of new Google Pixel, Nest, Chromecast, and Fitbit We present ce爀琀ain Scope 3 emissions from Category 1, Category 2, 177 See endnote 172 above. historical methodology and the industry standard diversion rate, which retail packaging (excluding adhesive materials) for products launched and Category 11, and Category 12 as an aggregated subtotal “Other categories” 178 See endnote 98 above. assumes that anything placed in recycling or compost bins has zero manufactured in 2022, as shipped by Google. Due to global variations in for business reasons, as described fu爀琀her in the Methodology section. contamination. packaging, U.S. retail packaging data is used for our repo爀琀ing. To meet the 152 Other GHGs, including pe爀昀luorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexa昀氀uoride (SF ), 6 111 request of some clients, plastic stickers are applied to some packaging Based on Google Trends data as of April 2023, when comparing global Google and nitrogen tri昀氀uoride (NF3), are not included in our inventory, as they’re 102