Many modern consumers understand the importance of sustainable shopping. If they hear that a company or product is negatively affecting the environment, they find an alternative source. The concept is the same for web hosting. What exactly is green web hosting, and is it legit? We will be delving into the answer in the article below.
The Impact of Web Hosting
When we use the computer for work or browse the web on our phones, it can be easy to forget the environmental impact of doing so. The impact of the internet and its supporting systems makes up about 2% of total global greenhouse emissions. This is partly because servers and computer equipment have to be up and running 24/7. A typical web hosting data center contains a great deal of hardware to facilitate the business.
Web hosting contributes approximately the same amount of carbon emission as the airline industry does. These emissions all add to the problem of global warming as well as detrimental health effects, disruptions in our food supply, and causing animal species to go extinct.
The Shift to Green Web Hosting
Some web hosting providers have seen the need to change how their business operated. The old way of business needed to keep up with the times. They needed to shift toward more sustainable forms of energy to reduce their carbon footprint, retain old customers, and attract new ones.
A host can become green when they find a way to generate a greater amount of clean energy than what they are consuming. Many companies have succeeded at this while still providing top-quality service to their clients. Common examples of this are when companies invest in solar or wind power to power their operations. For instance, some data center locations have solar panels on the roof of the building. This solar power will then power computers and servers.
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
If a provider does not have the opportunity to generate clean energy themselves, there are other things they can do. By purchasing RECs, the provider is funding green energy suppliers to generate renewable power. These suppliers will add more energy to their power grid on behalf of the hosting provider.
Carbon Offset Certificates (VERs)
Another way that a hosting provider can be green is by offsetting the carbon footprint that they create. They can do this through recycling and other green initiatives. There are many different programs available that offer the opportunity of offsetting your carbon footprint.
Benefits of Green Hosting
By helping the environment, hosting providers are also benefiting themselves. They will attract more customers practicing their corporate social responsibility. When customers find a hosting provider who cares about the environment, they will assume that the company has its priorities in the right place. These customers may also go to their friends and family and spread the good word, generating more business. Being a green company will also garner more attention, particularly in a field that consumes a great deal of energy. More clients will find out about your business and will want to learn more.
Clients will also enjoy having a green provider because they will be able to display this on their website for their visitors to see. Their visitors will be more inclined to shop on the website if they see that they are in support of environmentally-friendly practices.
In addition to this, providers will also find that they are lowering their energy costs and saving money in the long run. By making their business sustainable, they are helping humanity clean up the planet, one step at a time.
Is it Legit?
Green web hosting is a completely legitimate way of doing business. Green hosting providers are still giving clients the same top-notch service that they deserve. They are simply doing it in an eco-friendly manner. Green hosting is a rising trend that we hope continues to increase in popularity. If enough people notice the effort of green hosting providers, other areas of the world may start making strides towards sustainability as well. With everyone working together, we can lower our carbon footprint and restore the planet to how it should be.
Main Photo by Carlos Muza on Unsplash
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
