Green Web Hosting — Top 10 Eco-friendly Web Hosts
Green web hosting is great for obvious reasons - with the backing of a respectable green web host, you can feel good about your role in saving the earth, since green web hosts use alternative / renewable energy, plant trees, recycling waste and purchase RECs to power their datacenters.
The Worlds Need for Green Web Hosting
Throughout the world, more consumers and industries are putting in minimal to substantial efforts to �go green.� Most of us relate the concept of energy efficiency to our homes, cars and other routine aspects of life. As time passes, however, the internet becomes more of a tangible aspect, and with the increased usage, more energy is consumed. Several in the IT field have taken note of the damage and demonstrated the overall awareness with an emerging internet service known as green web hosting.
What is Green Web Hosting?
Green web hosting can be best described as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional means of hosting. More companies are currently taking the initiative to minimize the impact data center emissions and other commonly used resources have on the environment.
The typical hosting operation requires a great deal of energy to power web servers and other network equipment. Environmental and cooling controls, fire-suppression systems, electronic security mechanisms and internet connections all call for the use of energy. This is the setup in data centers all over the world, and you can image the negative affect the hosting industry has on the environment.
Thankfully, the concept of green web hosting has really launched in the last several years, and more hosting firms are jumping onboard to make a difference and reduce the damage.
Offsetting Carbon Emissions
The main intent of green web hosting is to offset the carbon emissions data centers release into the environment. Service providers take various approaches to make this happen, including the following methods:
� RECs - The most common action taken by green web hosting companies is the purchasing of RECs (Renewable Energy Credits). Often referred to as renewable certificates, these credits represent renewable energy sources that have been purchased from an electrical company. Although the host may not be directly utilizing the renewable energy, their efforts play a large role in reducing emissions and also greatly reduce their dependence on non-renewable power.
� Less Energy Consumption - Many green web hosting firms also take proactive measures by reducing the energy consumption in their daily business operations. This usually occurs in the office environment, where they use less computers and other hardware, or rely entirely on the machines to provide heat for the certain areas in the building. Some run their offices on solar power, enforce recycling policies and eliminate the use of paper. The latter can easily be achieved by several companies thanks to today�s fast paced e-business world. Other common measures include requiring that employees carpool to work to cut down on the harmful emissions that stem from day-to-day driving or asking them to cut down on energy use while at home.
Green web hosting efforts in the data center usually include using more efficient server hardware and running backup generators that rely on propane gas instead of diesel fuel. There are also a handful companies that are able to generate their own renewable energy to use for their IT operations.
Give Back to the Earth
Another way green web hosting companies help to offset carbon emissions is by directly giving back to the environment. For example, many hosts in the industry plant a new tree with every package sold, providing the earth with the natural resources it needs to continuously thrive. While this may seem like a small commitment on the surface, a popular web host that handles high volumes of business can make a significant impact by planting its word.
Is Green Web Hosting Right for You?
We are not here to make you feel guilty about not going green. However, evidence has shown that the environment is becoming more unstable, and opting for an eco-friendly hosting solution can help make a difference.
Nonetheless, this does not mean green web hosting is right for you. This type of service is usually more costly than the traditional hosting plan, and unless you conduct thorough research, you will likely have no way of knowing how �green� the service actually is. With that said, if this is the route you decide to take, do your homework and make sure the host is truly living up to its claims and not simply banking off a popular niche offering.
What is Green Web Hosting?
Green web hosting can be best described as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional means of hosting. More companies are currently taking the initiative to minimize the impact data center emissions and other commonly used resources have on the environment.
The typical hosting operation requires a great deal of energy to power web servers and other network equipment. Environmental and cooling controls, fire-suppression systems, electronic security mechanisms and internet connections all call for the use of energy. This is the setup in data centers all over the world, and you can image the negative affect the hosting industry has on the environment.
Thankfully, the concept of green web hosting has really launched in the last several years, and more hosting firms are jumping onboard to make a difference and reduce the damage.
Offsetting Carbon Emissions
The main intent of green web hosting is to offset the carbon emissions data centers release into the environment. Service providers take various approaches to make this happen, including the following methods:
� RECs - The most common action taken by green web hosting companies is the purchasing of RECs (Renewable Energy Credits). Often referred to as renewable certificates, these credits represent renewable energy sources that have been purchased from an electrical company. Although the host may not be directly utilizing the renewable energy, their efforts play a large role in reducing emissions and also greatly reduce their dependence on non-renewable power.
� Less Energy Consumption - Many green web hosting firms also take proactive measures by reducing the energy consumption in their daily business operations. This usually occurs in the office environment, where they use less computers and other hardware, or rely entirely on the machines to provide heat for the certain areas in the building. Some run their offices on solar power, enforce recycling policies and eliminate the use of paper. The latter can easily be achieved by several companies thanks to today�s fast paced e-business world. Other common measures include requiring that employees carpool to work to cut down on the harmful emissions that stem from day-to-day driving or asking them to cut down on energy use while at home.
Green web hosting efforts in the data center usually include using more efficient server hardware and running backup generators that rely on propane gas instead of diesel fuel. There are also a handful companies that are able to generate their own renewable energy to use for their IT operations.
Give Back to the Earth
Another way green web hosting companies help to offset carbon emissions is by directly giving back to the environment. For example, many hosts in the industry plant a new tree with every package sold, providing the earth with the natural resources it needs to continuously thrive. While this may seem like a small commitment on the surface, a popular web host that handles high volumes of business can make a significant impact by planting its word.
Is Green Web Hosting Right for You?
We are not here to make you feel guilty about not going green. However, evidence has shown that the environment is becoming more unstable, and opting for an eco-friendly hosting solution can help make a difference.
Nonetheless, this does not mean green web hosting is right for you. This type of service is usually more costly than the traditional hosting plan, and unless you conduct thorough research, you will likely have no way of knowing how �green� the service actually is. With that said, if this is the route you decide to take, do your homework and make sure the host is truly living up to its claims and not simply banking off a popular niche offering.
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