Anyone who is running a website or online business, may have wondered how it affects the environment, and if there is anything that can be done to lessen the impact that data center operations may have in that regard. The good news is that there are many things that can looked into which take very little effort on your part. The fact is that emissions and power consumption contribute to the many of the issues that affect the planet’s environment.

One such way to make a difference, is to choose to utilize green web hosting over regular web hosting, to support those companies that are making a conscious effort to protect the Earth’s environment for the benefit of future generations.

If you’re not familiar with green hosting, don’t worry. You’re not alone. As more people become aware of the options available when deciding on a web host, they will make the choice to choose green web hosting as a responsible alternative, and thereby help the environment and the planet. Because knowledge about green web hosting is so sparse currently, this information on regular web hosting and the benefits of green web hosting will shed some light on how it can work as not only a pro-environment alternative, but a distinct business advantage.

Regular Web Hosting

Most people know what web hosting consists of – the process of buying space on a server computer and a connection to the Internet in order to establish an online presence. What a lot of people don’t realize, though, is the amount of hardware that is behind the scenes that powers the Internet. From the actual computers themselves to the systems that are used to keep them cool and protected, web server data centers require a tremendous amount of electricity in order to operate.

Many hosting companies are not concerned with the source of their electricity for the operation of their business. As the environment becomes a larger issue in people’s lives, the companies that do make being environmentally friendly a priority, will be the companies that survive and flourish.

Web hosting companies could all benefit from paying more attention to environmental concerns, such as where the electricity to run their data centers comes from. While this particular detail may not seem like much of an issue, when all of the websites on the Internet are factored in with the web servers connected to the Internet, the amount of power utilized to run them all is astronomical. Another aspect to consider, is that with the price of carbon based fossil fuels constantly rising, the price to keep web servers running is only going to increase over time.

Most business operations include the cost of doing business into the fees that are charged to the customer. The fact is that web hosting companies could greatly enhance their services and reduce operating costs, by considering the long term benefits of operating a green friendly data center. The price to operate more environmentally friendly services can be offset in operational savings over time.

Green Web Hosting

Green web hosting companies make it a priority to utilize electricity that comes from a renewable source or is otherwise safe for the environment. Sustainability is an important issue for environmentalists and average people who care about the world and the future of the planet. By not relying on carbon based forms of energy, green web hosts are taking responsibility for the impact of their businesses on the world, and helping to change things for the better. Additionally, green web hosts will eventually save on operational expenses, as carbon fuel costs rise and become more scarce over time.

Sustainable energy to operate web server data centers is not only less expensive in the long run (as other costs of electricity continue to inevitably grow), but it is also much better for the planet overall. Solar and wind power are two typical ways that green friendly web hosts can generate more than ample power to keep websites up and running smoothly. These are two power sources that have tended to cause less pollution to the surrounding environment than other methods.

A Data Center World study reportedly revealed that two thirds of data centers are proactively implementing policies and technologies that will enable them to minimize power consumption. As data center energy requirements are expected to double in the next four years, any reduction in energy could be a significant improvement.

Keeping the servers cool and operating at maximum efficiency takes a lot of energy above and beyond the electricity needed to power the computers themselves. This is one of the reasons the industry has such a large percentage of power consumption around the world. Power usage is a necessity of the business, though, and one that companies were not really required to consider, as they built data centers to run in the most cost-effective and efficient ways. Today, however, many more companies are investigating eco-friendly solutions to power their data centers.

Beyond the matter of where the electricity to run and cool the data centers comes from, green web hosting is more about a way of life, as well as a dedication to creating a more efficient planet and sound future to look forward to. Green web hosting is considered the socially responsible and earth friendly way to run websites. In the very competitive world of the Internet, taking the extra step to choose a green, earth friendly web host, can separate any business from the competition. As more clients align with the pro-environment cause, this can become a distinct business advantage that proves very profitable, by lessening operational costs and increasing overall business growth.
While it may not seem like much in the beginning, the amount of websites and the number of servers running 24/7 add up to staggering levels quite quickly. By looking at the big picture, you can start to see why choosing green hosting for your websites could be extremely beneficial to both your business and the environment.

Why Green Hosting Matters

It’s been said that nearly 3% to 4% of all the world’s electricity is being used to run the data centers that contain the computers running all the websites on the Internet. It may seem like a small number, but when compared to the total power consumption of the entire world, even 3% is a great deal of energy.

It is well known that power usages for electronic devices not in use continue to incur costs while plugged in. If shutting down just one computer for 12 hours each day can save up to $50 a year in energy costs, imagine how much energy and money a green data center could save. If more hosting companies examined how to change the way they assess power consumption, the overall environmental impact could lessen substantially, not to mention the cost savings, which could then be passed on to consumers.

Not long ago, without any green hosting options, early consumers had no alternative energy hosting companies to choose from. Currently, there are many more companies that have determined the importance of the environment and sustainable energy. As this continues to happen, it will be much easier for Earth conscious consumers to find responsible ways to support the environment by contracting with web hosting companies that take the environment into consideration.

Green hosting matters because the Internet is growing at an exponential rate, requiring more resources to keep it running smoothly. The environmental ramifications of hosting millions of websites on the Internet is something that every person deciding to use a web host should consider, to keep the planet from further harm.

One other reason that green hosting matters is due to the negative impact that the Industrial Age has had on the global environment. As the Information Age continues to expand, repairing the damage from the last 100 years and reducing the rate of destruction in the name of progress becomes more important. Green hosting can have a tremendous impact on the future of how technology utilizes the earth’s resources in the best ways possible.

Make a Difference

Technology does not always afford a lot of opportunities to make decisions that will have a positive effect on the environment. By choosing green web hosting, a very positive difference can be made. It might seem like a small thing, but the more that people take the time to consider solutions such as green web hosting, the greater the chance that environmental problems will be able to work themselves out.

Many web hosting companies purchase their electricity from the cheapest sources possible, without realizing that there are alternatives to benefit the company, the consumer and the environment. Green hosting companies go out of their way to make sure their energy comes from a renewable source such as wind, solar or water power.

The Green Hosting Hall of Fame

Many companies could greatly benefit from what green web hosting companies have found out about overall costs for services, as well as lessening the environmental impact. Aside from using 100% renewable energy, some companies actually take things even one step further and plant trees on behalf of clients.

Many green web hosts invest ten or more percent of their revenue is community projects, quite a few of which are environmental. These companies are making a positive business impact, and should be acknowledged for their efforts in supporting social activism.

Every company that tries to make a difference deserves credit for installing efficient cooling systems in their data centers and for using servers which require less power. In addition, green habits in the office such as recycling and using paper bags rather than plastic, to green lighting solutions, all count toward a better environmental future for the planet.

Some web hosting companies donate part of their revenue to non-profit organizations that work toward saving the environment and should also be supported. All of these things are very important, since action needs to be taken, so that environmental problems are addressed timely and a difference can be made as soon as feasibly possible.

Be Proactive, Taking Action Counts

The first step to handle any problem is realizing that there is something that needs to change. In a world as large as ours, it’s sometimes hard to imagine that just one person can make a difference, especially with a decision as seemingly trivial as whether or not to use a green web hosting company. People who choose to use a green friendly web host alternative, can also inspire others to do the same, which can carry forward numerous times.

One small stand to insist on green hosting, and letting others in social networks know about it, could spark enough interest for other companies to make the switch to more environmentally conscious choices. Once that happens, the numbers increase, and the positive effect on the planet will be more noticeable as more people move to green hosting.

Green hosting is also a great way to shed more light on the issue so that more companies take environmental concerns into consideration. When it comes down to it, green hosting is different than regular web hosting for all the right reasons, and that should suffice for anyone to consider using it for hosting their online businesses.

By using green hosting for all your websites, your voice can be added to the collective group of environmentally conscious people around the world. As more people become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of business operations, eco-friendly web hosting will rise in demand. More companies will look into green web hosting as an option, which will create more competition, and lessen prices for green hosting services.

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