Why is Green Web Hosting A Must To Adopt in 2024?

This topic is very close to me. And why not. Sustainability and energy management are extremely important to secure our planet earth. Thereby securing also the future of the next generations. Setting, measuring and meeting ESG goals is common topic today for corporates and startups.For this to happen, it’s essential for us to learn about why and how to adopt Green Web Hosting.

We will also see some examples, pros, and cons. Also, review a few front-runner Green Web Hosting service providers in this space.

The Internet Is One of the Biggest Polluters

Read more about the influence your website has on the environment. And what you can be done to save the planet.

The energy needs of the internet sector are huge. Data centers, which house millions of huge servers piled on top of one another in racks and powered on around-the-clock, are the foundation of the internet.

In fact, these servers use a tremendous amount of energy. And to prevent overheating and failure, they are constantly bombarded with frigid air.

Do you know, keeping those servers from overheating alone consumes 40% of the total energy necessary to run the internet?

Every data center in the globe uses a specific power system to supply electricity. Unfortunately, our power networks’ primary sources of energy are carbon-polluting ones.

Worldwide, there were 500k data centers 10 years back. Today, around 8 million data centers exists. that’s approximately 16-fold rise.

The Internet will outpace all other businesses in terms of global pollution since it emits carbon at the highest rate.

With 2% of global carbon emissions today, data centers are equal to the Airline Industry!

Basically, it goes much farther than that.

All things considered, By 2040, it’s anticipated that data center pollution would account for 14% of global carbon emissions, or that of the whole of Europe.

Now, this is a serious issue that is just escalating.

How can we Solve This Problem?

I am sure most of you would be astonished by the above facts. Having known the scale of the issue, I am sure you would be determined to do something.

It may be only in your thoughts initially. Later on, it can translate into actions. One thing at a time!

How about a commitment to adopting Eco-Friendly Green Web Hosting?

Where do we get to know about companies offering Eco-Friendly Green Web Hosting?

Well, you are in the right place

There are various agencies that certify these companies. Let’s learn about one such agency called the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is a government agency responsible for setting and enforcing national pollution-control standards. It was established in 1970 by President Richard Nixon.

Major Webhosting companies certified by USEPA as Green Power Partners are mentioned below. We will review them later in brief.

GreenGeeks
DreamHost
A2 Hosting
HostPapa
iPage
DreamHost

What is Green Web Hosting?

Now let’s look at the qualifying definition for Eco-friendly Green web hosting.

Eco-friendly Green web hosting refers to web hosting services that use Renewable Energy Sources and minimize their environmental impact. Web hosting providers purchase renewable energy credits (RECs) or directly invest in renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar power. Also use energy efficient Data Center infrastructure and minimise waste. This helps reduce carbon emissions and contributes to a cleaner environment.

For compliance and reporting purpose, all these hosting companies work with various Green-ePartners, such as Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Sterling Planet Inc, Community Energy Inc, Native Energy, Renewable Choice Energy, etc.

Green-ePartners considers data such as the number of servers, employees, computed annual energy usage, etc. to calculate the full carbon footprint.

Ultimately, these businesses buy 3 times as many RECs (Renewable Energy Credits) as they consume and feed that energy back into the grid.

The second initiative they often take up is Tree plantation. Rigorously, they also work with agencies to plant trees across the globe.

The third initiative they take up is to be more energy efficient. Like investing in energy efficient Data Center infrastructure and minimizing waste by subscribing to Energy Efficiency Programs, eg partnering with Schnieder Electric by buying their Datacenter EcoXucture.

For eg. Greengeeks commitment: “For every hosting account that we provide on our platform, we’ll plant one tree“

Hope you understand the concept of Green Web Hosting.

Isn’t it exciting!

Pros and Cons of Green Web Hosting:

Eco-friendly Green web hosting does not come without advantages and disadvantages. Let’s review them.

Pros

Reduced carbon footprint: Sustainable web hosting helps to reduce the carbon emissions associated with running data centers, which are significant contributors to global carbon emissions.
Increased energy efficiency: Sustainable web hosting providers use energy-efficient hardware and software, which helps to reduce energy consumption and costs.
Positive brand image: Companies that use sustainable web hosting can promote their environmental commitment, which can enhance their brand image and attract eco-conscious customers.

Cons

Higher cost: Sustainable web hosting providers may charge higher fees than traditional web hosting providers, as they need to invest in renewable energy sources and energy-efficient hardware.
Limited availability: Sustainable web hosting providers may have limited availability in certain regions, as they need to operate in areas with renewable energy sources.
Limited scalability: Sustainable web hosting providers may have limited scalability options, as they need to balance their energy consumption with their renewable energy sources.

Risk(Cons) mitigation factors

You may feel that the Cons are many. But in long run, each of these Risks can be easily mitigated. For example,

1. Higher Costs risk

This risk can be mitigated by using energy-efficient Data Centers. Correspondingly, Some of the tips are mentioned below

Replace hard drives with solid-state disks:
Optimize server utilization
Use virtualization technology
Improve cooling systems For example, using hot aisle/cold aisle containment, water cooling, immersion cooling, etc.
Improve underfloor air pressure management
Use efficient power distribution units (PDUs)
Use energy-efficient lighting
Finally, implement power management policies: Implementing power management policies, such as turning off IT equipment during periods of low usage, can save energy

2. Limited availability Risk due to less number of Green Hosting Players

It’s great to see that awareness of Green Web Hosting is increasing.

In fact, existing web hosting providers like Hostinger and BlueHost are also planning to upgrade and adopt more green practices. Isn’t it great!

Additionally, existing Green Hosting companies are also expanding their capacities.

Therefore with widespread adoption, availability risk will vanish.

3. Limited Scalability Risk due to limited supply of Carbon Credits

Unquestionably, companies offering Carbon offset and credit certificates are growing day by day.

According to the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets (TSVCM), demand for carbon credits could increase by a factor of 15 or more by 2030 and by a factor of up to 100 by 2050.

Obviously, this suggests a significant growth potential for carbon credit exchanges in the coming years. The top 4 carbon credit exchanges for 2022 are

The growth of these exchanges is likely to be driven by the increasing demand for carbon credits as businesses aim to reduce their carbon footprint and meet their emissions targets.

Further, let’s discuss examples of green web hosting providers, and weigh the pros and cons of this approach. Eventually, we will also look at the future evolution of cloud hosting technology and how it can contribute to sustainability efforts.

Cut your online carbon footprint with the best green web hosting providers.

Green Web Hosting Providers Comparision

Hosting Provider	Description	Best Deal Now!	Why Buy	Why Avoid
GreenGeeks	GreenGeeks is a web hosting provider that is dedicated to Green Hosting. They use renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, to power data centers. They claim that it has replaced three times the energy it consumes with renewable energy credits.	Lite $2.95/mth Pro $4.95/mth Premium $8.95/mth	+3 times energy offset claim +Powerful featured shared hosting +Low starter prices	-Limited product range -Above-average long-term prices
A2 Hosting	A2 Hosting is a popular sustainable web hosting provider with data centers in the US, EU, and Asia. The company uses renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, to power its data centers, and its website claims that it has reduced its carbon emissions by 50%.	Lite $4.90/mth Swift $5.88/mth Turbo $10.78/mth	+Carbon-neutral since 15+ years +Advanced products and features +Speedy and helpful ticket support +30-day money-back guarantee and 31-90-day prorated refunds available	-Too pricey
DreamHost	DreamHost claims their Data Centers use High-efficiency cooling infrastructure. Power-efficient processors are used whenever possible. Partners in state-level “clean wind” programs Powered by grids that obtain electricity from many renewable sources	Starter $2.95/mth Unlimited 2.95/mth DreamPress $16.95/mth	+Energy efficiencies across the business +97-day money-back guarantee +Wide range of products +Good speeds during testing	-Green claims are hard to evaluate
iPage	iPage claims that For every KWH of energy that iPage uses, the company purchases Renewable Energy Certificates to offset that amount with wind energy by 200%.	First month $1.99 iPage Webhosting $2.99/mth	+200% carbon offset with renewables +Powerful features +Excellent performance during testing +24/7 support	-Above-average prices
HostPapa	HostPapa is claiming to be carbon neutral for a long. Although they don’t use green energy directly to run its operations, it does buy a comparable amount from green suppliers, creating a net balance in emissions.	Starter $3.95/mth Business $3.95/mth Business Pro $12.95/mth	+Offset by green renewable energy +Years of green hosting experience +Great self-help options	-No dedicated hosting -No automated backups

“We absolutely recommend GreenGeeks for their topdown unwavering Commitment to Environment and Price competitiveness!

Our second choice is DreamHost

Future Evolution of Green Cloud-based Web Hosting Technology:

Green Cloud hosting technology has the potential to contribute to sustainability efforts by enabling more efficient use of resources.

Cloud providers can use virtualization and resource pooling to reduce energy consumption and waste. Undeniably, they can also use renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, to power their data centers.

One example of a cloud provider that is committed to sustainability is Amazon Web Services (AWS).

AWS has committed to achieving 100% renewable energy usage for its global infrastructure by 2025. The company has also developed a range of energy-efficient technologies, such as its Nitro System, which reduces energy consumption by up to 40%.

FAQs on Sustainable Green Web Hosting

Conclusion

In conclusion, Green Web Hosting is a growing trend in the web hosting industry. It is driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions. And also to promote environmental sustainability.

While there are pros and cons to this approach, Green Web Hosting providers can make a positive impact on the environment and enhance their and your brand image. Eventually, as Green Web Hosting Technology evolves, we can expect to see more sustainable practices being adopted by cloud providers, which will further contribute to sustainability efforts.

Hope you liked our article. Please leave your feedback below as it will help us improve and bring more such articles.

What is sustainable Green web hosting?

Sustainable eco web hosting is a type of web hosting service that aims to minimize the environmental impact of hosting websites by utilizing renewable energy sources, implementing energy-efficient practices, and reducing carbon emissions.

How does green web hosting work?

Eco web hosting works by utilizing renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, or hydro power to power the servers and data centers. It also involves implementing energy-efficient practices such as virtualization, cooling optimization, and server consolidation to reduce energy consumption.

What are the benefits of using green web hosting?

The benefits of using eco web hosting include reduced carbon footprint, lower energy consumption, lower operating costs, and a positive impact on the environment. It also helps to promote sustainable practices and support environmentally responsible businesses.

How do I know if a web host is eco-friendly?

You can determine if a web host is eco-friendly by looking for information on their website regarding their energy usage, renewable energy sources, and environmental certifications. You can also check for independent certifications such as the Green Web Foundation, which provides a directory of green web hosts.

Are there any downsides to using green web hosting?

One downside of using sustainable eco web hosting is that it may be more expensive than traditional web hosting services. Additionally, not all sustainable web hosts may offer the same level of performance or features as traditional hosts.

Can green web hosting still provide reliable service?

Yes, sustainable eco web hosting can still provide reliable service. Many sustainable web hosts utilize the latest technology and practices to ensure high levels of uptime and performance.

How can I make my website more eco-friendly?

You can make your website more eco-friendly by optimizing images and files to reduce their size, using a content delivery network (CDN) to reduce server load, and utilizing efficient coding practices. Additionally, you can choose a sustainable web host and support other environmentally responsible businesses.

What should I look for when choosing a sustainable green web host?

When choosing a sustainable eco web host, you should look for information on their energy usage and renewable energy sources, environmental certifications, uptime guarantees, and customer support. You should also consider their pricing and the features they offer.

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