What Is Green Hosting, And Why Do I Want It?

Website servers have to be online every second of every hour, of every month and year. This kind of consumption is takes huge chunk of energy, and when you consider the number of hosts, data centers, and websites, it quickly becomes evident that something as simple as hosting could be hurting the environment.

For people and businesses who want to do their part towards conserving the environment, green hosting is an excellent solution. Let’s take a look at how green hosting works, and why you should be interesting in using it for your business.

What is Green Web Hosting? A Full Breakdown

Green web hosting, also known as “eco-friendly hosting,” involves setting up data centers and servers that save as much energy as possible and seek to generate that same energy from renewable resources.

It begins with using servers and generators that are more energy efficient and are rated for better efficiency overall. In addition to this initial step, they also look for renewable resources like wind and solar power to keep their servers online and running.

Beyond all of this, green web hosts also look for ways to dispose of their equipment in an environmentally friendly manner. Damaged computers and other equipment are typically recycled to avoid leaking hazardous materials into the environment.

Now, you’re probably wondering how a company who builds solar panels and windmills is still charging $1.99/month for their hosting. The truth is, they’re not. Instead, they are using Energy Credits Certificates to make themselves a green host.

Some of the top hosting companies for blogs use this method to become green and still provide the value you know and love. The way these certificates work, is they are purchased by hosting companies to put clean energy back into the power grid that replaces the energy they’ve used.

Many hosting companies go above and beyond, purchasing more than the power they use to put extra clean energy back into the grid. Beyond these credits, other hosting companies are also getting creative with cutting-edge technology such as Cold Aisle Containment that radically reduces cooling costs while also reducing a company's carbon footprint.

It’s great that hosting companies are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, but should you consider green hosting as a factor in your shopping? Let’s find out.

5 Epic Reasons to Go Green With Your Website’s Hosting

The presence of “green” efforts in web hosting is something that many companies have been using as a selling feature. Should this be a part of your decision? Yes, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of basic features, solid server uptime, and great customer support.

Green hosting is something you should consider, as it can benefit your business in more ways than you think. Here are 5 compelling reasons to include green in your list of web hosting requirements:

1. Pricing Doesn’t Change

While you may think that green hosting comes at a premium, the truth is that the pricing is very comparable. If a company is purchasing energy credits or producing their own renewable energy, you can bet that savings will be passed on to you, the consumer.

If a hosting company has private solar panels or a wind farm, they don’t need to pay the power company for their energy. For other major providers, you can also bet that their prices stay the same, since they can purchase energy credits to offset their use.

2. Potential Tax Breaks

Depending on your country of residence, having a green web host could save you a lot in taxes, especially if you have a larger sized company. A variety of governments around the world offer tax breaks for companies that “go green” as it were. The expenses you pay for your hosting could be a tax write-off depending on where you live.

Not all hosts will qualify for these kinds of tax breaks, so it’s best to research your country’s tax laws and see if there’s a way to go green and save some money in the process.

3. Be Proud of Your Choice

The term “going green” is something that has gone mainstream. Consumers are very discerning when looking for brands, and you being a green website could be the push they need to choose you over the competition. Showing that you, or your brand, cares about the environment, is a great way to make your brand stand out.

It’s simple to implement as well. Place a eco-friendly badge on your website and proudly proclaim your environmental stance to encourage the trust and admiration of your readers and your customers.

4. Teach Others

If your company takes multiple stances on “going green,” then your readers may not know that green hosting even exists. Beyond the typical badge as a green website, you should also consider teaching your readers and followers about the concepts of green hosting.

If they didn’t know about it, you could easily inspire them to make a change and switch to green hosting themselves. This would be a huge win for the green movement as a whole.

5. Less Downtime

While many green hosts tend to purchase renewable credits, others produce their own power from solar panels or wind farms. Having a separate and renewable source of power means that your host could potentially mean that your servers won’t go down as much or at all compared to other hosting companies.

If they happen to lose power, the reserves from renewable resources will keep them running until the power is restored, thus giving them the means to keep everything up and keep downtime to a minimum

Final Thoughts

Green hosting is an excellent way to set an environmentally-friendly standard for your website or business. It’s easy to find green hosting services, and proudly presenting this stance on your own website can easily bring more people to your brand. Do you use green hosting? Let us know which companies are your favorite in the comments!