| World internet usage statistics show that the | | | | go fully solar powered. They will of course have |
| internet is still doubling in size in the U.S. and | | | | the gird as a backup in case of weather, but they |
| growing from 400 to 1000% a year, worldwide. | | | | are completely solar-powered. Still other |
| That's staggering. The energy usage needed for | | | | companies have gone with wind power. Solar |
| that type of demand is also equally staggering. | | | | power is actually gaining momentum and is a |
| According to an Information Week article written | | | | serious alternative to grid power. |
| in 2007, "In the United States, the power | | | | I guess I'd rather see a company buy green tags |
| consumption in 2005 for servers and related | | | | or carbon credits than do nothing. But there is |
| equipment in data centers was equivalent to | | | | much more that the companies can do, and you |
| about five 1,000-megawatt power plants, or your | | | | can see if they are talking about these things on |
| five typical nuclear or coal power plants.." With so | | | | their websites. |
| much demand on resources, an eco-friendly | | | | How Do Hosting Companies Go Green? |
| hosting service is a good step to help ease or | | | | Buy Carbon Credits. Offset means "neutralize," |
| offset the incredible energy usage demands of | | | | "balance," or "cancel out." When you buy a carbon |
| the internet. | | | | offset, therefore, you are helping to fund a |
| Green web hosting has just caught on in the | | | | project that reduces the amount of carbon |
| public's mind, although there are a few hosts who | | | | dioxide in the atmosphere. Offsets can also |
| have been ahead of the demand for quite some | | | | involve planting trees. |
| time. Now more than ever, people are looking for | | | | Buy Green Tags. This just means that the energy |
| environmentally friendly companies and are voting | | | | that you use is created by a green source (wind, |
| with their wallets, so to speak. As a business | | | | solar, hydro) and delivered to the power grid |
| person, or even just an independent site owner, | | | | you're connected to. (Even though you aren't |
| you can begin to build your brand as an | | | | using it necessarily.) |
| environmentally friendly company, by using green | | | | Virtualization. This is a type of sharing of |
| web hosting. It makes a statement of value that | | | | resources among customers, so that you can |
| many people appreciate, and you are also voting | | | | more effectively use your server hardware. This |
| with your wallet too. | | | | can potentially reduce the number of servers |
| Trying to navigate the maze of hosting however, | | | | consuming energy. |
| is not always easy. There are many web hosting | | | | Use more energy friendly servers. There are |
| companies advertising themselves as "green", but | | | | alternative types of servers that green |
| what does that really mean? | | | | companies can choose to buy and use. Some |
| Degrees of Green Hosting | | | | have two servers housed within a single box, |
| So, who's green enough? You'll get a lot of opinion | | | | utilizing the same power supply. This cuts down |
| on that subject. Some feel that if a hosting | | | | on consumption. There is also a server technology |
| company is not completely "off gird" (not using | | | | called "speed stepping" that will reduce the amount |
| any power from the electrical grid), then they are | | | | of voltage and heat a server uses, especially |
| not really green. Others say that doing something | | | | during peak usage. |
| is better than nothing. I tend to fall somewhere in | | | | Data Center Layout. Anything from how you |
| the middle. So, let's decipher all this: | | | | weatherize your center to how you lay out your |
| Some companies will talk about being "carbon | | | | air conditioning can greatly reduce the amount of |
| neutral". They are buying carbon credits. While | | | | energy consumed. |
| many thing this is not good enough to call yourself | | | | Big time capital investment. Windmill driven data |
| green, it still means the company is spending | | | | centers, installing solar panels, completely solar |
| extra money to do something. It's much cheaper | | | | data center, paperless office, telecommuting |
| to do nothing! Going carbon neutral hopefully | | | | employees, incentives for alternative work |
| means that they've added up all they energy | | | | transportation are all excellent measures. |
| they use (and not just from their servers, but | | | | Basically, I'd rather see a company buy green |
| total company consumption) and they are | | | | tickets or carbon offsets than do nothing. But |
| purchasing carbon credits, or green tags (also | | | | there is also so much more that can be done. |
| known as RECs or TRCs), to put back into the | | | | Hopefully, this will give you an excellent starting |
| grid. | | | | point to choose a green web hosting company. |
| Other companies have made the investment to | | | | |