Green Web Hosting

Learn more about green hosting

So, what exactly constitutes as green web hosting? Is it perhaps nothing more than a fancy word in the hosting industry? To begin with – the most common form of green hosting is shared hosting but there are a few web hosts offering green hosting in the other types of hosting as well.

A web host can be green in more than one way.  It can for example be the web host purchasing carbon offsets, using eco friendly energy efficient servers, using wind or solar power or they might be planting a tree for each plan sold. To be sure on what your potential “green web host” is doing for the environment it is always advisable sending them an email asking, if they have not been clear with this on their website.

Choosing a Green Host

When shopping for a green webhost, the first thing the business should look for is transparency. Most providers try to deliver this transparency on their website at the point of sale. As mentioned, if a site doesn’t, then email them and ask them to expand on their green approach. Keep in mind that green is a somewhat amorphous term, and you should never assume that a webhost’s definition is the same as yours. Most green businesses are proud and loud about their “greenness.” Be wary of those that aren’t.

When Green Matters

It is also important to assess the green host based on the actual effect that they’re having on the environment. Don’t lose sight of the fact that being green is a form of marketing for any business, including yours. Everything they do will be spun in a manner that will have the greatest impression on the consumer. Look beyond the catchy phrasing, and opt for an approach that will make you proud.

True Green vs. Marketing

Shared hosting is not inherently greener than dedicated hosting is, but you might not realize that from the marketing that abounds online. A dedicated server might have more unused resources than a shared server does, but those unused resources don’t necessarily translate into additional power usage.

Rather than focusing on the small aspects, look at the bigger picture. A host that is earnestly 100 percent carbon-neutral, or close to it, makes a real difference. Hosts accomplish this by completely powering themselves through wind and solar energy. The better green hosts also have extensive recycling program that extends to all of the hardware that they use. As a rule of thumb, companies that are truly green put the focus on themselves while companies that want to seem green put the focus on the client.