What is green web hosting?

Web hosting and GHG emissions

At first glance, you may wonder how the web can be polluting. After all, it is a digital and virtual world.

However, this digital world is made up of an incredible amount of data that must be stored and made accessible.

This requires powerful computers called servers, which allow the Internet to be online 24 hours a day.

Unfortunately, these servers requires a lot of electricity to operate. And this constant demand for energy is not without environmental costs.

Experts estimate that the web hosting industry is responsible for nearly 3% of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet.

Green web hosting

To face these environmental issues related to data centres, some web hosts have developed a new approach. The first is to look for solutions to minimize the carbon footprint associated with hosting services.

These initiatives include efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, but also to offset them through various initiatives.

For example, Ex2 offsets 200% of the carbon associated with all its hosting plans. The company also donates 1% of its turnover to carbon capture initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions worldwide.

Ex2’s [Go Green] plan (https://www.ex2.com/hosting/green-hosting) goes even further and includes the distribution of 3 solar lamps to an African family living without access to electricity. This initiative goes beyond web hosting to promote green energy in developing countries.

Your website can thus have a real positive impact on the planet instead of being a source of pollution.

Updated on: 27/02/2023