Make A Change - Go Green
Green Web Hosting is recent development in the web world where internet companies are trying to become eco friendly. It has become evident that internet usage is rapidly increasing in different parts of the world which in turn is having adverse impact on the environment. The amount of energy utilised to operate servers is increasing at a continuous rate and threatens to massively increase energy consumption. By the year 200, the web hosting industry used as much energy to power their servers as the equivalent of 14 major power plants. It has been estimated that by the year 2020, if energy consumption keeps increasing at the rate it already is, then the web industry will become more polluting than the airline industry. This alarming situation has lead many website developers to introspect and come up with constructive plans to make sure that internet usage does not become such a risky activity. Therefore many companies are attempting to introduce new methods by which web hosting becomes less demanding on the environment and consumes lesser amount of resources. Eco-friendly hosting services, utilizing green marketing, etc have thus emerged.
Green Web Hosting can be explained as an alternative eco friendly method to traditional styles of hosting. The attempt is to minimize the impact of data centre emissions etc on the environment.
Usually, web hosting requires a server and other network equipment which is powered to grids that use up a lot of energy. Electronic security mechanisms, environmental and cooling controls, fire suppression systems, and internet connections all drink up a lot of energy.
The alternative systems companies are coming up with now try and minimize energy consumption in all these area. Some companies have also begun to use alternative sources of energy for server connections.
Some of the steps taken by internet companies to reduce carbon emissions are enlisted below. The most popular action is the purchasing of RECs (Renewable Energy Credits). These credits basically represent renewable energy sources. They may continue to use power from grids but in order to nullify the polluting effect of this power consumption, companies then go on and purchase RECs like wind energy credits. Another thing companies have started doing is that they aim to cut down on all round energy consumption in home and office spaces. This is done through reduced use of computers and hardware, use of solar energy, recycling policies, conservation of paper by using e documents instead etc.
Green Web Hosting represents a sentiment that is being expressed by professionals all across the world. No matter what the field, attempts are being made to cut energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions. The web is also a part of our reality in today's world and consists of an ecosystem of its own. It is now being understood, and rightly so, that activities taken up on the web also adversely affect the environment and that steps need to be taken to change this. Spaces, physical or virtual need to be utilised in this mission to make the planet a better place to live.
