Web Hosting Goes Green!
February 23, 2011
by Lennie Appelquist
“Going Green” has been in vogue since the early 90s. Many consumers reward environmentally friendly businesses by choosing them as their providers – simply because they have chosen to be environmentally conscious.
However, there’s always a danger that corporate executives sensing a marketable commodity will exploit green issues to make a fast buck. That’s why it’s particularly refreshing to hear about several webhosting companies who are starting to push the envelope in green compliance.
Why Webhosts need to “Go Green”
Web hosts use a tremendous amount of power. They need a lot of power to keep their data centers (which host their servers) at optimum temperatures. If the temperature gets too hot there is a danger they will lose the all important data they are hosting (NOT GOOD!). By consuming a lot of power in the cooling systems, they are placing heavy burdens on the national grid which in turn burns through a lot of fossil fuel power.
How Webhosts are Solving the Problem
InMotion Hosting has shown they are not just giving lip-service to environmental issues by making “Reducing rather than offsetting” a company core value. Their commitment to sustainable development is underlined by opening the first “Green” data-center in Los Angeles.
They have reduced their cooling costs by 70% and saved 2,000 tons of carbon output a year by utilizing advanced “Outside Air Cooling Technology”. Traditional data systems are cooled non-stop by “Computer Room air conditioners” which cool the hot air produced by the servers and then re-circulate it. Outside Air Cooling vents the hot air entirely out of the building and brings cold air in.
Inmotion hosting also commits to a tree-planting program. 5,000 trees will be planted in developing countries (including Haiti) as part of the company’s policy to promote green policies all year round – not just on “Earth Day!”.
FatCow is also doing their part and allowing their customers to benefit from it too. The latest news from the company is that they have been awarded membership to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s 2011 Green Power Leadership Club (that’s pretty cool, right?). In order to be a member, companies must demonstrate “exemplary environmental leadership”.
The award has been merited for FatCow because for the last two years they have been off-setting their energy use by purchasing “Renewable Energy Certificates” which make use of wind-power. This prevents the release of 2,600 metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year. This is a net benefit to the environment of planting 2,390 acres of trees or not driving 6.1 million miles!
FatCow give their customers the choice of 9 “Green Badges” which can be proudly displayed on all hosted websites. This lets them prove to their visitors that they support environmentally aware companies.
