InMotion Hosting Goes Green

I would not consider myself a very trendy person, but one trend that I am seeing, is one that I really like: The Greening of Business. In this case, I am specifically talking about the greening of web hosting and in particular the greening of InMotion Hosting.

Inmotion Hosting has been in business since 2001 and are one of the fastest growing website hosts. Along the way they have picked up several awards – most notably 3/3 stars from CNET.Com. Now they are going to great lengths to ensure that their business practices do not leave any harmful environmental footprints behind.

Embracing Green Technology

Green policies have been big news since the early 90s. As most corporate strategy text books will tell you “Strategy will not work if it is just a “Quick Fix”. It is fairly commonplace in industry to see companies meeting the minimum requirements while milking the maximum PR. That’s why it’s refreshing to see InMotion Hosting’s approach to sustainable business practices. They stress that it is their “Core belief” to reduce rather than offset, especially when it comes to energy consumption. They also make their Green Policies part of their day-to-day business – not just one day a year on “Earth Day”.

The hosting company has pushed the boundaries of green compliance by opening the first ever “Green Data Center” in Los Angeles, California. Having identified that most data centers burn through energy at an amazing rate for cooling and air-condition they sought to do something about it. A a resident of the greater Los Angeles area – this factor was huge in our decision to host most of our web sites here. You gotta love it, not just a Los Angeles based web host, but a web hosting company in Los Angeles that is environmentally conscious enough to green their business.

Saving Money and Reducing Pollution

InMotion Hosting has utilized “Outside Air Cooling” (OAC) in these new data centers. Traditional data centers run Computer Room Air Conditioners (CRACs) 24/7. These cool the hot air and then recirculate it. OAC is different as it vents the hot air outside of the building and brings cool air into it. CRACS are only used to cool the air when the outside air is too hot or high humidity makes it necessary.

By utilizing “Outside Air Cooling” technology they have reported cost reductions of 70% and reduced their carbon output by 2,000 tons a year! With research suggesting it takes 5 trees to absorb 1 ton of carbon that is a saving of 10,000 trees per year!

Planting Trees for the Future

As well as reducing the need for trees to absorb more carbon dioxide, InMotion Hosting is also undertaking a program of re-planting trees as well. To do this they have partnered with “Trees for the future” a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable agroforestry. Through the partnership they have provided for 5,000 trees to be planted in developing countries – including Haiti.

This is seen as part of InMotion Hosting’s overall strategy – to reduce the consumption of existing resources while seeking to provide the sustainable renewal of new resources.

It is a strategy that Inmotion hosting is proud of, and the company is sure to be noted for continuing to push the envelope of sustainable development.