Life today is fast-paced and electronically set. Society is more advanced than it has ever been before. Modern technology has reached every aspect of our lives; transportation, communication, food production, even the way children study. Although there has been many benefits in this modern society, many of our actions and practices have a negative impact on the environment.
One of the most used technologies in society today is the internet. Many use the internet on a daily basis considering it to be a relatively safe activity. What most people do not realize is that internet usage accounts for 7.2 billion dollars in electricity bills and it has been predicted in the McKenzie study that by 2020, the internet industry will be more polluting to the environment than the airline industry.
The Solution
With all of this demand on the Earth’s resources, concerned and environmentally conscious individuals and corporations came up with eco-friendly hosting options: Green web hosting. Green web hosting is internet hosting, which involves green technologies in order to reduce environmental impact.
It applies methods such as carbon offsetting, environmental conservation, planting trees and plants around and over data centers and powering them with a source of renewable energy.
Carbon Offsetting
This is the practice of reducing emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases in order to offset an emission somewhere else. But exactly how is this done? Green web hosters use various techniques:
- Powering data centers with renewable energy. (wind, solar or hydroelectric power)
- Planting trees on and around the centers in order to absorb carbon emitted.
- Reducing overall energy demand by using same source for heating and electricity.
- Building offices with eco-friendly materials that reduce amount of energy wasted.
Other Activities
Green hosting centers usually participate in other environmental activities that although not directly related to their industry, directly affect the quality of lives worldwide. Being involved with the forestry industry is one of those activities. By protecting existing forests, rehabilitating damaged forest land and planting trees in order to create new forests they contribute to cleaning carbon from the air.
It is very unlikely that many people will reduce their internet usage. Society has come to a point of no return on this issue. However, changes can be made as to how internet users connect to the internet. It is relatively easy and cost efficient. There are many green web hosting providers available.
For as little as 4 or $5 per month, companies like Green Geeks and Fat Cows offer excellent alternative to traditional web hosting; allowing bloggers, online entrepreneurs , social media sties and general internet users to surf with their minds at ease, because they are using the safest method possible when using the internet.
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