What in the World is Green Web Hosting?

We hear the word "green" a lot these days. Whatproducing enough green energy to not only run
used to be just a color in a box of crayons hastheir operations, but they're creating extra for
become a universally-used term for everythingpublic use. They are actually giving back to the
that's done to save our planet. Now that scientistsenvironment instead of taking away from it.
have begun to realize just how much destructionAnother thing that many green web hosts
of our natural resources takes place just by theadvertise is that they have less carbon emissions.
way we live, they've sounded the alarm forYou may never have realized that web servers
everyone to pitch in and do their part. You mayemit carbon, but they do. In fact, each server
be bicycling to work, taking your own clothemits as much carbon as an SUV that only gets
shopping bags to the store, or recycling, but have15 mpg. Each server that is converted to green
you ever considered green web hosting? Maybe aoperation is the equivalent of annually removing
better question is "Have you ever heard of green444 cars from the roads, powering 321 homes
web hosting?", because a lot of people don't evenwith clean energy, saving 5,654 barrels of oil, or
know it exists.protecting 551 acres of forest land. As you can
So, what is green web hosting? What makes itsee, green web hosting companies can have a
different from the web hosting we've had formajor impact on our environment.
years? The answer lies in the type of power theIt only makes sense for those who are seeking
company uses to run their servers. Most of themwebsites to patronize companies that have green
operate on wind power with a few also usingservers. Not only can we do our little part in
solar power. In addition, many green hostingcleaning up our environment and saving our
companies advertise that they operate on 130%resources by switching to one of these hosts, but
windpower or 300%. When you first hear that, itby so doing we can put pressure on other web
seems to make no sense. After all, how canhosts to convert their servers to something
anything be more than 100%. In practice, though,more efficient.
it's a wonderful idea. These companies are