Almost any website or blog can be turned eco-friendly when certain tools, apps or processes are used. Below we look at a few ways in which you can do this and also how best to go about doing so. Some of the ideas are quick fixes you can do yourself while others might possibly involve your website team. Regardless each idea is a simple fix that anyone can try and are quick to implement.
Whether turning your site green is part of a larger overhaul in your office or simply one component of your earth friendly initiatives; there are things you can do to make your site or blog one that is more sustainable. Nowadays the green and eco movement is on everyone’s mind, from how to use less to how to recycle and which businesses to patronize. Some companies are making a real effort to green their operations while others exist solely to do business while also giving back. Some call this social entrepreneurship. Whatever your personal reasons for wanting to have an eco-friendly website; there are things you can do to go this route. We look at a few of these methods below and include tips on how to do so or where to go for more help. Good news is that any website or blog can be turned eco-friendly, and any site owner can try the tips presented.
Let’s take a look at a few of these ideas below.
1. Your Hosting –
One of the simplest ways to turn your website or blog into an eco-friendly effort is to use green hosting. Green hosting is essentially hosting that is low on carbon emissions, gives back to an earth friendly charity, runs on eco-friendly servers, and other such similar methods. There are several good options for hosts that are eco-friendly including Dreamhost, Hostgator and many others. Look for a green seal or other similar announcement that they carry green hosting. The fee for such hosting is usually comparable to traditional hosting and everything else is the same. Your site can essentially run on solar power, wind power or any combination thereof; simply find a host that suits your needs as far as budget, services and earth friendly features.
2. Offering a PDF Option As Opposed To Printing –
Some sites prefer to lessen the environmental impact of printing, so they do away with the option to print on their sites all together. There are several plugins that will create and enable a PDF button on your site or blog so that instead of printing a page from your site a visitor can send themselves a PDF copy. The plugin or app come in various formats including WordPress, Blogger and other popular site and blogging formats. Google “PDF site printing app“ and find one that suits your website needs. When you offer someone a PDF option you give them the chance to use a digital document instead of paper; and this lessens both yours and their carbon footprint. The app or plugin is usually free, simple to install and relatively easy to use. A good option for making your site eco friendly.
3. Consider Your Design Options –
There are many different ways to dress up your site or blog, from custom made templates to pre made designs. Who you choose as your designer or which templates you choose for your site can determine a carbon footprint. From the colors to the layout and even the structure of the template can add or take away from the overall earth friendliness of the project. Ask your designer how he or she can best set up your website design so that it meets certain guidelines when it comes to the low impact aspect of your site. There are certain templates that have lots of elements which add load time; this in turn eats up more server resources and as such is not very earth friendly. A slow loading site is not only not user friendly, it also adds bulk to your resources and this in turn makes for a poor way to display your content. Find ways to declutter your site from excess widgets and or extras that will weigh your site down and instead keep it clean. A good looking fully functional site or blog need not have a series of apps, plugins, etc to make it a good site. A well designed, well crafted, well thought out site is what will make it a good user friendly experience and good for the environment as well.
Your site is a reflection of you and your business and it should have what you want it to contain along with features that help you in your mission towards a sustainable future. Perhaps you’re in the middle of an office overhaul including eco furniture, energy friendly equipment and so on and now look to take it digital by adding earth friendly features to your site; this is another great way to show both your customers and other businesses about your commitment to sustainability. Some hosts will allow you to literally place a green seal on your site showing that you have green hosting and this is just another way of showing your commitment.
There you have it. Three good options on how to make your site or blog eco-friendly. These are options anyone can implement on any site and see results right away. From your hosting to the printing options available and even your design/template – there are simple things you can do to lessen your carbon footprint even digitally. Try our ideas above and or feel free to add your own ideas below in the comment area.
Tips above provided by Missy Diaz who writes for Anderson’s Neck – an oyster shop and website that runs fully on solar power and as a whole is an eco friendly business operation. Missy is a freelance writer on the web published on many different sites and blogs over the years; you can find her on Twitter and also on LinkedIn.