Green Hosting Recommendations
Switching to a hosting provider that actively invests in renewable energy or carbon-offsetting initiatives is one of the most effective steps a business can take to reduce its digital carbon footprint.
- Hostinger: This global host offers a dedicated green hosting plan and focuses on optimising server efficiency to minimise energy use.
- SiteGround: Known for its high performance, SiteGround matches all the energy consumed by its data centres with renewable energy certificates.
- Krystal: A UK-focused provider often cited for being 100% renewable. They power their entire operation, from servers to offices, with certified 100% renewable energy.
Sustainable CDNs (Content Delivery Networks)
CDNs utilise edge computing to reduce the physical distance data has to travel, significantly lowering data transfer distance and the associated carbon emissions.
- Cloudflare offers comprehensive security and performance features, including a powerful free tier, making it a popular choice for all sizes of websites.
- SiteGround CDN is integrated with SiteGround hosting and focuses on high-speed delivery, especially beneficial for WordPress users.
- Hostinger CDN provides a streamlined, one-click setup optimised for performance and is often included with Hostinger’s hosting plans.
Check Your Current Green Status
Before switching, a business can easily check if its current website is already running on a green host. The Green Web Foundation offers a free online tool at https://www.thegreenwebfoundation.org/green-web-check/ that allows you to:
- Test your own website: Simply enter your business’s URL to see if it is hosted by a provider committed to renewable energy.
- Verify a potential provider: You can also use the tool to check the status of any alternative hosting provider before making the switch, ensuring they meet certified green hosting standards.