Think digital is automatically green? The reality is murky and green websites require intent. This is because the Internet is littered with websites demanding time and attention. The servers that create them require power and resources. In fact, one study from 2015 suggests Internet activity results in as much CO2 emissions as the global aviation industry!
Take the following steps to clean up your site for an ethical and green website.
Choose the right designer
Create your website via an ethical web designer such as Eco Digital that operates from eco-powered office using sustainable practices.
Offset your Carbon Usage
The best way to create a green website is to offset your carbon footprint. Use renewable energy powered and carbon offset domain and hosting servers.Eco Digital offers affordable hosting and domain services, that are fully carbon offset, with sustainably-powered servers optimised for energy efficiency.
Simplify your Design
Simple designs can be elegant and effective, and will also require less energy. Each server request requires energy (and emissions) from both ends. And larger transfers require more energy. You can simplify your website by:
- Optimising all images for web use.
- Reducing your use of scripts, widgets and Flash.
- Avoiding popups and fake deadline counters (they are plain annoying!).
- Avoiding black-hat SEO techniques like keyword stuffing.
- Cleaning broken links.
Consider your colours
Try to keep your colours light, using lots of white space. LCD Monitors use more energy to display darker colours like black. Therefore, the darker your website, the more energy it will use to display.
A Fast Website is a Green Website
Search engines value speed, but a fast site also uses less energy. Every server request requires energy. In addition, waiting for your site to load wastes energy. Contact Ecco for advice on speeding up your site.
Make your Green Websites Printer Friendly
Digital tools such as phones and tablets have reduced the need to print green websites. However it is still important to optimise your website for printing. This involves content conversion to text-only, the removal of colours, text conversion to serif fonts and font size is reduced.
Eco-Friendly Incentives
Gain subscribers, followers and return visitors by offering an eco-incentive. You can plant a tree or offset Co2 for each social media subscriber via the Arbor Day foundation.
Encourage a Green Lifestyle
Use the power of information and encourage others to live a green lifestyle and use green business practices. You can seek inspiration from blogs like Ecco Marketing’s Green Blog or Treehugger’s Business Section for tips.
350 Challenge
For bloggers, Brighter Planet has a program called the 350 challenge. By placing their badge on your blog site, they offset 350lbs (158kg) of Co2 on your behalf.
These are a few simple tips that you can do yourself. For more advice on green websites in Adelaide, please contact us on hello@eco-digital.com.au.
Eco Digital Adelaide offers loads to businesses Australia-wide. We believe that all green marketing is good marketing. And the best part? You don’t have to be a green brand to green your branding!
Sustainable marketing incorporates elements of societally-aware marketing practices, green graphic and website design, and sustainable production. So this leads to many benefits, including lower energy costs, brand loyalty and a boost in profits. Most importantly, good marketing means that then you and your employees can feel good too.