After all the energy audits and establishing sustainable business strategies have been done, don’t forget to include your Web site. Corporate sustainability managers are looking to use the company Web site to communicate and engage with key stakeholders. Doesn’t it make sense to have the website reflect sustainability values?
Resources to make your website Green, Sustainable, Eco-Friendly:
Web Hosting:
Photo by H Berends
There are web hosts that are powered by solar panel, wind, or some type of combination of traditional and natural power.
- Green web hosting typically involves several of the following elements:
- Servers directly powered by renewable energy.
- Energy use offset using a carbon credit.
- Energy use offset using a Renewable Energy Credit (REC).
- Hosting servers optimized for energy efficiency.
Offset Your Carbon Usage:
Companies like CO2Stats will “offset” your dirty energy use by contributing a proportionate amount to a program that will remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere or insert renewable energy into the grid equal to your non-renewable energy usage. The program also claims to drive traffic to your site and help you improve its energy efficiency.
Green Energy:
Your computers, servers, and data centers will need to consider green power.
- Energy Star Program
- How to green your electricity: More tips to improve consumer and corporate energy
- EPA’s Green Power Partnership
Computer and Server Recycling:
Computers only have a limited shelf life, so what happens to those out of date pieces of hardware?
- Computer Recycling & Reuse: Various resources
- Ten Tips for Donating a Computer
- How to: Recycle Your Computer
Social Media for Stakeholder Engagement:
As viewed in our professional consulting, many websites succeed in presenting basic information about their business sustainability programs by offering access to stand-alone annual sustainability report. However, we encourage clients to leverage social media for stakeholder engagement. Engaging stakeholders is not only a means of building sustainable business, but it is also a powerful way to master clear communication of the environmental business initiatives your company is pursuing.
Resources: http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2007/05/12/resources-to-create-a-green-website/
5 Ways to a Greener Website originally appeared on the Taiga Company blog.
Julie
Julie Urlaub is Founder & Managing Partner of Taiga Company, a sustainability consulting firm located in Houston, Texas dedicated to accelerating the integration of sustainability concepts in business. Today, Julie speaks, writes, and advises clients on a variety of issues related to the intersection between environmental stewardship, and sustainable business practices. Her writing has been featured in SocialYell’s Corporate Advice, the GreenEcomonyPost, the Business Exchange and, the ThinkGreenAlliance. Connect with Taiga Company on Facebook and Twitter. Also Find Julie on LinkedIn.
