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Since most of us never see them, it's easy to forget that there are huge server farms and expansive offices that keep the internet whirring along. Each of the billions of Web sites out there is "hosted" by one company or another, all providing similar services: online storage, databases, data transfer, e-mail, and more. As anyone who runs a Web site or works closely with the web knows, all those things require lots of machinery and lots of power; luckily, you can make all that more planet-friendly by going with a green web hosting service.
Whether you have a site for a small business, a big business, or just for fun, you'll find a green web host and hosting package for you. As the industry has grown with the green movement's rising popularity, many different options have become available; with options including renewable energy credits (RECs, which you can learn more about in TreeHugger's How to Green Your Electricity guide), carbon neutrality, and companies that generate their own renewable energy (with solar panels, wind turbines and the like), there's likely one that fits your needs, budget, and desired commitment to being green.
Which one should you choose? It isn't feasible for all companies to have on-site renewable power generation, so the most widely-used option is for the hosting company to purchase RECs. Some companies that do so:
1. Acorn Host
2. DreamHost
3. ecoSky
4. Go Green Hosting
5. Host it Green
6. Pair Networks (where our sister site, TreeHugger, is hosted, through a partnership with TerraPass)
7. Host Papa
8. Sustainable Hosting
9. Sustainable Websites
10. ThinkHost
Some companies prefer to offer "carbon neutral Web hosting." Web Hosting Buzz, who has partnered with the International Tree Foundation to plant new trees to offset carbon emissions, is one such company.
Still other companies are creating their own renewable energy with solar panels, wind turbines, or other clean, green technologies. Planetmind, AISO (that's Affordable Internet Solutions Online), Vital Bodies, and Iron Mountain (through a partnership with Value Solar) are a few of these.
Which one is best for you? It depends, of course, on your hosting needs. Each offer slightly different packages that are geared to benefit different types of customers-your budget and products and services required will help determine which one fits you best. In the end, they're each better than the "dirty" hosts out there now.
See also: ::Buy Renewable Energy from Your Power Company and ::Find a Carbon Offset Company You Can Trust
Difficulty level: Moderate
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