iStock
READ MORE ABOUT:
Seems the spotlight is back on the internet in the environmental world—after a Harvard physicist claimed that a single Google search used about as much carbon as making a cup of tea, the focus is back on the Internet as a major energy consumer to consider. This is in part due to the fact that data centers that websites pull information from are energy intensive to maintain, and the manner in which input queries are sent through myriad servers worldwide. The new info has a simple implication, however: we all should consider how we can tread more lightly with all our online activities. And I'm looking at you, bloggers.
According to the Blog Herald, there were some 185 million blogs being racked by Technorati and a Chinese Internet Information Center. And those are just the ones being tracked. And that stat comes from last February. Point is, there are a ton of blogs out there, and we should all be keeping an eye on the environmental impact of our online pet projects.
Now, I know what you might say, and it may very well involve kitchenware and calling it black—yes, as a blogger by trade, I should be wary too. Well, then consider the following advice for me to abide by, too:
- Green your computer settings
First thing's first, ensure that you're computer is set to the most efficient mode possible so that you're not draining excess energy while working on blog posts. - Keep it simple; post fewer pictures
Us bloggers know that the key to a compelling post lies in an eye-grabbing post or an irresistible viral video. But as Slate's Green Lantern points out, it helps to keep the eye candy to a minimum—the more doodads you load each post with, the more servers have to bounce around information; and the more energy every loading request takes to process. - Make your blog carbon neutral
Online services like CO2 stats will assess your blog's total energy consumption, and make carbon offset purchases to neutralize its impact. It'll cost you, though, and most casual bloggers probably won't bother. But if you run a business or work on a blog online, purchasing offsets may be right up your alley. - Some more good advice from the Lantern is to encourage your readership to view your blog on greener machines: if mom and dad are keeping up on your vacation blog with an energy hogging desktop back home, it might be time for them to upgrade to a greener computer.
If you're curiosity is still piqued, here are some more in-depth ways to green your website.
More on Green Blogs:
Blog Trades Carbon Offsets for Links
New Green Craft Blog : Sew Green
Gisele Bündchen's Green Blog
-
- {}
