One of the first things any organisation needs to get itself off the ground is a website that is easy to navigate, visually appealing and gets the results you’re looking for, whether that’s clicks, sales or engagement. It being carbon neutral might not be your first thought but did you know that every visitor to your website produces carbon?
In fact, according to websiteemissions.com, the average website produces 1.76g of CO2 for every page view and the internet accounts for nearly 4% of global carbon emissions. This is because the servers and data centres that the internet works from are constantly using electricity that is mostly produced by unsustainable fossil fuels. But it’s not all bad news – there are ways to reduce your website’s carbon footprint, which we will run through today.
What is a carbon-neutral website?
If you want to be more eco-friendly and diminish the negative effects that your website has on the planet, you could aim to be carbon neutral. This would mean that the amount of carbon dioxide you release into the atmosphere is equal to the amount you take out, making your emissions net-zero. But what steps can you take towards this?
Change the types of visual aids you use
The more visual elements you have on your page, the more effort it requires to load and therefore produces more carbon. Things like auto-play videos are the worst culprits, as well as large images which mean that more data needs to be transferred. So, to reduce the impact of these, experts recommend SVG graphics. These are a better option for reducing image file sizes, as opposed to formats such as JPEG, GIF and PNG.
Simplify your website
An even better option is to skip out on these images altogether. Your website will look slicker and more accessible with a simpler design as well as being more sustainable. Overcomplicated designs with lots of images or videos increase loading time, whereas text can sometimes do everything an image can but without the same carbon.
Consider your server
So you’ve reduced the carbon that your website is producing, but how do you offset this? The best option is to choose a responsible web host, one that is powered by green energy or charges you based on how much carbon you produce and puts this into carbon-reducing practices. There are many green services out there, so do your research instead of opting for the cheapest or easiest one.
Of course, carbon neutrality is a high target to aim for, but there are steps you can take to get there and any progress towards reducing your carbon footprint is a benefit, no matter how big or small. We all should be working towards reducing our carbon footprint in the midst of a climate crisis, and your website is a great place to start.
If you’re interested in a carbon neutral website, contact us today to speak to our team of marketing experts.
