Web hosting provider Site5 has combined with Mokugift to do its part to give back to the environment.  For each new web hosting, VPS, dedicated server or reseller hosting account created, the Site5 will plant one tree to assist in reforestation efforts.

About Site5

Since 1999, Site5 has been providing web hosting services on servers that are considered high-end and loaded with a low number of customers per server.  This hosting provider takes the time to calculate its customer to server ratio to ensure none of its equipment becomes overloaded.  This, in turn, means web hosting clients at Site5 can be assured of a consistent and high up-time.

Site5 keeps its support in-house thereby ensuring clients are speaking with actual Site5 team member should support issues arise.  Their entire staff are fully trained in the company and its services, speak fluent English and excel in interpersonal relations.

Web hosting accounts with Site5 start as low as $4.95 a month and cap out at $10.95.  All accounts come with unlimited amounts of disk space and bandwidth.  Additionally, each account owner has access to a SiteAdmin control panel and an easy web site builder program.  Site5 also offers up to $75 in Google AdWords credits.  All this is backed by a sixty day money back guarantee.

About Mokugift

Mokugift (pronounced mōe-koo gift) translates to “tree” gift in Japanese.  The mission of this company is to help a fun and meaningful way to give back to the environment.  This charity-based company allows environmentally concerned citizens to plant trees for a mere one dollar per gift purchase.

The idea was brought to fruition by co-founders Hans Chung and Krates Ng.  Both had seen the very popular online selling of virtual gifts (Facebook and various dating site).  The gentlemen took this idea one step further and incorporated it with a way to give back to the planet.  Thus, Mokugift was born.

The purchase of a mokugift tree works much like sending e-cards.  Those on the receiving end of the gift can display their trees online at several social media outlets such as MySpace, Facebook and many other popular web sites.

One large portion of Mokugift is its platform designed to inspire businesses to create reward systems.  Site5 web hosting teaming up with this eco-friendly gifting idea is one such inspired business solution.  Not only will the web hosting company garner new clients but these very same new clients will pass the word along – not only bringing in customers but also doing something fabulous for the environment.

Conclusion

Web hosting has received a reputation (rightly so) over the years of being one of the worst offenders when it comes to ecological damage.  In the past year or two, there has been an overall shift of thinking and operating that has enabled web hosting providers to be able to lessen their damaging impact.  One superb way to do this is by helping with reforestation.  Hats off to Site5 to seeing the light and giving back to the planet!

The eco-friendly group

One of the easiest ways for a web hosting company to proclaim its self as an ecologically friendly hosting company is by carbon offsetting.  Carbon offsetting can be done in several ways: reforestation efforts, purchase of carbon credits in the amount equivalent to one’s carbon emissions, or even the purchase of green tags (also known as Renewable Energy Certificates).

There are several web hosting companies online that currently participate in a larger reforestation effort.  The damage caused by wildfires each summer has a devastating yearly effect on the world’s eco-system.  Hosting companies like CR8change.org – for every new hosting plan started, this company will plant one tree for every month a customer hosts with them.

Many more web hosting companies are opting to go the route of purchasing carbon credits.  The purpose of carbon offsetting is as a financial way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Web hosting companies that participate in this practice find out how much in emissions they produce yearly and then, at a minimum, purchase carbon credits in an amount equal to their production.  These carbon credits then go to projects that are working toward creating cleaner energy sources.

Green tags, or Renewable Energy Certificates, are (according to Wikipedia) “tradable, non-tangible energy commodities” that show that 1 Mwh of electricity was generated from a renewable energy resource.  This renewable energy resource needs to be of a qualifying technology – solar, wind, geothermal, low impact hydropower, biofuels or fuel cells.

The green group

The number of web hosting companies either starting out or converting to green hosting is growing each day.  One needs to do a bit of research first to determine which are actually using green technology for their web hosting services.

Those hosting companies that are actually using green technology will proudly proclaim this on the front page of their web sites.  ThinkHost is one of these companies.  This web hosting company is powered 100% by wind and solar power.  AISO.Net is another truly green web hosting company powered by solar energy and that also uses wind and water to further maximize their total “greenness”.  Another great green web hosting company is Solar Energy Host – powered entirely by the sun.

Conclusion

The terms eco-friendly and green are easily tossed about by many web hosting companies these days.  While all of these companies are doing their part to give back to the environment, it’s important to realize the difference between the two terms.

If one is looking to place their business with a truly green web hosting company, it’s imperative to dig a bit deeper into the web hosting company’s claims and ensure that green technology is actually being used.

Benared Geoghegan, Digital Realty Trust Senior Vice President, expressed what an honor it was to receive the award and aid in the project with IBM.  The completion of the new Turn-Key Datacentre in Paris, France provided IBM with the ability to eliminate a large capital investment and meet the financial and technical requirements for the project.  The award further proved Digital Realty Trust’s expertise in data center design and commitment to its partners.  Geoghegan says the firm was able to make it a successful project by utilizing environmentally sustainable development techniques as well as its industry-leading approach to optimizing energy efficiency.

Originally launched in 2007, the Datacentre Leader’s Awards were created to recognize technological innovation and reward excellence to organizations who specialize in facility design.  The award recognizes entities in London and throughout the entire continent of Europe.  The Datacentre Leader’s Awards provide organizations with the opportunity to showcase their ingenuity and professionalism in the essential data center industry.  Datacenter Dynamics launched the program to not only highlight teams, but individuals who make this vital sector what it is today, proving that it’s much more than sophisticated products and technologies.  Other than offering peer recognition, the Datacentre Leader’s Award also provide the opportunity to display the data center industry at its very best.

Located across Europe and North America,. Digital Realty Trust Turn-Key Datacentre facilities offer state of the art environments to support mission-critical infrastructures.  They are equipped with advanced power and cooling systems, multiple redundancy and sustainable elements to ensure that crucial applications are available and energy sources are optimized.  Each facility is physically secure, equipped with sophisticated power systems and environmental architectures that provide for efficient, eco-friendly operations.  All Digital Realty Trust Turn-Key Datacentre facilities are designed on the firm’s proprietary POD Architecture and utilizes metered energy to ensure that clients only pay for the power they consume.

The recent honor was fitting for Digital Realty Trust as the company is one of the most respected names in the data center industry.  The company is dedicated to providing its Turn-Key Datacentre facilities and Powered Base Building solutions for global clients across a wide range of industries.  Some of its partners include organizations in manufacturing, financial services, Information Technology and internet-based enterprises among other sectors.  This respected firm owns 74 facilities in 27 major markets throughout Europe and North America, each of which provide an infrastructure critical to the operations of its technology partners and corporate enterprise data center tenants.

The Power Behind Green Hosting

Green web hosting was scarce a few years ago, however, recently this type of web hosting has come into the limelight.  There are a handful of companies who started off 100% green while others have gradually converted.  Even some of the most widely known providers have made the switch to offer a more eco-friendly web hosting product.  Many begin in the office by recycling waste paper and utilizing bio-fuel for heating purposes.  This leads to the data centers where servers thrive off alternative sources such as wind, solar and geothermal energy.  Some have went out and purchased RECs (Renewable Energy Credits), a certification which assures the company is using alternatives forms of power.

Slowly but surely, the web hosting industry is making the transition to more efficient operations.  There are a few companies that go far and beyond to make sure they deliver green hosting.  For example, Green Web Hosting is one host that encourages its employees to telecommute in attempt to reduce pollutants caused by everyday transportation.  Some run an entirely paperless service to cut back on the unnecessary usage of trees.  Others will actually plant a new tree for each new customer they sign up.  Many of them will also offer discounts to customers who aid in environmental causes with their websites.  Green web hosting emerged from nowhere to become the preferred choice for an increasing amount of people.

Reliability and Performance

There are some who question the performance and overall reliability you receive with a green web hosting platform.  In actuality, renewable energy is proven to be just as reliable and effective as conventional electricity.  Green hosts are successfully running their businesses just as everyone else is.  Like the traditional provider is equipped with electrical backup sources, these companies are prepared to produce renewable energy to keep the operation flourishing.

Is Green Web Hosting for You?

Green hosting is great for obvious reasons but not everyone is ready to convert.  Some are turned off because the price varies and can be more than traditional hosting.  Cost aside, you want to find a company that is reliable and provides a quality service most importantly.  With the backing of a respectable green web host, you can feel good about your role in saving the earth.

Green is Good

Good Avocado, Think Host, Host Papa  – these are just a few of the well known companies in the web hosting industry that operate on renewable energy sources.  It seems like we can add Host Gator’s name to the list as well.  This past September, a user of the service suggested that Host Gator create icons clients could embed on their sites specifying a “green” status.   Apparently the people at Host Gator liked the idea, going out and posting slogans letting the public know they were undergoing an environmental make-over.  Quotes like “Powered by Texas Wind”, stirred the pot with reseller clients who then requested specific,  non-branded green labeling for their accounts.  It is reported that Host Gator is currently working on such developments to meet these demands.

Host Gator is Seeing Green

The initial suggestions came shortly after an August announcement when Host Gator’s plan to offset its carbon emissions were revealed by Matthew Collins, President and CEO of Integrated Ecosystem Market Services.  Based in Chicago, the carbon consulting firm worked closely with Host Gator to develop an REC (renewable energy credit) program and set the change in motion.

In a recent blog posts, Collins spoke on the huge impact the IT sector has on our climate, touching on the fact that 3% to %4 of the electricity and its associated carbon emissions in the world are attributed to running data centers.  To play their role in making a difference, Host Gator has purchased RECs to compensate for 130% of the company’s electricity used to power and cool an abundance of servers for shared and reseller clients.  Additionally, all of Host Gator’s Houston-based RECs employ wind power that was generated in the state of Texas.  Collins added how most web hosts that purchase RECs typically get them from the least expensive location.

While it’s definitely a huge step in a positive direction, the investment of RECs isn’t Host Gator’s only effort at conservation.  The company recently cut back on its environmental impact in the office by reducing paper use and recycling.  Host Gator also made the move to more efficient servers not too long ago.

A user responded to the original post in late September, commending Host Gator for making the change and working with socially responsible non-profit organizations.  It is good to see a company that purchases renewal energy credits and actually does something to make a difference by changing it’s practices.  Already known as one of the most reliable names in the business, it looks like the Gator has another worthy notch in its belt.