In a follow up to our article “A Guide to Web Hosting”, we are now exploring the best green web hosting services, courtesy of Website Planet.  So, if you are looking for ways in which your business can reduce its carbon footprint then this article will talk you through switching to a green web hosting company.

In the Website Planet article they have not only checked the green web hosts’ environmental policies but also tested their hosting features because there is no point compromising on service if you are preparing to switch.  In their examination they were looking for:

1. Quality and pricing
2. Green initiatives
3. Workplace initiatives

Top Place – GreenGeeks

As suggested by their name, GreenGeeks markets itself as eco-friendly.  They boast a 300% carbon offsetting in the form of putting three units of energy back onto the grid in renewable energy for every unit they use.

In terms of hosting, they offer unlimited web space and bandwidth and a free domain name in the first year.  Prices are at the top end of hosting companies when you renew but their features and green credentials might outweigh this for you.

HostGator

If you are looking for a low-cost hosting company that also has green credentials then do look at HostGator.  They have been carbon offsetting for 12 years, in the form of purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to offset emissions produced by their servers and cooling systems.

You get a free SSL certificate and if you sign up for 12 months or longer, they will chuck in a free domain name.  However, if you are looking for a hosting company that offers daily automated backups then you will need to look elsewhere.

InMotion Hosting

This hosting company has changed its data centre infrastructure by switching to a form of natural cooling to reduce its impact on the environment, something that not many other hosting companies have done.  InMotion Hosting also have a tree planting policy.

Their three plans all include a free domain name for a year, unlimited bandwidth and disk space plus a drag-and-drop website builder.  Although they are not carbon neutral, they do offer green initiatives so this coupled with their excellent customer service makes them a good contender.

A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting has been working in partnership with CarbonFund.org to help offset their emissions.  Workplace initiatives include:

• Remote working of staff
• Encouraging staff to carpool if they do need to travel
• Repurposing of old hardware when it is out of date

All of their plans come with hack protection.  If you are a WordPress user then you can install their free A2 Optimized plugin to strengthen the login page and keep the core WordPress code updated automatically.

You can find more reviews of green webhosting services on Website Planet here.