It has become crucial to understand the impact of the internet on the environment. Every second that we spend on surfing a simple website 20 milligrams of CO2 is generated. More the data which servers have to filter more is the energy consumed and larger is the mission of greenhouse gases. With increase in emission of greenhouse gases the consequences of global warming are on the rise. Web designers are being urged to design optimized sites which are environment friendly. Green web design takes into account the impact of web processes on the environment and aims at eco-friendly web designs with optimized code.
Eco-friendly websites
Maintenance of files on servers, data centers and servers require a large amount of energy. In the last few years web designers have understood that a complex website is responsible for more energy consumption and higher emissions of CO2. If you want to design a green website you can reduce HTTP request with the use of JavaScript files and CSS. By reducing external objects like images and videos you can design a less complex website. With improved CSS capabilities you can convert the graphics. As we start to realize the impact of online functionalities on the environment we can adopt a green attitude.
Reduce negative impact on environment
Images in websites can lead to carbon footprints. Un-optimized and large images can lead to over 60% of carbon emissions. As a designer you can combat the problem by designing images which are optimized for the web. Software like Adobe Photoshop can help you to save images in the correct format. You can use CSS image sprites to reduce HTTP requests. Not using real images can be the best alternative. You can design images by using CSS. If you minimize add on for your site you can take a step towards a greener website.
User-friendly and environment-friendly
Responsive web design can help you to build websites which are the best for the environment. By creating sites which can convey information across several platforms you can design faster and lighter websites. By reducing the size of the pages you can in turn minimize CO2 emissions. Lighter pages with faster load times can help in conserving energy. By picking and choosing the design elements carefully you can stick to the target page size. It has been seen that if you create websites which are good for the environment the sites turn out to be useful for the website users too.
Build green website
Research says that 13kwh energy is used to transmit 1GB of data. The best way to cut down on an obese site is to set a page size budget. You can start with a target page size and stick to it. If a page’s weight is less the site’s carbon footprint. By considering data weight at each stage of the design you can design a lean and green website. To meet your business goals use static images instead of videos. Make choices of content which suit the audience and the data budget. Gather an estimate of the average website design cost before you build a green website.
Adopt right technology
With front-end optimization you can develop eco-friendly sites. You can compress downloads, combine files which can help reduce HTTP requests. You can merge the smaller images in your site with the help of CSS sprites. In recent years web designers are being urged to minimize a site’s carbon footprint through design and optimization. Small steps and a conscious effort can help in creating a greener environment where CO2 emissions are significantly reduced.
Source / Fuente: ecoseed.org
Author / Autor: Jack Dawson
Date / Fecha: 15/03/14
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