BakoWeb Green Hosting

BakoWeb Green Hosting

We at BakoWeb are doing our part!
Our BakoWeb Headquarters in Bakersfield, California is doing its part to become more environmentally friendly:

• We changed our light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs
• We turn lights off when we're not using them
• We turn computers off when we're not using them
• We don't blast the heat during the Winter, we use jackets and blankets instead
• We use fans during the Summer
• We carpool to work
• We make sure our vehicle tire pressure is filled, and vehicle properly maintained. 
• We recycle cans, bottles, paper, and electronics
• We properly dispose of our garbage and electronic waste

Our Green BakoWeb Servers
Here’s something you may not know: the IT sector has a huge climate impact. At present, between 3 and 4 percent of all electricity (and the associated carbon emissions) used in the world goes to running data centers. If you’re one of the four and a half million registered users of Second Life, consider this: the average Second Life avatar consumes 1,752 kWh of electricity per year, or about two thirds that of an actual person (globally averaged). One server alone has roughly the same climate impact as a 15mpg SUV!

We as a planet desperately need to reduce our IT emissions. And if we wait for the government to solve the problem, we’ll be waiting for a long, long, LONG time.

We’re thrilled to announce that Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider has joined the ranks of many progressive companies to take action on addressing climate change right now.

Our BakoWeb DataCenter has gone green, and it’s gone green in a BIG way, thanks to our DataCenter's Provider.  

What makes Our DataCenter program so special?
If you’re thinking about switching to green hosting, good for you!  But be aware- once you start asking some questions you’ll find that not all of the green hosting options out there are nearly as green as they claim to be.

Our DataCenter's Provider is using renewable energy to both power and cool their servers, whereas a number of green hosts only offset the electricity used to power their servers. That represents a big difference, because servers generate a lot of heat. For every watt of electricity that a server uses, 1-2 watts of electricity are typically required to cool it. What that means is that BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider is investing in about twice as much renewable energy, on a per server basis, as those green hosts only using renewable energy to power their servers.

Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider has invested in Green -e certified Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). That means that all of Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider’s RECs are verified, tracked and monitored. Sure, there are cheaper carbon credits out there, but Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider wanted to go green the right way. Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider can’t very well build a windfarm in downtown Houston, so it’s doing the next best thing and greening its energy at the source with rock solid RECs.

What is a REC?
Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are tradable credits representing all the environmental benefits of 1 megawatt hour of renewable energy. So when Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider purchases Texas wind RECs, it’s basically paying a Texas windfarm to generate renewable energy on BakoWeb's behalf.   Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider doesn’t own the windfarm, but for every REC purchased that windfarm generates 1 megawatt of Texas wind power and puts it into the grid. When Our BakoWeb DataCenter draws power from the grid, it can then claim credit for that wind power generated on its behalf.

Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider has purchased RECs for 130% of the electricity used to power and cool all of our BakoWeb servers. Good luck finding another green host that has gone this far. Believe me- if they had, they’d let you know it.

Our BakoWeb DataCenter's Provider has invested entirely in wind RECs generated in their home state of Texas, where our DataCenter is.  Even those green hosts that have opted for certified RECs are generally sourcing them from wherever is cheapest. Our DataCenter's Provider, on the other hand, is thinking globally and acting locally. By insisting on 100% Texas wind REC,s Our DataCenter's Provider had to pay more for their credits, but they (and you) can rest easy knowing that they’re doing their part for the environment and the local green economy.

What can you do to minimize your impact on the environment?
1)   Well, for one thing you can switch your hosting company to BakoWeb, if you’re not already a customer of ours! You can choose from one of our great plans.

2)   Beyond that, there are myriad ways to go green in your personal life. Most of them are totally painless, for example turning off your computer at night, rather than leaving it in sleep mode. Many of them will save you money in the long run, for example:

• Change all light bulbs in your house to compact fluorescent bulbs
• Turn lights off when you're not using them
• Turn computers completely off when you're not using them
• Don't blast the heat during the Winter, use jackets and blankets instead
• Use fans during the Summer more then your cooler
• Carpool to work
• Make sure your vehicle tire pressure is filled, and vehicle properly maintained. 
• Recycle cans, bottles, paper, and electronics
• Properly dispose of your garbage and electronic waste

3)   For a quick start, check out www.CarbonTracker.com ’s list of 11 simple steps you can take to minimize your impact on the climate.

For even more information, the Environmental Protection Agency has a ton of info on the subject: www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/index.html

Spread the Word!
If you have a website hosted with us, you can help spread the word by putting one of these graphics on your website.  (Only for clients that have hosting accounts with BakWeb).

Choose icon you want.  Copy/Paste the HTML under the icon into your website code.