Green
533 words
ORIGINAL: https://brennan.day/green/
This website's environmental footprint matters to me. The internet isn't virtual, it runs on physical servers, consumes electricity, and has a real impact on our planet. Here's how I'm working to minimize that impact and the actual measured emissions from this site.
"The internet is the largest coal-fired machine on the planet."
--Green Web Foundation
Carbon Footprint
This website produces 0.07g of CO₂ every time someone visits this page. That's cleaner than 94% of all web pages globally.
This website produces 0.07g of CO₂ per visit, cleaner than 84% of web pages globally. Verify at Website Carbon
Over a year with 10,000 monthly page views, this site produces 8.71kg of CO₂ equivalent, around the same amount that one tree absorbs in a year.
What This Means
- Energy usage: 22 kWh annually (enough to drive an electric car 138km)
- Tea analogy: As much CO₂ as boiling water for 1,180 cups of tea
- Phone charges: Equivalent to 1,798 full charges of an average smartphone
How I Keep It Light
Performance First
- Static site: No database, no server-side processing--just pre-built files
- Minimal JavaScript: Only essential scripts, no tracking or analytics
- Optimized images: Lazy loading, proper formats, compression
- Clean code: Semantic HTML, efficient CSS, no frameworks or bloat
Hosting & Infrastructure
- Netlify: Carbon-neutral hosting provider
- CDN delivery: Content served from nearest locations
- Automatic optimization: Asset minification and compression
The Bigger Picture
Why Web Sustainability Matters
The internet accounts for about 4% of global greenhouse emissions, which is more than the entire aviation industry. Every byte transferred, every image loaded, every script executed consumes energy. We have a responsibility to build lighter, more efficient digital experiences.
The Cost of "Free"
Many "free" services come with environmental costs:
- Endless scrolling = endless data transfer
- Auto-playing video = massive energy use
- Tracking scripts = unnecessary requests
- Bloated frameworks = larger downloads
Sustainable Web Principles
I follow these guidelines in my work:
- Design for need--not for engagement metrics
- Optimize everything--images, fonts, code, content
- Measure impact--know your carbon footprint
- Choose green hosting--renewable energy matters
- Educate others--share what you learn
Room for Improvement
This site is far from perfect. Here's what I'm working on:
- Font optimization: Reducing custom font file sizes
- Image compression: Finding the sweet spot between quality and size
- CSS cleanup: Removing unused styles and rules
- Carbon offset: Exploring ways to offset remaining emissions
Resources for Greener Web
If you're interested in making your own website more sustainable:
- Website Carbon Calculator--Measure your site's emissions
- Green Web Foundation--Check if your host uses green energy
- Sustainable Web Manifesto--Principles for sustainable design
- Low-tech Magazine--Solar-powered, self-hosted web design
A Note on Trade-offs
Sometimes sustainability conflicts with other values. I prioritize accessibility over absolute minimalism, because the web should work for everyone. I choose semantic HTML over fewer bytes.
My goal is conscious impact and making deliberate choices about what matters and what doesn't.
Last measured: May 2026. Carbon emissions are calculated by Website Carbon based on data transfer, energy source, and website efficiency.