A website is a vital step to success for any small business, but creating the perfect website for your small business can be daunting. In this article, you’ll learn some areas to consider if you want your website to be more eco friendly. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your eco friendly website today!
What is eco friendly web design?
Eco friendly web design is an approach to website design that reduces the negative impact your site has on the environment. This can be done by using green technology, such as servers that run on renewable energy, and by reducing the amount of energy and resources consumed during the website design process. By following these eco-friendly web design practices, you can create a website that is both sustainable and user-friendly.
Why is eco-friendly web design important?
Eco-friendly web design is not only important for the environment, but for your business too. By using fewer resources, you’re helping to conserve energy and reduce environmental impact. In addition, eco-friendly web design practices can improve your website’s reputation online and attract new customers by showing that you care about the environment. You can also help to support environmentally friendly initiatives by supporting eco-friendly web design companies. So, whether you’re looking to save energy, protect the environment, or both, eco-friendly web design is a great way to start.
Benefits of sustainable web design.
Web design that is sustainable is good for the environment, and there are many benefits to that. Reducing your carbon footprint is one of the biggest reasons to go green with your web design. By using sustainable practices, you can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are released into the atmosphere. In addition, sustainable web design is often more user-friendly and easier to maintain. Plus, it will appeal to your clients or customers if you sell any kind of sustainable products.
Five Eco-friendly web design practices
Eco-friendly web design practices go beyond choosing green web design templates and using eco-friendly fonts. It’s about reducing the overall impact of your website on the environment, both while it’s being created and during its lifetime on the internet. By following a few simple eco-friendly web design principles, you can help reduce your website’s environmental impact.
For example, avoid using graphics that are high-resolution or large files. Instead, use GIFs and vector illustrations that are low-impact. You can also reduce the use of JavaScript and CSS, which can save on processing power and electricity usage. And lastly, avoid using plugins or third-party services whenever possible, as they can increase traffic and energy usage. By following these five eco-friendly web design practices, you can create a website that is both sustainable and stylish.
1. Use Green Web Hosting
Choosing a green web host is important for several reasons. Not only does it make sure that your site is powered by renewable energy, but also it reduces the carbon footprint of your website.
There are many great green web hosts available today – make sure you choose one that meets your specific requirements! Our green web hosting is UK based, runs WordPress really well and comes with free SSL certificates amongst other great features that some web hosts still charge for.
2. Optimise sites for speed
Fast loading websites consume less power on the web hosting server and your devices. When it comes to website speed, there are a few things you can do to get the best results. One of the most important is optimising images for size and reducing their file size using compression techniques if necessary. In addition, make sure your site’s resources (like JavaScript files) are used as sparingly as possible and avoid making unnecessary HTTP requests from your page.
Additionally, be mindful of how users experience your website on mobile devices – they account for a significant chunk of all web traffic these days! (over 50% in some industries). Slow sites will perform badly in search engines too, limiting how successful your website can be.
Come of the most popular WordPress themes can really slow down your site, so we create all sites from our own lightweight code that only includes the things you actually need. By taking these simple steps towards optimising your site for speed, you’ll not only improve user experience but also boost business performance in the long run.
3. Sustainable Business methods
Reducing your carbon footprint and protecting the environment is not only good for the planet, but it’s also a sound business decision. It goes without saying that using as few resources as possible is good for the environment and using renewable energy sources can also help reduce your energy bill. Considering eco-friendly telecoms providers can also be a quick win in terms of reducing environmental impact as well as improving sustainability.
4. Choose sustainable partners
Eco friendly web design is all about working with eco-friendly suppliers and ensuring that you stay on the right track when it comes to environmental issues. If you’re working with a web design agency, ask them about their sustainability policies. Do they have fancy offices, fleets of vehicles or travel abroad often? Do they support any sustainability initiatives through pro-bono work for eco clients or supporting projects like Ecologi?
We have some more quick wins for sustainability on our blog!
5. Design for accessibility
While not strictly about the environment, designing for accessibility is essential in creating a website that can be used by everyone. By following these simple tips, you can ensure your site is user-friendly and easy to navigate.
- Make sure the interface loads quickly and doesn’t experience any errors. This will help users stay on your site longer.
- Use clear and concise text that is easy to read even at a distance or with glasses on. It’s also important to use fonts that are legible and have good colour contrast, especially when using blind modes or NVDA software for people with vision disabilities.
- Reduce the amount of animations and things moving around the screen to make the site easier to use for people with ADHD and other Neurodivergence.
- Always check how accessible your website is using online accessibility tools like the WebAIM Accessibility Index (WAI), Checkerboard Lab’s A11Y tool, or actual screen readers. Will your website meet the WCAG ‘AA’ rating for accessibility?
Accessible websites are usually fast too, so that ties in nicely with point number 2 above!
Conclusion
Looking to go green with your web design? Check out these eco-friendly web design practices that will keep your website sustainable and help you save energy and resources. From using sustainable suppliers to creating an accessible, eco-friendly website design, we’ve got you covered.
We’d love to help with your eco friendly web design project – contact us or call 01636 812551 today for a chat.