There is a new hosting plan on the block, and it’s green. Green hosting is making a play to become a serious aspect of web hosting from here on out. With all the current attention being paid to the green aspects of companies, particularly in the Obama administration, companies are seeing opportunities for themselves and the environment by making the shift to a greener, more eco-friendly product.

Did you know that some 3 to 4% of all electricity that is generated, and all of the attendant carbon emissions, are directly related to running data centers. It is estimated that one server by itself has an equivalent climate impact as that of a 15MPG sports utility vehicle.

Several big companies, including Starbucks, IBM and web hosting leader HostGator have taken up the challenge to make their operations entirely more green, and to lead the way for other companies to join in and do likewise.

Part of the way web hosting companies make for a cleaner product is by using renewable energy sources to power and cool their web servers. Many companies opt only for the power end of the equation but it takes nearly an equal amount of energy to cool the server after the power is generated. Hosting companies purchase REC’s (renewable energy credits) which in essence they exchange for power from the grid as they need to draw upon it.

So what does this mean to you and me as consumers of web hosting products? Well, first, as responsible citizens we all want to do our part to see that we are operating in as clean and safe a manner as possible, and choosing a “green” host is an easy way to make a significant dent in the carbon footprint we are responsible for.

HostGator is a shining example of what making a difference means. They host more than 1.8 million websites, and by making the switch to put all of their shared and reseller plan servers under 130% wind power, they are saving the equivalent of either taking 444 cars off the road for a year, providing the energy for 521 homes for an entire year, saving some 5,654 barrels of oil a year, or saving 551 acres of forest for a year. All of those seem like worthwhile pursuits, and good examples of just what a focused approach can do to help with energy consumption and helping to reduce carbon footprints.

Doe this effect your websites in any discernible fashion? The answer is no, it does not. Though they are “using” green power sources, the hosting companies are still pulling power off the grid. They are simply helping to determine where that power originates from, and the mode of production used to create it.

Using green web hosting may not have ever occurred to you before, but it should be worth a second of your time to think about it. Making the right choices now will save up untold resources tomorrow!