The internet might feel invisible, but it’s not impact-free. Every email, Google search, and page view uses energy – and collectively, all that activity leaves a surprisingly big mark on the planet.
In fact, if the internet were a country, it would rank among the top global polluters, producing around 3-4% of the world’s total carbon emissions (and climbing). And websites play a big part in that.
The good news? You don’t need to be a developer, a data scientist, or an environmental engineer to make a difference. With a few smart tweaks, you can reduce your website’s carbon footprint, make it faster, and create a smoother experience for every visitor.
What is a website’s carbon footprint?
Every time someone visits your website, data travels between their device and your server. The bigger your pages (and the more requests they make), the more energy those transfers use. That energy – especially when it comes from fossil-fuel-powered data centres – translates into carbon emissions.
In simple terms: heavy website = more energy = higher emissions.
Tools like Website Carbon, EcoGrader, and Digital Beacon can estimate how much CO₂ each page generates per visit. They’ll also give your site a rating (A–F) and show how you stack up against other sites globally.
Why reducing your site’s footprint matters
A low-carbon website doesn’t just help the planet – it helps people too. Cleaner, faster, more efficient websites are:
✅ Better for users: Faster loading times, lower data use, and smoother accessibility for everyone.
✅ Better for business: Performance and sustainability directly improve your SEO, conversion rates, and credibility.
✅ Better for the planet: Less data = less energy = lower emissions. Small improvements across millions of sites make a huge collective difference.
Sustainability online is a lot like sustainability offline: every choice counts.
5 ways to make your website more sustainable
1. Optimise your images
Images are one of the biggest culprits behind bloated, energy-heavy websites. Resize them before uploading, use next-gen formats like WebP or AVIF, and compress them without sacrificing quality.
Read more on that here: How to optimise images for your website
2. Choose a green host
Switching to a web host powered by renewable energy is one of the simplest and most impactful changes you can make. My Australian go-to is Serversaurus – B Corp certified and 100% carbon neutral.
3. Streamline your site’s code and plugins
Less is more. Every unnecessary plugin, script, and animation adds weight and complexity. Regularly audit your plugins and remove anything that’s outdated or unused.
4. Limit auto-playing media
Auto-playing videos and motion-heavy sliders drain bandwidth, slow your site down, and burn through more energy. Let visitors choose when to play videos or animations instead.
5. Improve caching and performance settings
Caching allows browsers to store elements of your website so repeat visitors don’t reload everything from scratch. Tools like WP-Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache make this easy—and they cut both load time and emissions.
Measuring your progress
After making updates, run your site through those same carbon calculators again.
You’ll be able to track how your emissions per visit have dropped and—if you’re using Website Carbon—see your new grade.
💡 Aim for a minimum of a “B” grade or higher. That’s the standard I hold for every Whale Tail Digital project (and my own site, too).
The bigger picture
Sustainable web design isn’t about perfection – it’s about progress. Every faster image, cleaned-up plugin, or green hosting choice adds up to a web that’s friendlier to both people and planet.
When we treat sustainability as part of good design (not a bonus feature), we build something that lasts longer, performs better, and supports a better internet for everyone.
Ready to lighten your website’s footprint?
If your site’s feeling a bit heavy – slow load times, sluggish pages, or a carbon rating you’d rather not brag about – let’s change that.
My SURGE VIP Sprint helps purpose-driven brands and NFPs eco-optimise their existing websites, cutting unnecessary code, shrinking page weight, and improving overall performance.
Or, if you’d like to understand the principles behind sustainable web design, visit my Sustainability Standards page to learn more about what makes a website truly low-impact.