ECO WEB HOSTING: A MAJOR BOON FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

If it's not your first time here, then you already know that we at CBBC care very deeply about the environment. It was, in fact, the mind-boggling amount of trash on the beach that acted as the eye-opener that started the whole Clean The Beach Bootcamp movement. Since then, we have been very active in spreading environmental awareness among the general public with articles such as 6-types-of-water-pollution. And today, we bring to your attention Eco Web Hosting and its role in tackling the environmental crisis that human developmental activities have brought upon our planet.

If you're wondering what web hosting is and what it has to do with you, you're using their services right now. That is because nowadays, practically everything and everyone is on the internet. And what enables the internet are hosting servers. Web hosting is the business of renting out space in these servers to host the websites of businesses and individuals.

There are millions of data centres worldwide that house these hosting servers. To keep them running 24/7 requires a lot of resources and, in most cases, causes tremendous amounts of pollution, both of which take a heavy toll on the environment. If you're not shocked yet, then perhaps some statistics can help be the eye-opener.

The Cost Of Non-Eco Web Hosting:

• Not so long ago, in 2016, when  Britain's total power usage was about 300 terawatt hours, data centres all over the world that housed hosting servers, used up 416.2 terawatt hours. 
• Worldwide, these data centres are responsible for 3% of the total power usage and about 2% of the greenhouse gas emitted globally.
• America alone has over 3 million data centres, and they use almost 2% of the total electricity used by the entire country. That is the equivalent of how much power 5 nuclear power plants use!
• The number of data centres around the world is rapidly increasing. Just in 2012, when only half of the world was on the internet, the total data centres numbered around 500,000. Today, that number is more than 8 million!
• The web-hosting industry now emits as much pollution as the aviation industry!

And this is just the tip of the iceberg! Left unchecked, the web hosting industry will cause unimaginable harm to the environment as the internet grows even further. You can read up on this issue in much more detail here - How Do Hosting Servers Impact the Environment?

There is, however, some good news. Individuals are especially choosing to host their websites using Eco web hosting servers. As the awareness amongst the general public regarding the environmental crisis grows, more and more corporates, too, are inclining towards eco-friendly choices. So let's see why one should go the Eco Web Hosting way.

The Benefits Of Eco Web Hosting

As you know by now, regular web hosting leaves quite an impact on the environment. Eco web hosting is the practice of hosting servers in a more environmentally friendly way, such as using renewable energy. A perfect example of a company that provides eco web hosting services is Orange Website which hosts its servers in Iceland. 

There are many advantages to having your servers in a cold location like Iceland. One of the main expenses hosting centres and data centres incur is the air conditioning and coolant required to keep the systems from overheating. That cost comes down considerably when your servers are located in Iceland! 

Additionally, Iceland obtains all of its energy from renewable sources such as geothermal and hydroelectric. So when individuals and corporations choose a company like OrangeWebsite.com, they support green energy. And to help offset the damage already done by the server hosting industry, OrangeWebsite, through their Canopy Project, plants between 240 to 1000 trees every month! 

So it's not just cost-effective but also environmentally friendly to use the services of an Eco Web Hosting company. But that's not it, and there's more, especially when it comes to corporate who would love to have a pro-green public image.

Environmentally Conscious Corporates Are Choosing Eco Web Hosting

Much more than individuals, businesses, especially, like to have a positive public image. And given the rising awareness amongst the general public regarding the current environmental crisis and the role of businesses in propagating this crisis, a pro-green image is a must for businesses. Well, there is good news on that front!

When you choose to use eco web hosting services such as that provided by Orange Website, you get a Green Seal, which proves that your website is hosted on eco-friendly servers. Displaying this seal on your website lets your visitors and potential customers know that yours is an environmentally conscious business. That is one excellent reason to choose your business over those that don't particularly care about the environment.

Who Else Is Shifting To Eco Web Hosting?

Now it's not just the small & big corporate businesses that are worried about their public image and shifting to eco-friendly practices such as shooting their website to eco-hosting servers. Even Gaming communities, such as those running dedicated game servers like the hundreds of thousands of people who play the Minecraft Java Servers and discussion boards, are moving to eco-hosting solutions.

A very good example is Salty Zombies, which shifted its dedicated RUST servers to Orange Website. Salty Zombies run one of the best RUST aim training, PVP Servers and the overly modded RUST PVE Server, with thousands of online players using their services. That certainly indicates there are no performance issues with using eco-hosting servers. And you can see them proudly displaying the Green Seal on their website, giving gamers even more reason to subscribe to their servers. If you are interested in that, you can join their RUST Discord.

Conclusion

As you have seen so far, the standard old-school way of web hosting causes significant harm to the environment. But there is a perfect alternative solution available: Eco Web Hosting. And as we have mentioned above, there are many benefits to choosing eco-web hosting. So as a business, if you haven't done so already, you must consider shifting to a green hosting solution. And as an individual or customer, when you start supporting more environmentally conscious businesses, more businesses will begin to move eco-hosting because nothing moves corporations as much as public opinion does!

Fight Plastic Pollution By Wathcing Porn??

PornHub to spread awareness on the crisis of ocean plastic pollution through porn!

A major chunk of internet traffic surfs the online porn network. With billions of people from across the globe browsing through the numerous porn websites, it is definitely one of the best places online to spread a global message. And guess what? One of the biggest players from the industry, PornHub, has decided to do just that. It will use the heavy traffic it gets on its website to spread awareness about the ocean Plastic Pollution issue.

But just how effective will be an environmental awareness from a porn website? Huge actually! That is because, anyone who is even slightly familiar with an online advertisement, knows that effectiveness depends largely on the numbers. And what PornHub has in plenty are numbers. More than 3 million people visit this site every day to access the 7 million-plus videos it has in its database. With over 500 million people searching its name on Google every month, 2018 had over 33.5 billion visiting PornHub.

The plastic pollution levels, especially in the oceans, have reached such high magnitude that it is now a well-known fact. People are protesting all across the planet. And if you think you are safe from its consequences, then you couldn’t be far from the truth. Beaches around the world have been found littered with trash, especially single-use plastic. And that is only a trickle compared to the amount of pollution in the Ocean. In case you need more proof, here are 6 solid reasons not to use single-use plastic

The current plastic pollution situation is too messy even for PornHub and it has decided to take a stand against it using Porn!

PornHub Cares Initiative has launched a porn video that brings to light the issue of plastic pollution affecting our oceans. The movie that starts a popular pornstar couple has quite wittily been called “Dirtiest Porn Ever”. The movie starts off with the beautiful couple starting to get naughty in a lovely beach setting. Only that, soon, you find them surrounded by litter with Single-Use Plastic trash all over the two. Before you know it, the whole scene goes from sexy to yucky! Some more harsh reality as you find people in Hazmat suit and the PornHub brand on it, picking up the litter from around the couple. Here’s a promo clip to ease your curiosity: 

To ease your conscience even further, PornHub promises to donate to Ocean Polymers every time someone views their movie on Ocean plastic pollution. That’s some very good reason to check out one of the most popular porn sites online. PornHub offers a 7-day free trial, although we are not sure if the full movie is available for the trial accounts. You can, however, try Free Porn Passwords and Free Porn Pass.biz for getting a single access premium account login.

Cory Price, their vice president, also highlighted the fact that PornHub has already been active when it comes to the environment. It has in the past, he stated, taken initiatives like planting trees and even supports organisations conducting honeybee research. Contrary to general belief, the big players of the porn industry care about the environment and prefer a clean and healthy environment. 

There is news such as websites like Brazzers, one of the top premium porn site, have switched to green energy servers. Considering the crazy amount of traffic amongst porn sites, their servers get heated up a lot and requires a huge amount of electricity to keep it cool. Websites like Youtube and Netflix that stream videos contribute about 1% of the total global emission. And a third of that 1% comes from porn websites. 

Since we ourselves at CBBC have been actively conducting beach cleanups in a bid to fight ocean plastic pollution, the initiative by PornHub is indeed quite refreshing. It sets a good example for other businesses across industries to take such initiatives and do what they can to fight the plastic pollution crisis. We applaud the efforts taken by PornHub to spread awareness about ocean plastic pollution. If ever you needed a good excuse to browse porn sites, then you should consider checking out “Dirtiest Porn Ever” by PornHub.

Their initiative to becoming more eco-conscious has struck a chord to others in the porn industry. Websites such as My Dirty Hobby, Team Skeet, Bang Bros, Reality Kings and Kink have all started to help with environmental matters. Either by donating a portion of profits to planting trees or to charities that are dedicated to fighting global environmental matters. Be it Plastic Pollution or Global Warming.

You know the environmental issues are a real and serious threat when frowned upon industry such as porn step up to the plate to take action. Drop a comment here after you watch it will be highly appreciated. It is all for a good cause after all!

6 Types of Water Pollution

That We Must Solve ASAP

Water is life and true enough H20 is right there with oxygen. Almost every living creature on this planet from the smallest critters to the giant blue whale depends on water. For this reason, its alarming to know that many of the earth’s salt and freshwater sources are now exposed to pollution.

This begs the question: what is water pollution and why it should matter to everyone?

According to the “Water for Life” report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, more people now die today from unsafe water than war and other forms of violence on an annual basis. About 3.575 million people die from water-related diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, and dysentery in just a year.

To understand why such a crisis is happening on our planet today, we need to take a look at its root cause- water pollution. As you know, water is a good place for bacteria and other harmful microorganisms to thrive. Water is also prone to contamination from harmful chemicals such as pesticides and sewage waste.

Different Types of Water Pollution that Threatens the Environment

In this post, we will be discussing the different types of water pollution and their adverse effects on the environment:

1 - Plastic and Surface Water Pollution

There is no hiding the fact that our oceans are now filled with plastic. The Great Pacific garbage patch has an estimated 80,000 tons of plastic that just floats around in an island-like cluster. While many plastics settles on the surface of the water, the less buoyant ones eventually end up at the bottom of the ocean.

Aside from plastic, other garbage such as wood chips and styrofoam also drift on top of the water. The real danger of plastic ending up in the water is that a lot of birds and marine life form think of them as food. Animals who ingest plastic usually die either from chemical poisoning or from it blocking their digestive system.

Plastic is also known to cause suffocation and other injuries to small animals that come in contact with them. This is a serious problem, especially because even the most progressive countries can only recycle 5-per cent of their plastic waste. Furthermore, 50-percent of the plastic produced in the world ends up as pollutants or garbage.

2 - Oil Spillage

We all know that oil and water don't mix. Ship fuel, for example, will still on top of seawater. Oil spillage from a damaged or sunk ship is dangerous to marine animals because they remain afloat unless they are cleaned. The challenge, however, is that removing oil spills from the sea is a daunting task that requires a lot of manpower if not equipment and ships.

One of the most recent oil spills, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, saw 53,000 barrels of oil dumped into the Gulf of Mexico. It is considered as one of the largest incidents of its kind in history where an estimated 82,000 birds, about 26,000 marine animals, and roughly 6,000 turtles dead.

Although not as damaging as capsized ships, poorly maintained ships also play a major role in the amount of oil that is now mixed into our ocean.

3 - Chemical Water Pollution

It's no secret that a lot of factories and manufacturing plants dump their waste on bodies of water such as rivers, lakes and even the sea. Some cities even use their river systems as part of their sewage system outlet. In most cases, this renders the bodies of water to pollution and killing most of the fish and aquatic organisms in it.

Unknown to many, some farmers also end up polluting their source of irrigation whenever they use harmful chemicals such as pesticides. Agricultural areas which experience a large amount of rainfall a year are more prone to the effects of water pollution. When farms become flooded or overflows, the harmful chemicals can get mixed with the water which will end up in the nearby places.

Animal waste from poultry farms and piggery farms can also pollute the water. In many third world countries, they usually dump these waste on river systems or ponds. Unclean water from these contaminated bodies of water can cause several waterborne diseases such as typhoid fever and hepatitis.

4 - Nutrients Pollution

It might surprise you but not all nutrients that end up on the bodies of water are good for its marine inhabitants. Nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus encourage algae growth. While algae are known as fish food, the problem arises when they overpopulate the water. When this happens, this can cause oxygen starvation for the rest of the organisms on the water.

On the other hand, this can also be harmful to humans or animals living near these infected waters. Aside from making the water undrinkable, they can also clog filters. This type of water pollution often occurs in industrial or agricultural areas.

5 - Suspended Matter Pollution

Some water pollutants are also not visible to the naked eye. Chemicals, particles, and substances that do not easily dissolve often cause suspended water pollution. In time, particles such as silt which comes from decayed matter will eventually settle at the bottom the bodies of water.

Suspended matter can eventually kill many of the aquatic organisms that settle at the bottom of the river, lake, pond or ocean. Most of these substances are foreign to the bodies of water which can upset the delicate chemical balance. This has numerous water pollution effects such as making the streams and lakes less acidic.

6 - Groundwater Pollution

Rivers and lakes aren’t the only sources of fresh water. In some places, you can dig water from under the ground. Rural areas in third world countries usually rely on groundwater, especially those who don't have water concessionaires in their area. However, even groundwater is also prone to pollution.

Chemicals from landfills and highly polluted areas can sip in the ground especially when they mixed with rainwater. In turn, they can contaminate the groundwater source that eventually supplies water through pumps or deep wells. The toxins and other harmful chemicals mixed in the water can cause several waterborne diseases.

Conclusion

Water pollution is a serious threat to every life on this planet. The sad part is that we humans are the major contributor or cause water pollution. However, we too hold the solution to end this global crisis especially if we do our part to recycle and observe proper waste disposal.

Top 5 Causes of Plastic Pollution

It’s hard to imagine a world without plastic products. Modern society won’t be the same if plastic wasn’t discovered by Leo Baekeland in 1907. However, because of how it’s commonly used in almost everywhere it has also been one of the largest contributors to global pollution.

Every year more than 300 tons of plastic are produced for different uses from almost every industry from the food sector to manufacturing. Demand for plastic has drastically increased since half a century ago and the current production is expected to quadruple by 2050.

Unfortunately, because of littering and improper waste disposal plastic has aided in many catastrophic events. Of the total manufactured plastic products each year, only 5% are recycled and 40% ends up on landfills. The remaining 55% is considered rubbish and pollutes our environment, especially our oceans.

Today, birds and marine animals die of ingesting, strangling and suffocating from plastic. Cities with poor garbage disposal also become prone to excessive flooding because plastic also clogs drainage systems and canals.

The Main Causes of Plastic Pollution

So, what causes plastic pollution that allowed this to turn into a global crisis? Below are some of the main causes of this catastrophe.

1 - Rising Human Population and Dependence on Plastic

In 2011, the world population reached the 7 billion mark, and today it is estimated that there are roughly 7.5 billion humans on the planet, based on the data by the World Population Review. With the rise of the human population, you can also expect the demand for plastic to increase and in turn the rubbish that they can accommodate within their lifetime.

The average American person produces almost 35 kilos of plastic bottles and other similar products as trash. While this figure may be higher or lower in other countries, it gives us an idea of how dependent people are on plastic products. It also reflects our inability or unwillingness to recycle or reuse these single-use plastic products.

People who are in the move are also more likely to throw away the plastic on the streets and just about everywhere. A study by Keep America Beautiful revealed that 52% of people who litter are motorists and another 23% are pedestrians.

2 - The Food Industry which Packs Everything on Plastic

About a third of the plastic that pollutes our land and oceans are from food wrappers. This can be everything from your gum wrapper to the bag of your favourite potato chips. We usually take packed foods almost anywhere even to the summit of a mountain or on the coastal beaches. As such, this type of plastic garbage can end up even in the unlikeliest of places and not just in highly urbanized areas.

Packaging companies have used plastic to wrap and preserve food because it is much cheaper to produce than any other alternative such as paper. Plastics also resist water and moisture which is essential in making sure that the food inside won’t get spoiled.

However, when plastic is ingested by animals and birds they don’t break down and excreted, unlike other organic materials. The toxic chemicals from the plastic can also poison the animal or block their digestive system which eventually leads to their death. While there are alternatives such as using reusable bags made of paper and other biodegradable materials, very few food companies are willing to compromise with this solution.

3 - Plastic Bottles and Container Caps

Your favourite on-the-go drink is another cause of plastic pollution. If you visit your nearest convenience store you can see tons of beverages and drinks that are contained in plastic bottles. This can be anywhere between bottled water, energy drinks, coffee, and carbonated drinks.

The main problem with plastic bottles is that we consume a lot of them. Today, we are using roughly 500 billion bottled waters a year. Given that more than half of our rubbish ends up as pollutants, you can easily imagine its impact on the environment. Plastic bottles are also seen as food by many birds especially those species that fish on the sea, such as the Pacific Albatros.

Container caps are also another item that is commonly found inside the bellies of birds and animals who died of plastic ingestion. Fortunately, there are simple solutions to reduce our dependence on plastic bottles such as carrying a personal water bottle that can be refilled.

4 - Plastic Bags and Carriers

Imagine a product that you have to use in less than a minute and then you won’t have to use it again. This is basically what plastic bags are. You put your groceries in them and once you hit home it immediately ends up in the trash can. The real evil of plastic bags, however, is that they can easily be transported by animals, natural causes and just by the wind. They also tangle almost into anything from trees, waterways, and even on living creatures.

Almost every establishment also use plastic bags to let customers carry the product they just purchased. While highly reusable, most plastic bags are designed for single use. Every time you hit the convenience store, for example, you get to have one of these bags, but the next time you went again to the store only a handful of people will reuse the same plastic bag.

The good news is that many cities have restricted the use of plastic bags. People are now encouraged to use reusable eco bags that are made of disposable fabric or any other organic materials. Some businesses even offer discounts and other incentives for customers who shop using their eco-bags.

5 - Plastic Straws and Stirrers

Another small plastic item that has a huge impact on the environment are straws and stirrers. Much like bottle caps and tiny plastic wrappers, these items can easily be digested by marine animals and birds. They are also items which can easily be replaced, if not banned permanently. You can still drink your favourite milk tea or beverage directly from the cup or glass, couldn’t you?

The real danger of plastic straws is there is little to zero chance that they can be recycled because of its structure. In the US, roughly 500 straws and stirrers are used every day. A huge percentage of these plastic products may well end up on the nose of sea turtles or in the bellies of fish.

Many companies have also thought of several ideas to replace plastic straws. Some use straws made out of bamboo or stainless metal which can also be re-used. Paper straws and stirrers are also used by other food companies because of their biodegradable properties.

Conclusion

If we want to reduce the plastic pollution on our planet the solution is simple- reduce, reuse and recycle. Knowing what the top contributors of plastic pollution are we can reduce the plastic products we use and replace them with other environment-friendly alternatives.