Xen Project

Our pledge to reduce our environmental impact and help Britain’s wildlife

26.11.10 | Posted by Leon Lloyd in Environment

We take our responsibility to the environment seriously which is why from December 1st 2010 we are introducing our pledge to plant a tree for every website we design and build.

Our aim is to offset the carbon used during a websites lifetime and we believe that the best way we can do this is by planting trees which also has the benefit of improving the natural habitat of Britain’s wildlife and woodlands.

Why we are doing it?

According to a Gartner study, in 2007, for the first time in history, the carbon emissions due to information and communication technologies exceeded that of the entire aviation industry

Your website is hosted in a server, which is viewed by clients using computers which are connected via networks. These servers, clients and networks all require electricity in order to run, electricity that is largely generated by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, which contribute to climate change.

Now think of how many people there are using the internet all over the world and you get an idea of the immense impact of our reliance on the internet. Every tree we plant will offset your websites environmental impact by breathing in about 1 tonne of CO2 emissions over its lifetime.

How we will do it?

Every time a website goes live we will pay for a tree to be planted in the UK through Carbon Footprint’s ‘Pledge a Tree Project’. The project plants trees in the UK using local expertise to ensure the right trees are planted in the right places. All trees are planted in reserves and managed woodland and are native UK broad-leafed species, enhancing biodiversity and providing the perfect habitats for wildlife.

You will receive a certificate issued by Carbon Footprint and The Tree Appeal, like the one we received when we opened this new site, and your tree will be planted in your area of the UK. We believe this is the best way we can be active in tackling the reduction of global carbon emissions and give our clients piece of mind.

What else can we do?

We are also making the effort to make our office as ‘paperless’ as possible and in the rare event we need to use paper we are going to ensure it is locally sourced, Forestry approved, recycled paper. I will also make sure my sketch pads are made from recycled paper also.

O.k., so I know our small efforts aren’t going to change the world but at least it’s something and the benefit of planting trees to our wildlife in undeniable. We are glad to do our small bit and I hope this might inspire other businesses to consider their impact on our environment.

Further reading: Guardian – What’s the carbon footprint of the internet