Renewable Hosting Ratio (RHR)
The Renewable Hosting Ratio (RHR) is more than just a metric. It's a commitment to a greener, more sustainable web. It quantifies the percentage of data transferred from servers powered by renewable energy sources when a webpage is loaded.
Importance
In an era where sustainability is no longer optional, the RHR stands as a testament to a website's dedication to reducing its carbon footprint. It's not just about understanding the environmental impact of our hosting choices, but actively choosing to make a difference.
Calculating the Renewable Hosting Ratio
The RHR is calculated through a simple yet effective process:
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Track Requests: Every request for a specific pathname on a website is tracked. This includes all types of files - HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, videos, and other media.
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Calculate Percentage: The percentage of these requests served from servers powered by renewable energy sources is then calculated. This involves identifying the hosting providers for each request and determining their use of renewable energy.
Determining Renewable Hosting: The Greencheck API
To determine whether a hosting provider uses renewable energy, we use the Greencheck API by The Green Web Foundation. This API allows us to check whether a specific domain is hosted on a green server, i.e., a server powered by renewable energy.
We perform this check for both the first-party domain (the main domain of the website) and all the third-party domains that the website requests. This ensures that we take into account all data transfers when calculating the RHR.
Improving Your Renewable Hosting Ratio
Improving a website's RHR involves choosing hosting providers that use renewable energy sources. This can be achieved by opting for 'green hosting' providers and using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) that uses servers powered by renewable energy. Advocacy for renewable energy use with current hosting providers can also contribute to an increased RHR.
Conclusion
The Renewable Hosting Ratio isn't just a number. It's a reflection of your commitment to a sustainable future. By measuring and optimizing RHR, you're not just creating a better website, but a better world.