7 Actions For More Sustainable Web Design

We don’t typically think of websites as polluters. But behind every action that somebody takes online, there is a real-world carbon cost. That’s why sustainable web design matters. 

Today we are covering why sustainable web design is so important. We’ve also included seven actions your organization can take on its way to a more sustainable online presence.

Let’s check it out below.

Why Sustainable Web Design Is Important

• Less of an impact. The Sustainable Web Design Model tracks digital greenhouse emissions. The results are clear: websites that neglect sustainability best practices have a much higher impact on the environment.
• Preferred by your younger audience. The fact is, for younger people (think 25 and below), sustainability is important. These people are more willing to do business with organizations that prioritize sustainable practices. If you don’t, you’re missing out on potential revenue. 
• Forces you to adapt. As we will see below, prioritizing sustainable web design requires rethinking how you do business. This can result in a leaner (and more profitable) organization. 

These are just a few of the reasons sustainable web design is important. Now, let’s check out what you actually need to do for a more sustainable web presence.

7 Sustainable Web Design Practices

1) Get Specific About A Website’s Purpose

Sustainability begins with intention. Before you get started with design choices, ask yourself a few questions:

• What is the main purpose of your website?
• What does your target audience need the most?
• How can clean web design provide this to them?

The more focused your site is, the fewer unnecessary pages and files it will require. Importantly, this translates to less energy used. A website overloaded with unnecessary content isn’t just inefficient – it’s also harder to navigate.

2) Design With Performance In Mind

Want to reduce your site’s environmental impact? If so, you need to improve its performance. Faster websites use less energy (both on the server side and on the users’ devices).

Here’s a list of quick wins you should consider acting on:

• Optimize images. Compress images and use modern formats like WebP or AVIF.
• Limit video autoplay. Because video is one of the most resource-intensive types of content, try to use it sparingly.
• Minimize JavaScript and CSS bloat. Oversized files slow things down and increase data transfer.
• Use system fonts when possible. Custom web fonts increase page load time and data usage. Stick with system fonts instead.

These actions will make your website greener and also ensure a faster connection on slower devices. 

3) Choose A Green Hosting Provider

Not all web hosts are created equal. Most rely quite heavily on fossil fuels. This can make it hard to find one that enables sustainable web design practices. That said, they do exist. 

Here are a few things to look for in hosting providers: 

• Have they publicly committed to renewable energy and carbon neutrality?
• Do they participate in sustainability certifications or initiatives (the Green Web Foundation is a good example)?
• Are they transparent in their reporting about energy usage?

These are a few questions to guide you search. Switching to a green host is a high-impact decision, and it’s often cost-neutral.

4) Use Fewer Pages

Every extra page a user loads consumes energy. This can add up – especially on high-traffic sites. That said, there is a limit to how many web pages you can cut. After all, some are absolutely essential. 

This is why smarter navigation is so important. Try to group related content together wherever you can. You should also consolidate redundant or outdated pages. This takes up less space and is better for the user experience as a whole. 

Lastly, implement clear navigation so users can find what they need faster. If a user needs to click less, their path is a whole lot clearer. This isn’t just good for them, but for the environment as well.

5) Be Thoughtful About Content Strategy

Content marketing is important. If you want to bring in more leads, you need to prioritize it. But if you want to create and publish sustainably? How you organize your content matters. 

Here are a few best practices to keep in mind:

• Audit existing content regularly. Remove or update any content that is outdated.
• Use caching and content delivery networks (CDNs). This can substantially reduce overall server load.
• Avoid “energy sucks.” This includes unnecessary auto-play, infinite scroll, and excessive animations throughout your site.

6) Track The Right Things

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Use the right tools, and it becomes easier to stay on top of the numbers that matter. 

Here are the metrics most websites should be tracking:

• Total page weight
• Load time
• Number of HTTP requests
• Green hosting status

As for the tools you should consider investing in? We recommend Website Carbon Calculator or Ecograder. These both make it a bit easier to assess your site’s environmental impact. And once you do start using one of these, look for ways to improve over time. Even small tweaks can make a difference.

7) Make Sustainability Part of Your Web Culture

Our last tip is about your culture. It’s great to have a list of actions you want to pursue for sustainability. However, if your team isn’t on board, sustainable web design can easily get pushed to the backburner. 

While there are a number of things you can do, here are a few actions to consider:

• Include sustainability goals in your yearly planning.
• Chat about sustainable web design with your developers and designers. 
• Implement the things we’ve covered in this guide while you are creating content.

The more sustainability becomes part of your team’s everyday actions, the easier it is to sustain over time. And once you’ve reached this point, you truly start to make a difference.

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Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at [email protected] or call us at (718) 855-1919!