In today’s fast-evolving sustainability landscape, tracking and reporting digital emissions is no longer optional—it’s essential. Organisations face increasing pressure to align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks, often requiring precise, transparent, and actionable data to meet both internal sustainability goals and external regulatory requirements.

You can now start reporting on your companies digital emissions with 

Introducing Our New Feature: Download and Share Reports

To support your sustainability efforts, we are excited to introduce a powerful new feature: 

Downloadable and Shareable Digital Emissions Reports.

 With this functionality, you can export your website’s emissions data as a clear, concise PDF report, making it easier than ever to communicate your progress. This shareable format ensures that all key stakeholders—be it internal teams, investors, or external auditors—can access consistent, accurate information with minimal effort.

ESG reporting can be a complex process, often requiring extensive coordination across teams. By enabling downloadable reports, we simplify the process, giving sustainability managers and executives a reliable tool for integrating digital emissions data into broader ESG strategies.

Transparency is the cornerstone of sustainability practices. A shareable emissions report not only boosts confidence among stakeholders but also demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to accountability.

Seamless Integration into Sustainability Goals - 

With precise emissions data in a convenient format, teams can focus on aligning digital practices with larger sustainability objectives. Whether it’s optimising website operations, reducing carbon footprints, or meeting specific ESG targets, this feature provides the insights you need to act decisively.

Meeting Regulatory Demands with Speed and Precision

Global regulatory landscapes are shifting, with an increasing emphasis on stricter compliance and accountability for digital operations. The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and other similar frameworks are pushing organisations to disclose detailed sustainability metrics, including digital emissions.

This makes rapid reporting and data sharing more critical than ever. Having instant access to a downloadable report allows organisations to:

Respond promptly to compliance audits or stakeholder inquiries.

Adapt to evolving regulations without disruptions.

Streamline communication across teams and external partners.

Digital emissions reporting isn’t just about compliance—it’s about transformation. By adopting tools like downloadable reports, organisations can lead the way in sustainable digital practices, setting benchmarks for efficiency, innovation, and environmental stewardship.At its core, this new feature empowers organisations to view their digital presence as an integral part of their sustainability journey. It’s a reminder that every website visit, every digital interaction, and every byte of data exchanged has an environmental impact. Now, you have the tools to measure, manage, and minimise that impact with confidence. 

Ready to lead the charge in digital sustainability?

Start using the downloadable emissions report feature today

 and take the next step in aligning your digital operations with a greener future.

Simplify ESG Reporting with Downloadable Digital Emissions Reports

In a digital age where websites are the backbone of businesses and communication, it's easy to forget that the virtual world has a tangible impact on the environment. Surprisingly, websites contribute to global carbon emissions - and understanding the causes is crucial for creating more sustainable digital practices. Here’s an in-depth look into what causes website carbon emissions and how they can be minimised.

Every time someone visits a website, data is transmitted from servers to their device. This data travels through networks, including fibre-optic cables, Wi-Fi routers, and data centres. The energy consumed in this process contributes significantly to carbon emissions, especially when data centres and network infrastructure rely on non-renewable energy sources.

 These facilities house servers that store and process website data. They require massive amounts of electricity for operations and cooling systems.

 Larger files, such as high-resolution images, videos, or animations, increase the amount of data transmitted, leading to higher energy use.

How a website is designed and developed can impact its carbon footprint. Inefficient coding, unnecessary features, or excessive use of multimedia can increase the resources needed to load a site.

 Bloated code with unnecessary elements requires more processing power.

 Extra functionalities (e.g., chatbots, trackers) can increase server requests.

 High-definition videos, large images, and complex animations significantly increase a site’s carbon load.

The type of hosting provider used can also impact emissions. Traditional hosting services often run on non-renewable energy, while green hosting providers use renewable energy to power their servers.

 Shared hosting spreads the energy use across multiple users, making it more efficient than dedicated servers.

 Data centres in regions with renewable energy infrastructure or cooler climates tend to have lower carbon footprints.

The way users interact with a website also affects its carbon emissions. For example, repeated visits, long browsing sessions, and high bounce rates lead to increased data transfer.

 Users revisiting pages without caching increases server load.

 Poor UX design can lead to longer sessions as users struggle to find information.

The devices used to access websites—whether smartphones, laptops, or desktops—contribute to emissions as well. A poorly optimised website can require more processing power, which drains battery life and increases energy consumption on end-user devices.

 Older or less energy-efficient devices consume more electricity.

 Resource-heavy sites demand more from device processors.

While digital carbon emissions are an inevitable part of online activity, there are actionable steps to reduce them:

 Compress images and videos to reduce data transfer.

 Use clean, efficient code to minimise processing power.

 Opt for services powered by renewable energy.

 Enable caching to reduce repeat server requests.

 Minimise unnecessary features and scripts.

 Promote offline access and provide clear navigation.

Understanding what causes the carbon emissions of a website empowers businesses to make informed, eco-friendly decisions. From data transmission to hosting choices, every aspect of a website contributes to its carbon footprint. By optimising these factors, we can create a greener internet and reduce our collective environmental impact.

Are you ready to reduce your website’s carbon footprint? Small changes can lead to big impacts—and every step toward sustainability counts! Sign up to 

 today to start tracking your website’s carbon emissions.

How Do Websites Produce Carbon Emissions?

When it comes to minimising our carbon footprint, most of us will think about such things as using the car less or using the recycling bin more frequently. However, you may not be aware that your website also plays a part in your carbon footprint. Surprisingly, websites can consume a significant amount of energy and therefore have a large carbon footprint if not well designed and managed. The good news is that by avoiding common mistakes and making small adjustments, you can decrease your website’s carbon footprint and help make the internet greener. Now, let’s look at the most frequent mistakes that contribute to high website carbon emissions and how to avoid them.


The first common mistake is that full size images and videos are usually not optimised for web display and thus take longer to load and consume more data which leads to more carbon emissions.



An example of this, is when a webpage with several large, high-resolution images such as those that are 5MB in size each will take a long time to load and will use more energy as data is transferred from the server to the user’s browser.



💡 

Ensure you compress all images uploaded to your site using tools like 

 to compress images without sacrificing quality. Aim for image sizes under 500KB when possible. 

Choosing the right file format is also important. Using modern formats like WebP or AVIF, which provide better compression and quality compared to older formats like JPEG and PNG can really reduce your sites emissions. 

Implementing lazy loading defers the loading of images and videos until they are needed (i.e., when they come into the user’s view). This reduces initial page load time and data usage.



By optimising images and videos, you can reduce your website’s carbon footprint while also enhancing user experience with faster load times.


The second common mistake is failing to implement proper caching strategies can cause your website to use more server resources and energy every time a user accesses your site.



For example, a website that doesn't use browser caching will force users to download all site resources (images, CSS files, JavaScript, etc.) every time they visit, even if those resources haven't changed since their last visit. This increases data transfer and server load unnecessarily.



💡 

Enabling browser caching by configuring your server to allow browsers to store static resources locally, so they don’t have to be re-downloaded on every visit. This can be set through HTTP headers like Cache-Control and Expires.

A CDN caches your content on multiple servers around the world, reducing the distance data must travel and improving load times, which reduces energy consumption. Popular CDNs include 

By implementing caching strategies, you can reduce the number of server requests and the energy needed to deliver your website to users.


Another mistake is using excessive JavaScript libraries and heavy plugins can make your website slower and more resource-intensive, leading to higher carbon emissions.



For example, using multiple JavaScript frameworks (like jQuery, React, and Angular) or heavy plugins for functionalities that could be achieved with simpler solutions. This not only increases the file size of your pages but also requires more processing power on the client side.



by regularly review your JavaScript to remove unnecessary libraries and plugins. Use lighter, more efficient code when possible. You can use platforms like 

 to monitor your website's file sizes and carbon emissions.

Minimise plugin usage by limiting the number of plugins you use and disable or remove any that are not essential. Look for lightweight alternatives that perform the same function.

Defer non-essential Scripts by using the defer or async attribute to load non-essential JavaScript after the main content has loaded, reducing initial load time and improving performance.



Optimising javaScript and minimising plugin usage can significantly reduce your website’s carbon emissions while enhancing overall performance.


Not optimising your website for mobile devices can lead to longer load times and increased data usage, especially since mobile connections often have higher latency and lower speeds compared to desktop connections.



An example would be, a desktop-only website that serves the same large images and resources to mobile users will consume more data and energy, especially if the images are not scaled down appropriately for smaller screens.



💡 

Use responsive design and ensure your website uses responsive design techniques to adapt the layout and content to different screen sizes, which helps reduce data usage on mobile devices.

Serve optimised resources for Mobile by using CSS media queries or JavaScript to detect the device type and serve appropriately sized images and resources.

Implement mobile-first practices and design your website with mobile users in mind first, ensuring it is lightweight and efficient on smaller, less powerful devices.



By optimising for mobile, you can ensure a faster, more efficient experience for mobile users while reducing your website’s carbon footprint.


Hosting your website with providers that rely heavily on non-renewable energy sources contributes significantly to carbon emissions.



Many traditional hosting providers use data centres powered by coal or natural gas, leading to higher carbon emissions for every server request.



Choose hosting providers that use renewable energy to power their data centres. Providers like 

 offer green hosting options.

Optimise server resources by choosing a hosting plan that suits your website’s needs without over-provisioning. Reducing the number of unnecessary server resources reduces energy consumption.

Use efficient server technologies and implement technologies like HTTP/2 or HTTP/3, which offer more efficient data transfer, reducing energy consumption and improving user experience.



By selecting a green hosting provider and optimising server resources, you can significantly cut down on your website’s carbon emissions.


It is not only beneficial for the environment to minimise your website’s carbon footprint but also beneficial for the users and can even help to optimise your site for search engines. If you do not want your online presence to be a part of these mistakes, then you should follow the solutions given above. As you can see, even the slightest changes make a big difference in the end!

Are You Making These Common Mistakes That Increase Your Website Carbon Emissions?

When we discuss carbon emissions, our mind sets down pictures of billowing chimneys, cars and planes that guzzle fuel, and felling of trees. But imagine if I told you, every time you click on a website, you are adding to the global pollution? I know it may seem counterintuitive, yet website carbon emissions make up one of the vital but unnoticed aspects of digital pollution. These are five stats that make a point of the fact that website carbon emissions are more of an issue than you may have been led to believe.


1. The Internet Is a Major Carbon Emitter


Did you know that the internet’s carbon footprint is equivalent to that of the aviation industry? And, if the internet was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of CO2 in the world, roughly 

1.6 billion tons of greenhouse gases annually

. Some of the areas of computing include websites, online videos, data centres, network infrastructure among others and this totals to this figure. From the messages that you forward, to the movies that you watch, or the sites which you visit, it is not as clean as it seems.


2. Let’s Consider a Single Webpage Load


It's hard to imagine, but one single page load on the average website generates 

. That might not sound like a lot, but consider this: the normal website receives around a thousand visits to its pages in a month. This means for instance, a normal website could be releasing up to 72 kilograms of CO₂ per year, from mere page loads alone. It is very important to note that this is just one website and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of similar sites out there. Multiply that by the millions of websites and digital products, and you start to get a clearer picture of internet’s carbon footprint.


Each time you enter a website, information is transmitted from servers in data centres all around the globe. These data centres are infamous for their power consumption, with energy needed for the running of the servers and cooling of the same. For instance, data centres are said to contribute to about 

 and this is equivalent to the emissions of the airline industry. What is even more frightening is that this figure is projected to rise to 50 percent by 2025 as we become even more dependent on digital products.


4. Images and Videos Are the Biggest Culprits


Do you ever stop to think about the effects of that clear picture that you uploaded on your website, or that HD video that you posted on your social media accounts? The largest source of carbon emissions for a website is the media files such as images and videos. High definition images and videos entail the use of more data and hence more power and more carbon emission. Amazingly, it was found that images and videos constitute 

5. Website Optimisation Can Make a Huge Difference


The good news? It is amazing to note that there are many things that can be done to minimise the carbon footprint of your website. This is where image optimisation, efficient coding and green web hosting comes into play, as it can reduce your site’s emissions by a great deal. For instance, one research indicated that by compressing images and implementing the lazy loading approach, page load time can be cut by up to 

; thus, the carbon footprint is reduced by up to 30 %. If all the websites in the world applied these basic optimisations, we could reduce millions of tons of CO₂ emissions per year.

While website carbon emissions are a form of pollution that cannot be seen, their effects are very much tangible. With the increased use of digital technologies in our daily lives and the increased use of video and image-intensive platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, it is our duty to make sure that our online activities are sustainable. It is therefore important that we all take time to understand the hidden carbon cost of our web activities and do everything possible to reduce it in order to help fight digital pollution and protect the environment today. Next time you browse the web, remember: each click matters. If you would like to start tracking your websites carbon emissions 

Why Do Website Carbon Emissions Matter? 5 Facts You Should Know

Managing a website goes beyond content updates and user engagement. As website managers, it is crucial to understand the environmental impact of your online presence and implement strategies to minimise it. Every action, from coding to deployment, can contribute to or reduce your website’s carbon footprint. Let’s dive into the best practices for managing your website sustainably, with a focus on efficient processes and green deployments.


A clean and efficient codebase is the foundation of a sustainable website. Bloated or poorly written code can slow down your site, increase energy consumption, and lead to higher carbon emissions.



: Regularly review your website’s code to identify and eliminate redundant or outdated code. Remove unused CSS, JavaScript, and plugins that may be slowing down your website.

: Minifying your CSS and JavaScript files reduces their size by removing unnecessary characters (like spaces and comments), which speeds up load times and reduces data transfer.

: Use modern frameworks and libraries that are optimised for performance. Ensure that your developers are following best practices to write clean, efficient code that minimises resource usage.



By streamlining your codebase, you reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed and transmitted, resulting in lower energy consumption and reduced emissions.


How you deploy updates and changes to your website can significantly impact its carbon footprint. Frequent, inefficient deployments can lead to increased server load and energy use.



: Instead of deploying updates piecemeal, batch them together to reduce the frequency of deployments. This approach minimises server load and reduces the energy required for each deployment cycle.

: Always test updates in a staging environment before deploying to production. This reduces the risk of errors that could lead to additional deployments and unnecessary server load.

: Use automated deployment tools and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to streamline the deployment process. Automated processes are often more efficient and less error-prone, reducing unnecessary server activity and associated emissions.



By optimising your deployment processes, you ensure that your site is running efficiently, minimising the environmental impact of frequent changes and updates.


Large media files and unoptimised content can significantly increase your website’s carbon footprint. Managing how content is delivered is crucial for reducing emissions.



: CDNs distribute your website’s content across multiple servers worldwide, reducing the distance data needs to travel to reach the user. This reduces latency, speeds up load times, and lowers energy consumption.

: Establish a workflow for optimising all images and videos before they are uploaded to the site. Use automated tools that compress and convert media files to more efficient formats as part of your deployment process.

: Periodically review your website’s media and content to ensure it is still relevant and optimised. Remove outdated or unused files to keep your website lean and reduce storage needs. You can do this by using platforms such as 


Optimising content delivery not only reduces the environmental impact of your website but also improves user experience through faster load times.


Your choice of hosting provider plays a crucial role in your website’s overall carbon footprint. Data centres consume significant amounts of electricity, much of which may come from non-renewable sources.



: Choose a hosting provider that uses renewable energy to power their data centres or has a commitment to carbon neutrality. Providers like 

: Right-size your hosting plan to match your website’s needs. Over-provisioning server resources can lead to unnecessary energy consumption. Use scalable hosting solutions that adapt to your traffic demands.

: Monitor your hosting provider’s performance and energy usage to ensure they are maintaining sustainable practices. If necessary, switch to a provider that better aligns with your sustainability goals.


By selecting sustainable hosting options and optimising server resources, you can significantly reduce your website’s carbon footprint.

Monitor and Continuously Improve Your Website’s Performance

Monitoring your website’s performance and making continuous improvements is key to maintaining a low-carbon digital presence.



 can help you analyse your website’s performance and identify areas for improvement.

: Schedule regular reviews of your website’s performance metrics to ensure it is operating efficiently. Address any identified issues promptly to prevent them from escalating and increasing carbon emissions.

: Encourage feedback from users and stakeholders on your website’s performance and energy efficiency. Use this feedback to inform ongoing improvements and sustainability initiatives.



By continuously monitoring and optimising your website’s performance, you can maintain a lean, efficient digital presence that minimises environmental impact.


Managing a website with sustainability in mind requires a commitment to efficient processes, careful planning, and continuous improvement. By streamlining your codebase, optimising deployments, managing content delivery efficiently, choosing green hosting providers, and regularly monitoring performance, you can significantly lower your website’s carbon emissions. These best practices not only benefit the environment but also enhance your website’s speed, reliability, and user experience. Start implementing these strategies today and contribute to a greener digital world!

What Are the Best Practices for Lowering Website Carbon Emissions?

Consumers are becoming more conscious about the environment, having an eco-friendly e-commerce site is no longer just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity. Making your e-commerce site more sustainable not only helps the planet but also appeals to a growing segment of eco-conscious consumers who are looking for greener shopping options. Whether you're just getting started or looking to enhance your current practices, here are 

 to make your e-commerce site more eco-friendly.

1. Optimise Your Website’s Performance for Energy Efficiency

A fast-loading, lightweight website not only enhances user experience but also reduces energy consumption. Every additional second of load time requires more server resources and more energy, increasing your site’s carbon footprint.

 to reduce file sizes, it's free, easy and it shouldn't be an afterthought. Incorporate it into your website update process, there's no excuse!

: Lazy loading delays the loading of images and videos until they are needed, reducing initial load times and saving energy.

: Regularly audit your codebase to remove any redundant or outdated code. Minify your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files to reduce their size and improve loading speed.


By optimising your website’s performance, you reduce the amount of data that needs to be transferred, which in turn lowers energy use and carbon emissions.

The server that hosts your e-commerce site can have a significant impact on your carbon footprint. Traditional data centres consume vast amounts of energy, much of which comes from non-renewable sources.

Select a Hosting Provider Committed to Sustainability

: Look for hosting companies that use renewable energy or offset their carbon emissions. Providers like 

Consider a CDN (Content Delivery Network)

: A CDN reduces the distance data has to travel by storing copies of your website across multiple locations, leading to faster load times and reduced energy use.


Switching to a green hosting provider is a straightforward yet powerful way to reduce your e-commerce site’s environmental impact.

3. Reduce Packaging Waste with Digital Alternatives

E-commerce sites often involve shipping products to customers, which can lead to significant packaging waste. However, there are ways to minimise this through digital innovation.

: If applicable, consider adding digital products or services to your offerings, such as e-books, digital gift cards, or downloadable content, which require no physical packaging.

: Give customers the choice to opt for minimal, recyclable, or compostable packaging during checkout. Make sure to highlight this option to appeal to eco-conscious shoppers.

: Incentivise customers to purchase multiple items in a single order rather than separate orders, reducing the amount of packaging and energy used in shipping.


By offering eco-friendly shipping options, you can reduce your environmental footprint and appeal to customers looking for sustainable shopping options.

4. Optimise Your Supply Chain and Fulfilment Practices

A sustainable e-commerce business doesn’t stop at the website—it extends throughout the supply chain. Ensuring that your supply chain is eco-friendly can drastically reduce your overall carbon footprint.

: Choose suppliers and manufacturers who adhere to sustainable practices, such as using renewable energy, recycling, or reducing waste.

: Consider using multiple fulfilment centres located closer to your customers to reduce shipping distances, delivery times, and associated emissions.

: Use recycled or biodegradable packaging materials whenever possible and encourage suppliers to do the same.


By optimising your supply chain, you ensure that your business is sustainable from production to delivery.

5. Promote Eco-Friendly Products and Practices

Make sustainability a core part of your brand message and actively promote eco-friendly products and practices on your e-commerce site.

: Create a dedicated section on your site for eco-friendly or sustainably sourced products. Use labels like “eco-friendly,” “organic,” or “fair trade” to help customers easily identify these options.

: Offer customers the option to offset the carbon emissions associated with their purchase at checkout. This could involve planting trees or donating to environmental causes.

: Use your website’s blog or “About Us” page to share your sustainability journey and efforts. This transparency builds trust with eco-conscious consumers.

Promoting eco-friendly practices not only helps the environment but also differentiates your brand in a crowded marketplace.

You can monitor, improve and report on your website's carbon output with 

: You have 2 options with Biosites - one-off audit or continuous tracking. Setup your website in a matter of minutes and start tracking today.

Promote Your Commitment to Digital Sustainability

: Biosites provide accreditations to all their customers based on how eco-friendly their website is. Showcase to your customers that you truly care about the planet by adding the accreditation to your website.

By fostering a culture of constant monitoring, you help reduce waste and promote a more sustainable e-commerce model.

Making your e-commerce site more eco-friendly is not only a smart business move but also a responsible one. By optimising your website’s performance, choosing sustainable hosting, reducing packaging waste, optimising your supply chain, promoting eco-friendly products, and encouraging conscious consumption, you can significantly reduce your environmental impact. Implement these innovative steps today and join the growing movement of businesses committed to a greener, more sustainable future.

Learn More with Bioscore