Websites and the planet; being eco-conscious in a non-eco world.
- User ExperienceUser ExperienceGood UX isn’t just visual design. It’s structure and flow. I map user journeys and streamline interactions so every step works as expected.Learn More View Articles
- Website DevelopmentWebsite DevelopmentI build websites for growth. Tailored design. Solid development. Built to help you move forward.Learn More View Articles
Let’s talk about building websites that genuinely respect both our visitors and the environment. Far too often, we focus on raw performance metrics and aesthetics, but neglect our impact on the planet—especially the subtle ways our sites can drain energy from battery-powered devices like mobiles, tablets, and laptops. With a few considered choices, however, we can lighten that load, reduce our carbon footprint, and still deliver an exceptional user experience.
Modern browsers are increasingly doing the heavy lifting by incorporating energy-saving features right into their engines. This includes managing CPU cycles more intelligently and optimising the way elements off-screen are handled. Yet, as developers, we should still lend the browser a helping hand, whether it’s by employing responsive images, choosing efficient CSS properties (like will-change intelligently), or simply reducing unnecessary tasks behind the scenes.
Streamlining CPU Usage and Timers:
One often-overlooked culprit for energy drain is the excessive use of JavaScript timers. Having a half-dozen setInterval or setTimeout functions scattered across your code can force the CPU into constant, needless activity. Instead, group related tasks together and run them less frequently. For example, if you need regular updates, consider a single master timer that coordinates multiple tasks, rather than a rogue’s gallery of individually running timers. The result is a more predictable, less power-hungry CPU workload—and that directly translates into less battery strain and a smaller environmental footprint.
Being More Strategic with Animations:
Animations are wonderful tools for enhancing user experience, but they can also quietly chew through a device’s battery if not handled thoughtfully. Animated GIFs, looping CSS animations, and endless “loading” spinners can keep GPUs and CPUs racing around the clock. Consider using IntersectionObserver to trigger animations only when they actually appear in the user’s viewport. That way, if an element is hidden or off-screen, it’s not constantly sapping power. When you do need to animate, lean towards declarative animations using CSS Transitions and Animations rather than script-heavy methods. Browsers can pause or throttle these more elegantly in the background, saving precious energy.
Cutting Down on Network Chatter:
Network activity consumes a surprising amount of power—regular polling for data can be a serious offender. Instead of continuously pinging the server at fixed intervals, consider using WebSockets or a persistent fetch() mechanism that only updates when there’s genuinely new information to display. This approach not only makes your site feel more responsive and dynamic, but also spares the constant back-and-forth that drains batteries and strains networks.
Measuring Your Impact and Going Green Behind the Scenes:
A practical way to gauge how eco-friendly your site is to use tools like Website Carbon. This service gives you an estimate of how much CO2 your site generates, helping you understand your current standing and identify areas for improvement. Take your findings and use them to guide future development choices, ensuring that each new feature or visual flourish has a justifiable benefit that outweighs its environmental cost.
Beyond the code itself, consider where your site is hosted. Opting for green hosting providers—those powered by renewable energy sources—ensures the electricity needed to serve your pages has a lighter environmental footprint. This is an often-overlooked step but can have a massive impact over time, especially if your site receives substantial traffic.
Lightweight Frameworks and Performance-Focused Practices:
Think carefully when choosing frameworks and libraries. Lightweight, modern frameworks reduce resource consumption, resulting in faster load times and a lessened environmental toll. Pair this with a properly tuned caching strategy to keep your site’s resources readily available, and you’ll find users spend less time waiting and more time engaging. Meanwhile, lazy loading images and deferring non-critical scripts can ensure that only essential content loads initially. This approach not only preserves battery life but also delivers a sleeker, more responsive user experience.
Optimising Images, Videos, and Other Media Assets:
We live in a visual era, and rich media often dominates our web designs. Still, it’s important to be judicious. Resize and compress images to match their intended display dimensions—serving a colossal, high-resolution image into a tiny mobile slot is wasteful. For video, consider if it’s truly necessary. If it is, host it efficiently, and ensure it only plays on user interaction. Background videos or autoplaying clips may delight some visitors, but they can swiftly drain power, impact performance, and contribute unnecessarily to global energy consumption.
Sustainable UX and UI Choices:
Sustainability isn’t just about the code; it extends to the entire user experience. A well-structured, intuitive navigation reduces the time users spend searching for content. By helping them find what they need swiftly, you cut down on page reloads, resource calls, and wasted energy. Good SEO practices also play a subtle role here, guiding users directly to your content instead of forcing them to hunt through multiple pages.
Continuous Cleanup and Maintenance:
Websites can bloat over time. With each redesign, we often leave unused scripts, styles, or hidden sections of code lying around. Regularly audit your site. Remove unnecessary assets, deprecated code, and redundant functions. A cleaner codebase not only makes your site more efficient but ensures that future updates—particularly performance and energy-related tweaks—are easier to implement.
Why It All Matters:
The payoff for these eco-conscious choices is tangible. The majority of users will abandon a sluggish page in under three seconds, so performance isn’t just green—it’s good business. You improve user satisfaction, bolster your site’s reputation, and reduce the bounce rate. Beyond that, you demonstrate a commitment to operating responsibly. As the web continues to mature, it’s incumbent upon us to ensure that our digital footprints are as light as possible.
In short, building environmentally friendly websites is both an art and a responsibility. Through mindful coding, strategic optimization, and careful consideration of hosting and media choices, we can all contribute to a healthier planet. It’s not just about kilobytes and CPU cycles; it’s about stewardship and a vision for a more sustainable digital world.