There is a small, but growing, number of WordPress developers who are interested in environmental issues.
WordPress now runs an incredible 40% of all websites. The work that we do has an impact. If WordPress sites consume large amounts of energy, then that has knock-on effects for the whole web.
I've searched for some of the best introductions to this topic. The people in the videos below are talented WordPress designers and developers, who want their work to have a positive impact.
Tom Greenwood has had a deep and lasting impact on how I think about web design.
Tom runs Wholegrain Digital, a WordPress agency in London. Wholegrain's clients include Oxfam, Unicef, Rightmove, and some major UK non-profits. Wholegrain run their business as a force for good and their values and goals are inspiring.
Zack Katz from GravityView is someone I've admired for a long time. His team have run some of the coolest initiatives I've seen.
At the end of last year, they gave $5 from each sale to charities and then they quadrupled those donations from their own pocket. They plant trees with Ecologi to offset their carbon emissions. And they've given out diversity grants to help people with extra challenges attend major conferences.
The GravityView team also have fun while doing good. Check out this music video they created for the WordPress community while everyone was in lockdown:
Welcome to the first of a new series about the environmental impact of the technology we use.
Why should you or I care about this topic?
Good question.
Personally, I've been online 40+ hours per week for 15 years now. I've spun up hundreds of servers and served millions of visitors.
Does any of that have an impact on the world around me?
I really hope not.
