Local businesses were invited to take action and reduce the carbon footprint of Northamptonshire – and the planet – by reassessing the environmental impact of their websites at an engaging event in Northampton.

‘Go Green, Go Big’, organised by NNBN, took place at Vulcan Works and saw more than 20 attendees learn from Marie Cox and Daniel Lister of Poppy Eco Hub, who guided them through the often-overlooked carbon footprint of their websites. They also discovered simple, effective changes that can help them reduce emissions while boosting their online presence and attracting more customers.

During the event, delegates had the opportunity to run a scan of their websites and instantly see how many grammes of carbon they were emitting annually. Attendees were then given practical advice on how to reduce emissions by optimising images and videos for faster loading times and selecting a website host powered by green energy. The session also explored the importance of making websites accessible to all users, particularly those with disabilities, in line with the new Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2 AA), which have now come into force. Attendees also learned about ‘green grants’ available to fund eco-friendly website optimisations.

Daniel Lister from Poppy Eco Hub, a company at the forefront of building low-carbon websites, explained: “The digital world may seem invisible, but it leaves a big carbon footprint. UK data centres alone account for up to 4% of global electricity consumption – that’s more than entire countries like Japan. Websites generate an average of two grammes of carbon per page view, so for sites getting 10,000 views a month, that adds up. That’s roughly the same as the emissions from the world’s fourth-biggest polluter!

“What’s more, the benefits of greening your website are plentiful – not only does it help the planet, but it can also elevate your business. Greener websites tend to rank higher in search engines like Google, meaning greater visibility, higher traffic, and ultimately more sales.”

Marie Cox, co-founder of Poppy Eco Hub, who has been building websites for over 20 years, added: “Of course, businesses should care about their website’s carbon footprint and accessibility from an ethical standpoint, but even if that’s not your main focus right now, the benefits of having a sustainable website are undeniable. Better traffic, improved conversions, and higher Google rankings – all leading to more sales. Going green pays off in more ways than one.

“Our goal wasn’t to push sales at the event. It was about raising awareness and helping local businesses take action. Many don’t realise their website has a carbon footprint, but with just a few simple changes, you can make a real difference. Working together, we can have a huge impact.”

For more information about how Poppy Eco Hub can help your business reduce its website’s carbon footprint, visit https://poppyecohub.com, or email hello@poppyecohub.com.