When you are browsing around on the Internet, reading your emails, watching online videos, chatting with friends and co-workers etc you probably don’t think about the many and massive data centers that are needed to run all those things.

Just in USA alone these data centers used enough energy to power nearly 6 million homes during 2005. And the energy usage is expected to double by year 2011.

New Hampshire Public Radio’s Amy Quinton takes a closer look on what is being done to make these “SUV’s of the tech world” more energy efficient and green, something that might not be as easy as you think.

If you run a website or blog you can help speed up this process by choosing a green web host from our green webhost list. These hosting companies power their servers with renewable energy such as wind and solar power or offers carbon offsetting by buying green tags or RECs.

Image credit: Clayirving. Image licensed under a Attribution-No Derivative Works license.