As promised: Notes and links from “Blogging Green,” my WordCamp LA talk yesterday!

1. Get a green host

I use Affordable Internet Services Online*, a solar-powered hosting company in a facility that cools its data center using captured rainwater. The Romoland, Calif., company’s semi-local — and I can watch my solar panels via livecam!

The big questions to ask when selecting your own host:  Is the host really powered by renewable energy — or just buying offsets or signed up for a renewable energy program through its local utility?

Confused as to what offsets are? Read Wind-powered vs. offset by wind power and Both sides of the carbon offset debate in California for a quick primer.

2. Green your power

>> Sign up for LA DWP’s Green Power program.

>> Get your own solar panels, if you have your own place. Gauge your solar potential near-instantly via the L.A. County Solar Map.

>> Blog on the beach with your Voltaic Backpack! Available in a variety of designs, these bags are made with recycled PET and will charge a laptop with a day’s worth of sunlight.

>> Consider offsetting what you can’t reduce. Companies like  Little Green Genie will calculate your personal computer energy use — depending on where you live (i.e. how much of your state’s electricity comes from renewable sources) — and lets you auto-offset your eco-sins.

3. Green your visitors

I use CO2Stats* (see bottom right corner of this page) which buys renewable energy certificates to offset the energy used by my readers while they’re on my site — for free! (with ads).

But that’s because I signed up early…. Sign up now and you’ve got to pay — but you’ll have better options for offsetting all matter of computer use practices. This company will “calculate the combined carbon emissions of the servers, networks, and visitors’ computers that supported your website” — then let you pay to offset. CO2Stats also tracks loading time — so you can improve efficiency, page rank, etc. — something the guys on the SEO panel at WordCamp LA said will be weighted more heavily in the future.

4. Green your blogging habit

>> Get 8 hours of sleep (for both you & your computer). Turn your computer off to save energy and to make your computer live longer.

>> Tweak your computer settings for maximum energy savings. Screensavers don’t save energy!

>> Unplug to slay vampires (or get smart strips)

>> Upgrade in moderation. Fight against planned obsolescence — and perceived obsolescence! Watch Story of Stuff and avoid getting duped into spending hard-earned money on upgrades you don’t need.

5. Upgrade green

>> Check out recycling options for your laptop.

>> Consult green electronics guides from Greenpeace, CNet, and PC Mag to find what you need.

6. Blog a green challenge

>> No Impact Project invites all to take on a temporary eco-challenge to see if it improves your quality of life.

>> Be inspired by ReadyMade’s “A Week Without….” series — and try a week-long challenge of your own.

>> Let Tweet-a-Watt manage your tweets while working to reduce your energy uses.

>> Serious environmentalists can blog about joining The Compact, whose members pledge to buy nothing new (except food and undies) for a year.

>> Other popular eco-blogging projects include amassing trash for up to a year, carrying around your trash for a couple weeks, and sticking to a 100-mile diet.

7. Take a green break. Play games that make you think while having fun.

8. Make green friends, online and off

>> Tweeters: #ecomonday is the green #followfriday

>> Treehugger’s Carnival of the Green: Lets bloggers let other bloggers know what they’re writing.

>> Green Drinks. Casual cocktail hours for green-minded folk.

>> Green Business Networking. Casual business networking for business-minded green folk.

>> EcoTuesday. Monthly green business networking event featuring a speaker.

>> Sustainable Business Council. Less regular green business networking event featuring a topic and a panel.

>> Women of the Green Generation. Green business networking for women. Did you notice I was the only female WordCamp LA speaker? Green events often also have the same gender imbalance — and here’s one event trying to do something about that.

>> NetSquared LA. A monthly event that brings together people who want to use social media for social good.

>> Los Angeles Twestival. An event happening TONIGHT that uses Twitter to throw a party that raises money for social causes.

9. Green locally

Consider donating money or time to a local eco-nonprofit — instead of buying offsets. For ex, I’ve had readers vote on which local nonprofit I should donate to for an “offset” for a trip to Israel.

10. Plan your own green activity — or join mine!

A Blogger Beach Cleanup’s in the works! Join green LA girl and The Daily Ocean (more about The Daily Ocean project here) on Sunday, Oct. 25, before sunset! More details soon — RSVP to greenlagirl@gmail.com or comment to get updates.

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* These companies are mentioned because they happen to be the ones I use and am pretty  happy with. Other companies also offer similar services — Your own research may turn up more local-to-you companies supporting offset / renewable energy certificate projects that are more meaningful to you.

Images via aiso.net, lacounty.solarmap.org, Voltaic, GOOD.is, makezine

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