A History of Canvas Dreams
100% of the energy we use in the operations of our Portland data
facility is generated at PGE's Biglow Canyon Wind Farm east of The Dalles.
We were the first Pacific Northwest Web host to go 100% wind power and
have set an industry standard. |
Canvas Dreams is a sustainable Web host based in Portland, Oregon. Customers
worldwide turn to us for professional Web hosting they can trust, paired with
ethical service, caring customer support, and responsible, sustainable practices.
Canvas Dreams was the first Web host in the Pacific Northwest to use 100%
wind power in the operation of our business. With recent EPA studies showing
data centers consume 3% of all energy produced in the United States (and projections
indicating this figure could triple by 2020), it is not enough for IT providers
to use renewable energy. Total energy consumption must be reduced. We developed
an energy-minimization strategy and now design and build our own smaller, high-efficiency
servers resulting in 60% energy savings per server for operating and cooling.
We strive to be a model for other IT companies to operate sustainably and use
technology to reduce their own carbon footprint.
In the community, Canvas Dreams sponsors non-profits and activities like Green
Business Network, Patagonia Rising, and Friends of Trees to educate and raise
awareness about sustainable business practices. We are also building an interactive
community between our customers and vendors to create a self-driving economy
that gives back to and supports itself. This full-circle approach is at the
core of our Open Framework Sustainability program, which merges business consulting
with relationship-based optimization to build community and leverage connections
for sustainable growth. Canvas Dreams is much more than a Web host; we're closing
the loop and tying it all together.
In 1998, Canvas Dreams was founded as an Internet innovator. In the following
years we saw first-hand how many hosting providers failed to meet
the quality
of service we expected. We began providing hosting services
directly to our customers by leasing servers from a successive string of national
datacenters.
This resulted in a considerable improvement of service and security. Yet we
felt we could do better, if we could directly control the
physical hardware and hosting environment that was so crucial to our
customers' growing businesses.
We therefore built out a secure, world-class hosting facility
in 2005 located directly on the Internet backbone in Portland, Oregon. Our
technology is rock-solid, fully redundant, and managed and supported by 24/7
staff that are committed to delivering excellent service and help.
Canvas Dreams has seen substantial growth in recent years:
- Canvas Dreams became the first Web hosting company in the Pacific Northwest
to use 100% clean wind energy, generated locally by Portland General Electric
in the Columbia River Gorge. Our commitment to sustainable practices has seen
the formal development of a sustainability program, including a reduction
in waste and energy usage, responsible electronics
and plastic recycling, telecommuting
and carpooling, and an emphasis on supporting
the local economy by purchasing
from vendors and hiring contractors who live in the area.
- In 2008, we were recognized by PGE, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, and Green America
as an industry leader in sustainable practices.
- In 2009, we expanded our service lines to include virtualization services
(VPS servers) and VoIP-based phone systems.
- In 2010, continued growing and are using 20079 kWh of renewable
wind energy per month.
- Additionally, we have become a Certified B Corporation and an EPA
Green Energy Partner.
- In June 2010 we published our unique approach to Sustainable
Business,
a concept we crafted known as "The Three C's" (Conversation,
Community, and Commerce), which centers on building a lasting relationship
with our customers (and helping you learn to do the same with your customers)
to create a supportive
network of trust that grows your business and helps it withstand changing economic
times.
- In September 2010, we moved into a larger office space in the same building
and are releasing a brand new line of sustainable consulting services called
Open Framework Sustainability that brings traditional analysis-based consulting
together with sustainable practices, community-oriented networking and location-specific
search engine optimization, and meaningful metrics designed around your goals
so you can gauge real results.
- In November 2010, we were awarded the Green
Business Leadership award, which
highlights our efforts to serve as a role model for sustainable businesses
everywhere.
- Now in 2013, we continue our goals of responsible, caring, sustainable business matched with unbeatable customer support.
From our humble beginnings with Web design and marketing a decade
ago, Canvas Dreams has become an internationally recognized Web hosting provider
and is
championing
the way
forward with no-oversell hosting, environmentally responsible services, and
a never-ending commitment to the very best personalized, 24/7
support and services.
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