This year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. What began with a speech in Seattle by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1969, who was inspired to motivate Americans to get involved and demonstrate their concern for the environment, has blossomed into an internationally recognized day of awareness.

Today more than 190 countries representing more than 1 billion people participate in festivities and events that promote a healthy, sustainable environment. Earth Day got its start coincidentally around the same time as the development of the internet. Today's internet is a long way from its genesis in ARPANET and yet the promise of what the internet could be has fueled the dreams of its developers since day one. The result is a shift in how we access, process and use information. This shift has had a huge impact on the environment.

The internet enables me to buy my music online, read news online, and interact with the world mostly through my computer (Skype, Gmail, Safari/Firefox). To some degree this translates to a decrease in my households garbage output but also impacts the distribution and warehousing infrastructure required to satiate my consumerist demands. Mine is a digital household—enabled by websites.

Today it's possible to start a viable internet-based business for tens of thousands of dollars. This compares to starting a business 40 years ago when the same venture might require millions of dollars to achieve a similar level of success. If you are interested to know how check out Timoth Ferriss's website at www.fourhourworkweek.com. The influence and impact of websites on our personal and professional lives continues to grow.

The creative industry—designers, printers, and developers—is keenly aware of this shift and its impact on the environment. The Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) which represents Canada’s design professionals announced in 2009 that the organization had adopted a working definition of sustainable communication design intended to incorporate sustainability principles as key tenets of the practice of graphic design.

Valerie Elliott, GDC Sustainability Committee Chair says, “Communication design is evolving. The demand for products and services that are environmentally, culturally and socially responsible is growing."

Most noticeable perhaps is a shift in the design purchasing decisions of Canadian business. In a recent poll on the GDC's website, 62% of respondents noted that more than 50% of their design business was now generated from web design. This represents a significant pattern change from just a few short years ago where print-based work represented the majority of billable design time.

Sure, one could argue that computers and websites have their own environmental impact, but there's no denying that digital media uses less trees, raw resource and energy to deliver content. The growth of business online also signals a shift in both consumer and corporate behaviour. We are all a lot more comfortable with online commerce, banking, advertising, and media. All of these activities begin with some kind of website interaction.

The growth of our business, and the content management sector in general, is a clear indication that websites play an increasingly important role in our lives. Imagine trying to get by without the internet these days—no Google, iTunes, Amazon, Facebook—it's hard to fathom.

To be in business today means to be in business online. Not having a repsentative website for your company is akin to trying to get by without a telephone—you're not going to get far!

Websites must represent the starting point for your company's marketing platform. A 2009 survey by RainToday.com found that 97% of people responsible for purchasing professional services noted that a website plays a significant role in influencing their decision.

Developing an easy-to-use website and keeping it up-to-date is as important as maintaining your bricks and mortar business. It's that simple.