Understanding Eco Scores: What They Mean and How to Improve
The Eco Score is EcoPulse's way of quantifying website sustainability. But what goes into this number, and how can you improve it?
How Eco Scores Are Calculated
The Eco Score (0-100) is based on several weighted factors:
Page Size (40% weight)
Under 1 MB: Excellent1-2 MB: Good2-3 MB: AverageOver 3 MB: Needs improvementJavaScript Efficiency (25% weight)
The percentage of your page weight that's JavaScript:
Under 20%: Excellent20-30%: Good30-40%: AverageOver 40%: Needs improvementThird-Party Resources (20% weight)
External scripts, fonts, and assets:
Under 10%: Excellent10-20%: Good20-30%: AverageOver 30%: Needs improvementResource Types (15% weight)
Balance of HTML, CSS, images, and other assets:
Well-optimized mix scores higherHeavy reliance on any single resource type is penalizedScore Grades Explained
Improving Your Score
Quick Wins (Days)
Compress images — Switch to WebP, compress at 80% qualityEnable GZIP — Server-side compression for text assetsRemove unused CSS/JS — Audit with Chrome DevToolsMedium Effort (Weeks)
Implement lazy loading — For images and iframesOptimize fonts — Subset fonts, use font-display: swapReview third-party scripts — Remove unnecessary trackersLong-term Strategy (Months)
Migrate to green hosting — Choose renewable energy providersRedesign for efficiency — Simpler designs load fasterImplement caching — Service workers, CDN cachingReal-World Examples
Before Optimization
Page Size: 4.2 MBJavaScript: 45%Third-party: 35%Eco Score: 32 (D)After Optimization
Page Size: 1.1 MBJavaScript: 22%Third-party: 12%Eco Score: 84 (A)That's a 62% reduction in carbon emissions per page view!
Tracking Progress
Establish baseline — Run initial analysisSet targets — Aim for specific score improvementsIterate — Make changes, re-analyze, repeatCelebrate wins — Share improvements with your teamConclusion
The Eco Score provides a clear, actionable metric for website sustainability. Focus on the biggest factors first, and you'll see your score climb.
*What's your Eco Score? Find out now →*
