"Sustainable" "Green" "Environmentally-friendly" "Minimizes Carbon Footprint"
We hear these phrases more than ever in the business world.
According to a recent study, 78% of global consumers feel that environmental sustainability is important while 50% of consumers rank sustainability as a top 5 value driver when making purchases.
Consumers and companies are increasingly concerned about how their actions impact the environment. How do virtual events measure up?
In this article, we'll discuss the environmental impact of virtual events, ways you can decrease their carbon footprint, and how you can use their sustainability to promote your next event.
While they're a great option for going green, unfortunately, virtual events don't equal zero environmental impact.
Still, their impact is FAR LESS than that of their in-person counterpart.
A recent study showed that a large in-person event will have 66 times more carbon emissions than if it is held virtually.
1. Reduced Travel
Virtual events eliminate the need for travel, significantly cutting down on carbon emissions associated with transportation. Logging in to a meeting from home reduces the overall environmental impact of attendees commuting by car, train, or plane.
2. Lower Resource Consumption
Virtual events require fewer physical resources, minimizing environmental impact. Traditional events generate waste through printed programs, tickets, brochures, and other materials. Virtual events rely on digital documents, which reduces paper usage.
3. Decreased Revenue Requirements
Hosting an event virtually removes the need for large venues. This means reduced energy consumption for heating/cooling, lighting, venue maintenance, and food and catering.
4. Waste Reduction
Without physical setups, there's less waste generated from food, decorations, and other event logistics. This leads to fewer landfill contributions and less waste management needed.
5. Energy Efficiency
While virtual events do require energy, many tech companies are being proactive in reducing their carbon footprint. Modern virtual event platforms are increasingly designed with sustainability in mind.
Virtual events have some automatic sustainable benefits. But what if you are looking for more?
How can you go the extra mile to increase sustainability?
Partner With Like-Minded Companies - Choose a platform that aligns with your green goals. Partner with vendors and sponsors who are committed to environmental sustainability.
Encourage Energy Conservation - Encourage attendees to use energy-efficient devices and practices. Offer tips on how to reduce energy consumption while participating in the event.
Minimize Waste (Physical & Digital) - Share resources like agendas, programs, and speaker bios digitally instead of printing them. Limit the number of emails that you send to attendees.
Consumers want sustainability and your virtual event fits the bill. Why not use that as a tool in your marketing?
Highlight Your Green Initiatives - Be proud of the steps you've taken towards sustainability and showcase them.
Share Impact Metrics - Give people something tangible to see the sustainability of your event. Share data on reduced carbon emissions, lower waste production, and energy savings.
Offer Green Incentives - This could include digital rewards for sustainable behaviors, such as reducing energy use during the event or engaging with green content.
Your efforts to go green aren't wasted on virtual events. Virtual events are a great sustainable option by nature and with a few added steps you can further increase their sustainability.
Our team at Virtual Velocity would be happy to point you in the right direction. With over 15 years of experience in the virtual space, we know how to handle everything from choosing the right platform to tech issues to post-event follow-ups.
Sit down with us today to see how our knowledge in the industry could help your next event become the sustainable event you envisioned.