How Eco-Friendly Are Virtual Events? And What Can You Do to Increase Their Sustainability?

“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.

1. Carbon Footprint: Hosting and streaming through cloud-based services uses a lot of energy and can result in a significant carbon footprint.
2. Electronic Waste: The more we use our computers and monitors the quicker they wear out. These old devices can contribute to environmental pollution if not properly recycled.
3. Digital Waste: Storing large volumes of data, including recordings of events, presentations, and user interactions, adds to energy consumption in data centers.

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.

What makes virtual events that much more sustainable?

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.

Paper and Materials:

Traditional events generate waste through printed programs, tickets, brochures, and other materials.

Virtual events rely on digital documents, which reduces paper usage and the associated environmental impact of production and disposal.

Swag and Merchandise:

In-person events often include physical giveaways or merchandise, which can lead to additional waste.

Virtual events typically use digital alternatives for merchandise, such as e-gift cards, reducing the need for physical items.

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
• Food and catering

4. Waste Reduction

Without physical setups, there’s less waste generated from food, decorations, and other event logistics.

For example, the setup and dismantling of physical event spaces generate a significant amount of waste. Virtual events bypass this need entirely.

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.

Advancements in Digital Platforms

Modern virtual event platforms are increasingly designed with sustainability in mind.

Many tech companies are investing in energy-efficient servers and using renewable energy sources to power their operations.

Improved Data Management

Virtual events can leverage data analytics to optimize performance and resource use, reducing the overall energy footprint of the event.

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

As already mentioned, many virtual event platforms view sustainability as a top priority. Choose a platform that aligns with your green goals.

In addition to the event platform, 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 (such as turning screens off during breaks).

Get invitees involved by creating opportunities for them to interact with your sustainability efforts, such as through discussions on social media.

• Minimize Waste (Physical & Digital)

Physical:

Don’t host a virtual event to minimize waste and then do something counterproductive like mail the invitations.

As we already discussed, one of the biggest sustainable benefits of virtual events is the lack of resource consumption. Support that by sharing resources like agendas, programs, and speaker bios digitally instead of printing them.

Digital:

Not only are a ton of emails annoying, but they’re also a huge contributor to digital waste.

To combat this, limit the number of emails that you send to attendees. Use a central digital platform for all event-related information instead.

By following these steps, you can make your virtual event more sustainable and contribute positively to environmental conservation.

Consumers want sustainability and your virtual event fits the bill. Why not use that as a tool in your marketing?

Here are a few ways to use sustainability as part of your marketing strategy:

• Highlight Your Green Initiatives

Now is not the time to be shy. Be proud of the steps you’ve taken towards sustainability and showcase them.

Which eco-friendly partners have you collaborated with on the event?
What steps did you take to minimize digital waste?
Which carbon offset programs are you supporting?
Have you earned any green certifications or eco-labels?

Showcase your initiatives by:

• • Adding a box on your evite with a heading saying something like “We Believe in Going Green.” Underneath simply list your company’s green initiatives.
  • Using social media platforms to share your sustainability efforts. Post updates on your eco-friendly practices and create hashtags related to your event’s green initiatives.

• Share Impact Metrics

Give people something tangible to see the sustainability of your event. Share data on the environmental benefits of your event compared to traditional in-person ones.

Powerful metrics include:

• • Reduced carbon emissions
  • Lower waste production
  • Energy savings

• Offer Green Incentives

Those who aren’t environmentally conscious by nature will likely get involved if given an incentive.

This could include digital rewards for sustainable behaviors, such as reducing energy use during the event or engaging with green content.

By emphasizing sustainability when promoting your event you build a sense of comradery in your audience before the event even begins.

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.

By partnering with companies that share your love of the planet, encouraging energy conservation, and minimizing both physical and digital waste, you can feel confident you’ve done your part to limit your event’s environmental footprint.

But knowing WHAT to do for a sustainable event and understanding HOW to do it are two different things.

Are you unsure which platform will offer the features you need AND meet your eco-friendly goals?
Are you curious about how to get invitees involved with your sustainability efforts on social media?
Are you unsure how to measure impact metrics or how to use them in your marketing strategy?

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.