Virtual Event Sustainability

Virtual events can be a more environmentally friendly option, but did you know that you can make them even more sustainable? Learn tips you can implement today and calculate your virtual event’s carbon footprint.

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Maximizing Sustainability

Did you know that holding an International Conference for 5,000 attendees virtually reduces the carbon emissions of the event equivalent to the annual emissions of 158 American households? This reduction mostly comes from reduced venue and hotel energy use and the lack of travel requirements.

A one-day virtual event with 200 attendees results in carbon emissions equivalent to that of driving 3,300 miles or burning 1,500 pounds of coal! If held face-to-face, that same event would generate nearly 66 TIMES more carbon emissions.

Over 60% of carbon emissions from virtual conferences are associated with network data transfers from uploading and downloading data such as video calls, streaming, presentations, etc.

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DID YOU KNOW? Turning off your camera during a virtual event can reduce your environmental impact in that meeting by 96%!

Helpful Tips

Here are a few helpful tips on reducing your own Virtual Event Carbon Footprint:
  • Request attendees turn off their webcams when not needed, like during a keynote speaker or long presentation.
  • Encourage attendees to watch videos in standard definition (SD) instead of high definition (HD).
  • Request that presenters compress media files before sharing with attendees.
  • Remind attendees to delete unneeded emails and files after the event

Carbon Footprint Calculator

If you’d like to learn more about the approximate carbon footprint of your virtual event, you can use the Carbon Footprint Calculator below:

We Are Here to Help

If you have questions about making your virtual event more sustainable, please contact the CEE team.