It's no longer breaking news: virtual events and live streaming are now recognized as a much more sustainable alternative to physical events. By reducing travel, energy consumption, and waste production, they can cut an event's carbon footprint by up to 80%, addressing current environmental challenges. However, the issue today goes further. Now, it's about making our video broadcasts and online events even more responsible.
In this article, we share practical tips to further improve the ecological impact of events and make them even more responsible.
1. Use Responsible Streaming Platforms
For the first tip, we'll challenge a common misconception that says you should limit your video stream quality and avoid HD and 4K. Let's handle this carefully.
In fact, yes, reducing video quality will always help reduce your carbon footprint. Ideally, you could even turn off the video and use an audio-only format when possible!
In practice, more than 50% of live viewers leave within the first 90 seconds if the quality is poor. Therefore, the challenge for companies is also to offer quality experiences.
The good news is that no, you don't have to sacrifice video quality and viewer experience to reduce your environmental impact. Some platforms allow you to do more with less. This is particularly true for Sparkup, which uses Peer-to-Peer streaming technology to offload central servers and use viewers as relays for your content. This way, you can stream to more people, maintain an exceptional quality level, and consume less energy.
2. Encourage Digital Note-Taking
The transition to virtual events doesn't just mean a change in format but also in practices. Encourage your participants to adopt digital note-taking using their computers, tablets, or smartphones to avoid printing paper documents. This extends the ecological impact beyond the event itself.
3. Minimize the Use of Energy-Intensive Equipment
Encourage speakers and participants to use low-power devices, such as laptops or smartphones, instead of heavy, energy-intensive audiovisual setups. Reducing the number of screens and connected devices helps lower the event's energy footprint.
You can also use cloud studios and online production software to achieve professional results without relying on more energy-consuming hardware solutions.
4. Communicate Responsibly
One of the ways to reduce your event's carbon footprint is also through communication about the event. Limit emails and avoid unnecessary messages. Optimize your emails for quick loading and avoid heavy visuals that consume more resources.
5. Recycle and Reuse Content
Record your event sessions for replay or sharing afterward. This not only extends the event's reach but also optimizes resource use. You can also repurpose this content into articles, infographics, or videos to continue generating value from a past event.
6. Promote Eco-Friendly Digital Design
Ensure that your visual materials (presentations, videos, graphics) are designed to minimize their energy impact. By reducing file sizes and optimizing the event's web pages, you help decrease the energy consumption related to data loading.
7. Schedule Off-Screen Breaks
Like in-person events, many virtual events include breaks between speakers. Encourage your participants to take off-screen breaks during these moments. This will help them conserve their devices' energy while allowing them to recharge.
Inform them precisely how long the break will last so they know when to return to their screens. If the break is long, consider sending a notification via SMS to signal the event's resumption. In any case, always keep your audience informed.
Conclusion
Virtual events are a much more sustainable alternative to physical events, but it's possible to go even further. By optimizing platforms, adopting more responsible digital practices, and raising participant awareness, we can transform our online events into even more environmentally friendly models.
The future is in virtual events, and with these few tips, you can contribute to a more sustainable world, one event at a time.
Sparkup: Your Partner for Interactive and Sustainable Virtual Events
To further advance the creation of eco-friendly virtual events, Sparkup supports you by offering an innovative and interactive platform. With Sparkup, you can not only organize engaging virtual events but also reduce your events' environmental impact.
Thanks to our Peer-to-Peer video streaming technology, you can deliver HD video without latency and add superior real-time interactivity tools to engage your audience. Choosing Sparkup means opting for an all-in-one solution that allows you to combine sustainability with interaction.