Saving money, time AND the environment

2 Minutes Read

We predict that even if you return to the office full-time you will spend less time traveling with work in the future. Video collaboration is here to stay, and as a managed service provider we see a greater need for specifically designed solutions to fit unique needs whilst keeping time, money and our planet in mind.

With the world opening up to video calls we saw a greater way of collaboration across the globe that saved us a lot of time and money by not travelling. Certain meetings will still be better in person, but there is also a great environmental aspect to include when planning your next team catch-up.

Is it really THAT much better?

Yes and No is the short answer. It’s not as green as we might think when we start looking into all of the components in place, but it’s still better than adding up the carbon footprint of traveling to, say a large conference. A study done by Universety of Michigans’s Grant Faber looked into a single video conference held in May 2020 with around 200 researchers interested in carbon removal or sequestration. Information was gathered on the physical equipment that they used, such as computers, monitors and desk lights, as well as the online activities they carried out, including video streaming, search engine queries, website visits and pre-conference planning meetings.

Once all of this was tallied together, the report found that six hours of large meetings generated 1,324 kg of carbon dioxide emissions. That’s equivalent to driving almost 3,300 miles or burning 750 kilograms of coal. However, they were still much greener than traditional conferences, which on average can be expected to generate around 66 times more carbon. So whilst a video call is not perfect, it’s better than a physical meeting for our planet.

What can you do to help?

At home, getting renewable energy and turning off your devices when not in use can help. Furthermore, you can use an environmental search engine: Ecosia – the search engine that plants trees – or sign up for Treeferral; a subscription service that invest your monthly payment in planting trees:  Treeferral — Tree planting subscription.

And the part about saving money?

Well, if saving on traveling cost isn’t enough then know that most people when asked would prefer to continue working from home when possible and if you can provide your employees with whatever generates higher engagement (being the option of working from home) – naturally your company will report higher productivity, leading to higher profitability and less turnover.

More information

You’ll find more info about our collaboration solutions here