Defying time and space, business professionals from multiple cities and far-flung countries look at each other face-to-face, chatting and sharing ideas while never leaving their personal zip codes. That in itself is marvelous, but a greater marvel of video technology is the reduced strain on the environment. Video conferencing, which has steadily grown more popular over the last decade through popular sites and apps, such as Intercall, Cisco WebEx, Skype and Citrix GoToMeeting, has brought convenience to the boardroom while creating a more eco-friendly environment for workers. A green technology, video conferencing tools reduce reliance on travel, natural resources and energy sources. The reductions come with no sacrifice of efficiency or productivity. In fact, video technology has increased worker output and creative resources whiles protecting the globe.
Here are the three main ways, video technology has helped businesses go green.
Reduces Toxic Emissions
Everyday business people grab plane tickets and fly to meetings in other states, catching cabs throughout the day to go to hotels or lunch. Often, managers decide to save money on tickets and drive themselves. Both decisions have something in common: they use vehicles that pollute the environment with toxic carbon emissions. Carbon emissions release too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, way more than trees and plants can filter. Many researchers believe these emissions contribute to global warming and climate alterations. Video conferencing technology cuts out the need for planes, trains and automobiles while delivering a way to still have effective meetings with out-of-towners.
The number one reason that people travel is to come together and share information and ideas in a way that is personable and direct. Modern video technology preserves that personal connection. Gone are the feed delays, the bad audio, the need for shouting and repeated statements. Gone is the fuzzy, unclear video where you could barely make out facial features. Today’s video software allows laughter, wit and facial animation to come through so that people do connect in a way that allows new bonds to be made and deals to be done — all while reducing the carbon footprint of each attendee. To learn about the Akaso sports action camera, click for more info.
Reduces Paper Use & Waste
Important in-person conferences often begin one way: at the big, long registration table where you pick up name tags, folders with stapled handouts and pads for jotting down notes. If everyone knows each other, skip registration and sit down at the conference table to pass out thick printed reports, research and agendas.
Video technology allows web conferences to proceed without the paper trail. This is good for trees and the world. Digital files are shared through digital workspaces, email service or text service, which are integrated into the conferencing software so that users upload and download or send and receive while still on the conference screen.
No print outs are necessary and because of that less paper will eventually be thrown away and headed for landfills.
Reduces Energy Consumption
Early video technology required extensive hardware specifically for conferences, such as screens and monitors, speakers, microphones, cameras and connecting cables. This resulted in additional energy consumption beyond what corporations and small businesses used on a regular basis. Not so with current video technology and contemporary software that allows any available device, such as a smartphone, tablet, internet-ready TV, laptop or desktop to be conveniently used with no additional speakers, cameras or microphones. Nothing special has to be purchased and powered beyond typical conference room equipment or worker desktop equipment. This means there is not an major additional demand on electricity. Workers would likely be using computers or some electronic device all day anyway, so using them for conferences as they simultaneously work collaboratively on files with others leverages the same energy for more purposes.
The Future of Video Technology
Many businesses still maintain large travel budgets and allow executives to travel quite frequently. There is a travel culture that businesses are quite fond of and will take time to relinquish. However, since research has shown that business travel can be reduced by at least 25 percent through video technology, in the future expect more and more business owners to slice travel funds and take advantage of less-expensive Web meetings. A majority of businesses have signed up for video conferences or outfitted their workspace with video technology but have neglected to use it, according to JISC green technology research. That too will change in the future as more workers undergo training to learn how to master conference software.
In addition, the software options are expected to expand, become more competitively priced and more intuitive to use. All this will ensure that video technology continues to be a major part of the green technology revolution.
Author bio:
Steven Chalmers has written for the tech industry for many years and has developed a wealth of knowledge over time. When he’s not writing, you can find him covering Intercall and their video conferencing technologies.
You must log in to post a comment.