Nowadays, people are becoming more aware of the pollution and consumption of resources. And that is why there is a rise in demand for the conservation of the environment. And people are looking for sustainable alternatives. And many human activities are blamed for harming the environment. And one of these activities is events.

Events are known for producing a lot of waste. Also, they are infamous for consuming lots of resources. And the bigger the event, the higher will be the consumption of resources. That is why these events are criticised by environmental activists and citizens who care about the environment. To understand this situation, here are some statistics by meetgreen.com

• A typical 1000 attendee, 3-day events produces 5670 KG of waste.
• This waste is equivalent to 3480 KG of landfill.
• Also, these events generate 530 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), which is equal to the consumption of 1233 barrels of oil.
• And travelling and accommodation associated with these events also contribute to energy consumption.
• Around 70% of passengers use Air Travel as a means of transportation.

The situation these statistics are painting is grim. But this situation is going to get worse because of the pandemic. Let’s look at it more closely.

Effect of the pandemic on events and environment

Initially, the effects of the pandemic were favourable for the environment. People were staying at home, this reduced travelling. And hence less air pollution. Also, people were working from home. And it meant that large office buildings were shut. So no spike in the usage of energy. However, things are going to change drastically once the pandemic is over.

People are tired of being stuck at home, so they will travel more. And most important, the return of live events. But this time, these events will be required to have necessary sanitation and social distancing measures. And it means more consumption of resources. Hence, more harm to the environment. However, there are more sustainable alternatives and that are Hybrid events.

Hybrid events – the sustainable way to host an event  

Hybrid events are live events. But these events are accessible to both live and virtual audiences. These events offer the best of both live and virtual events. You can have the convenience of virtual events and face-to-face communication in the same event. And that is why they are already becoming popular.

To host a hybrid event, you would need a Hybrid event platform or hybrid event software. These platforms aim to provide an experience close to living events to the virtual audience. So that both audiences can have a similar experience.

Just like virtual events, you can host any events on the Hybrid event platform. For your idea, here is a list of hybrid events that have been hosted in the past.

• Hybrid Meetings
• Hybrid Conferences
• Hybrid Product Launches
• Hybrid Trade Shows
• Hybrid Award shows
• Hybrid Exhibitions
• Hybrid career/job fairs
• Hybrid fest
• Hybrid AGMs
• Hybrid town halls

And many more. The list is long and is growing daily. You won’t imagine, people have hosted events like Hybrid Wine Tasting and Hybrid esports events. So the possibilities are endless.

Now coming back to the original question, how hybrid events can help in hosting a sustainable event.

Reasons why Hybrid events are the future of sustainable events

1. Reduced carbon footprint

With hybrid events, you can restrict the consumption of resources. A Hybrid event’s audience is part live and part virtual. It means you can reduce the demand for resources. Also, a less physical audience means a smaller venue. And you can decrease the need for travelling and accommodation. It means conservation of energy. Also, it reduces your expenses. However, you can host unlimited attendees virtually with the help of hybrid event technology. Hence, reducing your carbon footprint.

2. Digitalisation

Another reason why Hybrid events are environment friendly is digitisation. Usually, in live events, lots of resources are consumed. And Paper is also among them. As we all know, Paper comes from the trees. And wastage of Paper means more trees are needed to be cut to continue the supply of the Paper. But with hybrid events, you can massively reduce the need for Paper. Instead of printing hundreds of brochures, pamphlets and banners, print them in smaller quantities. And share the digital copies of these.

Nowadays, many Hybrid event platforms offer features that can help in reducing the dependence on Paper. Some of these features are Dynamic Banner, Digital Business Card and Document Download etc. These features encourage the exhibitor to opt for greener solutions.

3. Broader Reach

Often people are interested in an event but cannot attend the event. And this is because of several reasons, but two reasons are most common. These are financial and time constraints. However, with hybrid events, you can make these constraints irrelevant. Since you don’t need to travel, you don’t have to worry about the travelling expenses. And this also saves time otherwise, used in travelling. Thus, you can get a broader audience at your event. Also, you can host a small number of people physically. Whereas the majority of your audience can attend the event virtually. Hence hosting a broader set audience.

4. Global Reach

Hybrid events allow you to host a global event. And the reason behind this hybrid event technology. Anyone can attend the event from any part of the world. It means you can host an international audience. All you need to do is to provide the international timings of your event. But what does it have to do with sustainability? To host a global, physical event of a similar scale, you need more resources, including a large venue. Also, don’t forget about the emissions. That will be released by aircraft to bring people to the event venue from all over the world. And the energy consumed for staying in a hotel is another concern. So hybrid events are much more practical and sustainable than their physical counterparts.

5. Cost-efficiency

Hybrid events are not only eco-friendly but also are cost-effective. And this is because of the fact that you can save your money. Since half of your audience is virtual, you don’t need a large venue. Also, you can cut your expenses on things like food, travelling and accommodations. Hence, making the Hybrid events a better value for money proposition.

Sustainable events are the future of the event industry. Hybrid events can lead the sustainable events. So share your thoughts on sustainable events.