Want to go green AND save green? Go videoconferencing.

Videoconferencing has become many companies’ preferred meeting method for countless reasons: it’s faster, easier, and saves more money than travelling, especially when it’s only needed for a short time during the day. However, there’s one more advantage to the “virtual meeting” initiative: saving the planet.

Besides its obvious cost cost-related benefits (if you need a refresher on those, please see here), videoconferencing is one of the truly greenest technology on the market. Since its creation, videoconferencing’s primary purpose has been to decrease unnecessary business travel, including distant meetings between employees and/or clients. Although being able to communicate from your respective offices saves companies and individuals both time and money, it also reduces pollution and helps keep the planet clean. Consider this: the average American commutes 18 miles each way to work, and, assuming an average 23.4 miles per gallon in their car, consumes 1.5 gallons of gas per day. This equates to producing over 5,154 pounds of carbon dioxide in just one work week! You can imagine, then, the amount of pollution created by one roundtrip flight or several 2-3 hour car trips per week.

Videoconferencing brings all of the capabilities of a meeting right to you, so your cross-country visits with the corporate office or a new client don’t produce any more energy than what it takes to run your presentation system. Many companies are required to supply the federal, state, or local government with an environmental impact statement outlining their business practices; including videoconferencing capabilities instead of regular business travel further shows your commitment to keeping the environment save and pollutant-free.

Interested to see how your current business plan is impacting the environment (and your bottom line)? Check out the Tandberg Business Advantage Calculator to see what you can save by investing in videoconference technology.