Reducing Carbon Footprint in Your Organisation & eLearning's Role in it

Global warming is real. This ubiquitous and pervasive phenomenon negatively impacts the whole world via temperature surges and causes an accelerated rise in sea levels, resulting in increased coastal flooding. To add more to the downsides, it leads to a multiplication of wildfires and hurricanes. As you might already know, the primary cause of global warming is Carbon Dioxide (CO2) -- a greenhouse gas that traps heat in our atmosphere. And corporates play a massive role in the increasing CO2 emissions. Therefore, it is high time that reducing carbon footprint becomes an integral part of the organisational initiatives. How? Let's get started.

How Can Organisations Focus on Reducing Carbon Footprint?

Although there are several ways, companies can contribute toward reducing carbon footprint. But it is never enough. Yes, several organisations are indeed becoming environment-friendly and conscious of their impact on the environment. After all, we need to survive. And one of the most effective steps in this direction is digitally transforming corporate learning. This transition can have a substantial impact if our ultimate goal is to save the planet.

How eLearning Can Help in Reducing Carbon Footprint in Your Organisation? 1. Saying No to Paper

Did you know that "Each ream of paper used at an organisation releases more than 2 kilograms of CO2 into the environment? Each ream weighs around 2.5 kilograms on average, and globally we use around 300 million tons of paper each year" - Source. Hence, you can estimate the amount of carbon dioxide released each year in the atmosphere. But when you adopt eLearning, it eliminates the need for paper used in learning material like textbooks or quizzes, tests, syllabi, or assignment sheets. And saying no to paper goes a long way in reducing the carbon footprint in your company.

2. Minimise the Need of Transportation

The conventional Instructor-Led Training is typically conducted in a classroom setting such as a seminar hall or auditorium. What does this entail? Each employee has to travel to that place to attend the sessions. So, it means using some form of transportation like cars, buses, or motorbikes, emitting CO2 in massive amounts. One-third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the world are from vehicles. When you transit to eearning management system, you can deliver training directly to the employees on their smartphones, personal computers, laptops, or tablets. This model will help you minimise the need for transportation and reducing the carbon footprint in your organisation.

3. .A Decrease in Consumption of Energy Resources

Massive seminar halls, auditoriums, or conference rooms inside an organisation, mainly for traditional learning, consume energy via computers, projectors, and smart boards, among others. Add to this the energy consumed by lighting and air conditioning, which are also harmful to the environment. All of these energy emissions result from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

eLearning can save energy, thereby reducing carbon footprint by eliminating the need for seminar halls, auditoriums, or conference rooms to train and develop employees. Moreover, online training can upskill and train a massive chunk of employees with minimal impact on total energy expenditure and consumed resources. After all, an eLearning class occupies virtually the same amount of server space for one student as it does for one hundred. What's more? This strategy leads to substantial cost cuts as well!

Conclusion

Organisations have been increasingly embracing online learning platforms for many reasons. When compared with the traditional classroom model, eLearning is not only more accessible and convenient, but it also leads to positive environmental impact benefits - fostering a healthier and sustainable planet.