Assessing the Carbon Footprint of Virtual Meetings: A Quantitative Analysis of Camera Usage

This paper analyzes the carbon emissions related to data consumption during video calls, focusing on the impact of having the camera on versus off. Addresses the energy efficiency and carbon footprint of digital communication tools. The study is used to quantify the real reduction in environmental impact claimed in several articles when people choose to turn off their camera during meetings. The experiment was carried out using a 4G connection via a cell phone to understand the varying data transfer associated with videos. The findings indicate that turning the camera off can halve data consumption therefore carbon emissions, particularly on mobile networks, and conclude with recommendations to optimize data usage and reduce environmental impact during calls.