The Green Benefits of Virtual Tours
The Green Benefits of Virtual Tours
As 2021 begins with another Lockdown and the uncertainty of not knowing when the freedoms we once took for granted will be restored, we're having to be more creative about how we do things. Once Covid is over, Brexit and increasing concerns about the environmental impact of our lifestyles will continue to influence how we travel, where we go, and what we do. While these changes can feel terrifying, they also offer exciting opportunities to do things better.
Technologies such as Virtual Reality are already helping us navigate this changing social and environmental landscape. Virtual tours plunge the audience into an immersive experience and their application is huge! From estate agents to schools and tourism, virtual tours allow people to experience any location from the comfort of their homes. There are many well-established benefits to virtual tours; they save time, cut costs, increase traffic to websites and are highly engaging, however, there is an increasing focus on the green and environmental benefits of virtual reality for different industries.
Travel-
Travelling comes with a high environmental cost. But many people who care about the environment still want to be able to see the world. (1) Increasing awareness of the need to reduce our carbon footprint, coupled with an understanding of the damage over-tourism can do to local environments, has meant the tourist industry has been looking to virtual tours as an attractive alternative to traditional travel. (2)
During the height of the Covid travel restrictions, would-be travellers turned to virtual tours of popular tourist destinations as a welcome escape from the pandemic. An unintended benefit to the restriction of global travel was the significant drop in harmful emissions, with some scientists arguing the situation offered tough lessons on how we can avoid the most destructive impacts of climate change. (3) Even before Covid, many popular tourist destinations had introduced measures such as visitor limits and tourist taxes in order to ease tourist congestion and protect natural environments. (4) Along with measures such as these, virtual tours are being anticipated as the eco-friendly solution to over-tourism. (5)
Environmental campaigners are also using virtual tours to help people realise the impacts of climate breakdown in a more profound way. Issues such as melting ice caps, coastal erosion, and habitat loss can feel very distant from our everyday lives. Environmentalists point out that such disassociation is one of the main reasons we’re still failing to properly tackle climate change and the effect our own behaviour is having on the planet.
Virtual reality can give everyone, regardless of where they live, the kind of experience needed to generate the urgency required to prevent environmental calamity.”Compared to watching or reading about ecological issues, VR is far more likely to change habits for the better. Essentially, the immersion of VR creates a more empathetic mindset in users, who are then more likely to take action as a response.' (6)
Animal welfare
Virtual reality has also become a part of thinking about animal welfare. Animal rights Campaigners have created immersive, realistic experiences in which viewers are transported inside factory farms and slaughterhouses. Activists using the technology have described it as 'the most effective street outreach tool available. You connect deeply on a personal level and help educate people to make more compassionate choices in their life' (7). This is good news for the planet when we consider that animal agriculture generates 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions, the second-highest source of emissions. (8)
Estate agents-
Unlike a traditional website that uses photos and videos, Virtual tours plunge the audience into an immersive experience. This feature means they are becoming an increasingly popular way for companies to communicate with their customers.
Estate agents have been using virtual tours to showcase the features of homes to potential buyers and renters. Evidence shows that homes sell quicker when a virtual tour has been used and being able to view homes in this way saves time and cuts down on travel, which has positive implications for the environment.
Schools-
Virtual tours are also becoming popular with schools as they allow prospective children and their families to explore the school and its facilities, learning more about their provision, curricula and specialist support available.
During Covid, virtual tours have meant that parents and children can continue to enjoy the benefits of open days, guided tours, and transition days. Schools have reported an overwhelmingly positive impact of these tours, with some children visiting them repeatedly in the weeks leading up to their attendance. Being able to access the school 24/7 through virtuals tours can significantly reduce the need to travel which again is a win for reducing our carbon footprint.
As awareness of sustainability and environmental issues increases, the pressure on organisations to consider their environmental impacts and adopt effective environmental management is mounting. (9)
Virtual tours can highlight that your company is putting measures in place to reduce its carbon footprint by offering customers access to services without the need to travel. Not only are they better for the planet, but they are also a great way to demonstrate a forward thinking organisation with a strong climate commitment.
Notes:
(1) The Guardian, Wanderlust and the environment: can we afford to keep travelling?
(2) Blog VR, 5 reasons why VR will change the future of tourism
(3) NBCnews, Coronavirus shutdown has unintended climate benefits: Cleaner air, cleaner water
(4) CNtraveller, 15 beloved places struggling with tourism
(5) National Geographic, Is virtual travel here to stay, even after the pandemic subsides?
(6) Huffington post, How virtual reality tech will help the environment
(7) Animal equality.org, Ianimal
(8) The Guardian, Animal agriculture is choking the Earth
(9) Green Business Center, Auditing.