Video Conferencing

January 2021

Environmental and social strategies to help your organization thrive

Stay-at-home workers increased their use of video conferencing throughout 2020 and the trend is continuing into 2021. Zoom is now a part of our common vernacular; Slack has a whole new meaning; and the list goes on -- Teams, Go-to-Meeting, and more. While the overall social and environmental impact of using electronic video conferencing appears to be lower than driving miles and miles to in-person meetings, not all video conferencing platforms are created the same.

Microsoft Teams Proves Successful

Four students of the Hague University of Applied Sciences [the Netherlands], Industrial Engineering and Management program contacted Joan Plisko while conducting research on recycling disposable products in the healthcare sector. The students performed a literature review and identified Plisko's 2015 paper, Waste Prevention and Management in Hospitals, which was presented during the Thirtieth International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management. The findings and the insights reflected in the paper were closely connected to the student team's research. The foursome reached out through LinkedIn and scheduled the interview via Microsoft Teams. Collectively, the group discussed the advantages, challenges and barriers for the recycling of medical waste and used products.

Four Dutch students investigating the environmental impacts of hospital waste interviewed Joan using Microsoft Teams.

Reach out to schedule a virtual conversation with

Plisko Sustainable Solutions, LLC.

Zoom Brings Together Close to 100 to Discuss Environmental Justice

In December 2020, in partnership with the Baltimore Jewish Council, Pearlstone held its fourth annual Environmental Summit, this year focusing on Environmental Justice. Featuring Dr. Sacoby Wilson from the University of Maryland, the group also heard from elected officials about environmental issues in the current legislative session in Maryland. Topics included the Climate Solutions Act of 2021, an Environmental Justice Commission, Moving Maryland Beyond Coal, a Constitutional Amendment for Environmental Human Rights, and Extended Producer Responsibility. Thanks to the break-out room feature in Zoom, the group was able to divide and learn about issues in small settings.

Using Zoom, Joan, as the Community Sustainability Director for Pearlstone, helped organize the 4th Annual Environmental Summit for Pearlstone

For help with your next video conference, reach out to

Plisko Sustainable Solutions, LLC.

Ethical and Environmental Records of Video Conferencing

The United Kingdom's Ethical Consumer investigated, scored and ranked the ethical and environmental record of 21 video conferencing companies. Its findings, issued in a recent report indicated that no brands were awarded Best Buy status and there are some interesting recommendations for alternatives to the big corporate players in this rapidly-changing market.

The guide does suggest one company to avoid which is the subject of a boycott call by Ethical Consumer for its tax avoidance and for unethical practices in every one of the rating categories. Can you guess where your favorite video-conferencing platform stands?

Visit the List Here

Here are three criteria to look for when choosing a platform:

Is it open source?
Is it encrypted?
Does it meet your needs?

And criteria for what not to buy:

Does it support tech monopolies?
Does the company support the extraction of fossils fuels?

About Plisko Sustainable Solutions, LLC

At Plisko Sustainable Solutions, LLC – a woman owned small business – we create environmental and social strategies to help your organization thrive.

Connect with us:

Joan Plisko, PhD

President joan@pliskosolutions.com

Marc Plisko, CIH

Vice President marc@pliskosolutions.com