In recent years, many organizations have committed themselves to reducing their environmental footprint for the sake of the planet. As scientific conferences evolve, the choice between traditional printed posters and electronic displays (eposters) raises important environmental considerations. This article examines the comparative environmental impacts of both options using available data and lifecycle considerations.
The Emissions Math: A Comparative Analysis
Let's examine the environmental impact of electronic posters versus printed posters at an in-person scientific conference. For this analysis, we'll assume the same number of posters in both scenarios: 1,000 posters presented over three days, with approximately four hours of presentations per day.
Space Efficiency
For an ePoster hall, a conference space of roughly 100m² would be sufficient. For printed posters, over triple the space (approximately 300-350m²) would be required to comfortably display the same number of posters per hour. This larger space necessitates additional lighting and air conditioning, increasing energy consumption. In this sense, electronic posters are more space-efficient.
Posters in the bin | A crowded poster hall
Electronic Poster Emissions
Direct Energy Consumption
For an ePoster setup using 15 rented 55-inch LCD/LED monitors:
- Each monitor uses approximately 125W, consuming 0.5 kWh over four hours
- 15 monitors × 0.5 kWh × 3 days = 22.5 kWh
- Each monitor requires a laptop (40W) consuming 0.16 kWh per day
- 15 laptops × 0.16 kWh × 3 days = 7.2 kWh
- Total energy consumption: 29.7 kWh
Using an emissions factor of 0.232 kg CO₂-e per kWh (global average), this translates to approximately 6.9 kg CO₂-e for displaying all 1,000 posters.
Equipment Lifecycle Considerations
While the equipment is typically rented rather than purchased specifically for poster sessions, its manufacturing and eventual disposal still have environmental impacts that should be considered:
- Electronic equipment rental extends the useful life of devices, distributing manufacturing emissions across many uses
- Transportation of rental equipment to and from the venue adds emissions not calculated above
- End-of-life electronic waste creates environmental challenges if not properly recycled
Printed Poster Emissions
Paper Posters
For traditional paper posters:
Printing Energy
- A commercial large-format printer uses approximately 400W when printing
- Each poster takes approximately 10 minutes to print
- 1,000 posters × 10 minutes = 10,000 minutes = 167 hours
- 167 hours × 0.4 kW = 66.8 kWh
- Resulting in 15.5 kg CO₂-e from printing energy alone
Materials Impact
- Paper production: Each A0 poster (approximately 1m²) weighing 200g produces roughly 0.5 kg CO₂-e
- 1,000 posters × 0.5 kg CO₂-e = 500 kg CO₂-e from paper production
- Ink and chemicals: Approximately 0.2 kg CO₂-e per poster
- 1,000 posters × 0.2 kg CO₂-e = 200 kg CO₂-e from ink production
Total Paper Poster Emissions
- 15.5 kg (printing energy) + 500 kg (paper) + 200 kg (ink) = 715.5 kg CO₂-e
Fabric Posters
Increasingly, presenters are shifting to fabric posters, which offer different environmental considerations:
Production Emissions
- Fabric production (polyester): Approximately 0.8 kg CO₂-e per m² poster
- 1,000 posters × 0.8 kg CO₂-e = 800 kg CO₂-e for base material
- Printing on fabric (dye sublimation): Approximately 0.3 kg CO₂-e per poster
- Total fabric poster materials: approximately 1,100 kg CO₂-e
Benefits of Fabric Posters
- More durable and reusable across multiple conferences
- Lighter weight reduces transportation emissions
- Foldable rather than requiring tubes for transport
Drawbacks of Fabric Posters
- Higher initial production emissions than paper
- Potential microplastic shedding during use and washing
- Longer decomposition time if eventually discarded
Comparative Analysis
When considering direct operational emissions:
- Electronic display of 1,000 posters: ~6.9 kg CO₂-e
- Paper posters (1,000): ~715.5 kg CO₂-e
- Fabric posters (1,000): ~1,100 kg CO₂-e
However, these figures require important context:
- Reuse potential: Electronic equipment is typically used for many events over several years. Similarly, fabric posters may be reused multiple times, while paper posters are rarely reused.
- End-of-life considerations: Electronic waste presents recycling challenges and potential environmental hazards. Paper posters are recyclable but often end up in landfills. Fabric posters have longer decomposition times.
- Viewing access: Electronic posters enable remote access, potentially reducing travel emissions, while physical posters generally require in-person viewing.
These calculations were made using Claude.
Broader Environmental Considerations
Digital Access Impacts
The environmental impact of remotely accessing digital posters varies depending on:
- The energy mix powering internet infrastructure
- Device efficiency of end users
- Number of total views
- Duration of availability
As data centers increasingly switch to renewable energy sources, the carbon footprint of digital access continues to decrease over time.ePostersOnline, our digital poster repository, is hosted by AWS, which is on track to honor its commitment to power their operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025.
Conference Space Efficiency
The higher space efficiency of electronic posters can translate to:
- Smaller venue requirements
- Reduced heating/cooling needs
- More efficient use of conference resources
Material and Resource Conservation
Different poster formats have varying implications for resource use:
- Paper posters: Consume forestry products but are recyclable
- Fabric posters: Use petroleum-based materials but are highly reusable
- Electronic displays: Require mining of rare earth minerals but serve multiple functions over many years
Conclusion
When examining the full picture, electronic posters offer several environmental advantages:
- Dramatic reduction in materials:
The approximately 100:1 difference in direct emissions between electronic displays and printed posters is substantial. Even accounting for manufacturing emissions of equipment (distributed across many uses), ePosters significantly reduce material consumption and waste.
- Elimination of physical waste:
After conferences, printed posters often end up discarded. Electronic formats eliminate this waste stream entirely. While electronic waste is a concern, the rental model ensures equipment is used efficiently across many events before reaching end-of-life.
- Access and longevity:
Electronic posters can be archived online indefinitely, allowing ongoing access without additional environmental cost. This extended lifecycle creates more value from the initial environmental investment, and increasing research longevity and knowledge access.
- Remote participation potential:
By enabling remote viewing, electronic posters can reduce travel-related emissions, which typically constitute the largest environmental impact of academic conferences.
Organizations should consider both the immediate and lifecycle environmental impacts when choosing poster formats, along with other factors such as cost, accessibility, and presenter preferences. While specific circumstances may influence the most sustainable choice for individual situations, the evidence suggests that electronic posters generally offer a more environmentally sustainable approach to scientific communication at conferences.
Want to discuss bringing eposters to your next conference? Email us at [email protected].
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