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Webinars reduce the environmental footprint of pediatric cardiology conferences

Part of: Echocardiography Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2021

Brett Duane ,
Alexandra Lyne ,
Theresa Faulkner ,
Jonathan D. Windram ,
Andrew N. Redington ,
Sophie Saget ,
Justin T. Tretter Open the ORCID record for Justin T. Tretter [Opens in a new window]  and
Colin J. McMahon Open the ORCID record for Colin J. McMahon [Opens in a new window]
Brett Duane*
Affiliation:
School of Dentistry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Alexandra Lyne
Affiliation:
University College London Hospital, London, England, UK
Theresa Faulkner
Affiliation:
The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, USA
Jonathan D. Windram
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, Mazankowski Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Andrew N. Redington
Affiliation:
The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, USA Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Sophie Saget
Affiliation:
Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Justin T. Tretter
Affiliation:
The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, USA Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Colin J. McMahon
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin, Dublin 12, Ireland School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
*
Author for correspondence: Brett Duane, School of Dentistry, Trinity College Dublin, Lincoln Place, Dublin, Ireland. Tel: +353 1 612 7391; Fax: +35314096181. E-mail: brett.duane@dental.tcdie
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Abstract

Background:

Webinars have recently replaced in-person medical conferences, including paediatric cardiology conferences, given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

With increasing environmental concerns, we analysed the differences between the environmental footprint of a paediatric cardiology webinar with a hypothetical conference. Travel data was collected, with assumptions made on the amount of computer use, internet use and accordingly the overall use of electricity for both forms of conference. Life Cycle Assessment methodology was used (OpenLCA and Ecovinvent v 3.7).

Results:

We showed that the theoretical environmental impact of a virtual conference is significantly less (4 tons CO2 equivalent) than the traditional international face-to-face conference (192 tons CO2 equivalent). The life cycle assessment methodology showed that resource use for a face-to-face conference lasting 2.5 days for 1374 attendees is equivalent to 400 times what an average person would use in one year, the climate change and photochemical ozone formation approximately 250 times and the eutrophication terrestrial equivalent to 225 times. However, using carbon equivalent emissions to measure environmental harm from flying is an under estimate of the potential damage, when one considers the additional production of airplane contrails. Notwithstanding this, there is a 98% reduction in climate change impact when meetings are held virtually.

Conclusions:

While the virtual conference may never completely replace the traditional in-person paediatric cardiology conference, due to networking benefits, the significant theoretical benefits to the environment highlighted in this study, warrants consideration for the virtual conference taking a more common place in sustainable academia.

Keywords

Paediatric cardiologyconferencevideo conferencecarbon footprintlife cycle assessmentsustainability
Type
Original Article
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 31 , Issue 10 , October 2021 , pp. 1625 - 1632
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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