Virtual Conferencing in Extension: Reaching Audiences, Saving Resources, and Benefiting the Environment

Travel costs, employees' productive professional time, budget debits, and unnecessary carbon emissions have prompted creative ways to deliver information. Horizon Wimba™ allows interaction between presenters and audiences through real-time presentations, multiple location access, slide viewing, live conversation, and voice and written messaging board. Three hundred forty-nine people participated in the four workshop lunch and learn series in 17 counties. A conservative reduction estimate of only one vehicle travel from each location roundtrip to training venue for each of the four workshops yields a savings of $6,000 in mileage reimbursement, 200 hours of UGA Employee time, and 3,400 fewer pounds of carbon emissions.