When \"refuse, reduce, reuse\" are not options, we ask ourselves, can this be repurposed, either by us or an outside entity? This begins with an assessment of our solid waste: identifying, quantifying, diverting, and then finding creative solutions for repurposing. Please see our Green Accomplishments for info on some of our recent measures.
We recognize the importance of not just recycling but doing so in a way that is compliant with the capabilities of our local recycling centers. This starts with doing our research when it comes to inventory restocking. We make a conscience effort to purchase products that has packing which is truly recyclable in our region.
Expanding on our effort to reduce waste, we are committed to assessing areas we can implement reusable alternatives, while continuing to also donate \"gifts-in-kind,\" to local organizations. Our custom Wentex graphic frames, which are 100% aluminum and primarily used for extra-large graphics and projection screens, are reused countless times before they are recycled. Moreover, we offer warehouse space for our clients to store various event elements that can be reused from year to year. This cuts down greatly on the amount of new substrates and ink that would have been used to recreate these pieces.
We continue to evaluate and address areas where we can reduce the use of harmful, wasteful, and non-reusable products. As of 2021, we are no longer purchasing single-use plastic water bottles for our employees. Our workforce now uses strategically placed water coolers and each employee has been provided with a stainless steel reusable water bottle for personal use.
We realize that one of the most effective ways to minimize waste, is to begin by not purchasing and using wasteful or non-recyclable products. For the past 6 years, we have been phasing out use of Gator board and foam core for our event signage, for more eco-friendly alternatives like easily changeable digital monitors, \"evergreen\" reusable materials, and more. Since 2015, we have been able to \'refuse\' use of over 800 LBS of non-recyclable material with digital monitors.
We are delighted to kick off our corporate sustainability initiative. We also found immense value from partnering with GBB, learning how to become more proficient in our products and materials purchasing, usage, and disposal. To share this news with the world, we added a new section to our corporate website. We are committed to and accountable for creating a greener future.
Diverting 2,200 LBS of fabric banner material away from landfills is no small feat. Finding a way to convert this same fabric into attractive, unique, and reusable tote bags proved even more challenging, but our Event Management team had their thinking caps on. So far, we have happily produced more than 1,600 reusable totes and distributed a portion of them to our clients and employees as holiday gifts.
During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we designed, developed, and launched the FNvirtual event platform, a robust online experience that allows our clients to hold virtual meetings, expos, product launches, and more, from anywhere around the world. This growing arena has allowed us to extend our event production offerings, expand our green program, and offer our clients another eco-friendly option when it comes to meeting and conferences.
Our FNvirtual Event Platform launched in mid-2020 and we\'re proud to announce our numbers continue to grow! In 2021, we produced more than 30 virtual events! These productions took place in every time zone, were broadcast to and had participants from multiple countries, and were streamed on a handful of different platforms including our own virtual event powerhouse FNvirtual. We also produced events on Hopin, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitch, and Splash. Some were 100% virtual, while others went the hybrid route...part in-person and part online. We are excited that many of our clients report they saw increases in both engagement and the number of participants from international locations. In addition, our FNstudios team has been extremely busy recording, editing, and streaming scores of sessions for clients around the world. Having a robust digital arm of FNTECH allows our team to stay safe and connected while at the same time reduces carbon emissions caused by conference travel. We consider those some BIG WINS all the way around!
In celebration of Earth month, FNTECH announced our advancement as a GBB platinum-certified business. Implementation of new waste management initiatives helped us achieve this fantastic new certification. Every time we see this new logo, we\'re reminded of the difference we\'re making toward a healthier planet and a sustainable way of living for generations to come.
Since first moving into our Santa Ana headquarters, we knew we wanted to shift from the outdated and inefficient metal/halide light bulbs to something better. (In a state plagued with an energy crisis, we know how important it is to reduce our energy consumption everywhere possible.) Initially, we installed motion sensor lights in our front offices. This helped, but the real impact was felt when we converted our expansive warehouse space to all LED lighting. We now use LED bulbs throughout our entire facility. This change allowed us to reduce our average daily energy consumption by a whopping 55.56%! We went from using 224 kWh a day to 99.54 kWh per day - a savings that could power four average U.S. households each day!
In November 2021, we were delighted to produce another successful Open Compute Project Global Summit at the San Jose Convention Center. This was one of our first large hybrid events, held concurrently both in-person and on our FNvirtual Event Platform. With nearly 2,000 attendees in person and COVID restrictions still very much in place, our catering manager ensured our boxed lunches were assembled and packaged using the most green/compostable options available. Additionally, we\'re proud to use a venue that partners with Hunger at Home, an organization that collects excess food and goods to distribute to the local hungry and homeless. Happily, all leftover boxed lunches did not go to waste, but were donated to those in need.
To date, our metal shop has recycled 3,300 LBS of aluminum and steel cumulatively. Our custom Wentex frames have been a main feature in our events for over 10 years and with an infinite life-cycle, we have been able to reuse our frames time and again, until they are recycled.