Working From Home

Many of us think longingly about having the option of working from home- during our long days in the office and further hours commuting every day. Offering the flexibility to choose your own hours free of workplace politics, long travelling delays and dreary offices, working from home is definitely an attractive possibility. Even better than that, it can be a cleaner and greener option too.

Working from Home Trends

Working from home is a lifestyle choice that’s growing in popularity, and the green element of doing so is particularly appealing to businesses wanting to clean up their environmental act. Businesses and employees are able to make use of better technology and the internet, which means that it’s easier to stay in touch, particularly now that most households have broadband connections. According to National Statistics in 2003, 14% of men and 8% of women making up the workforce did so working from home.

The environmental benefits of working from home have also been documented in a recent study commissioned for technology company Sun Microsystems, which concluded that: ”Home working on its own is not going to save the world, but it is an example of the sort of behaviour that the Government should be encouraging. If companies are given the right incentives then this way of working could make a significant contribution to sustainable development in the UK.”

Cut Transport Costs and Emissions

One of the greenest benefits of working from home is the reduction of your daily carbon footprint. One of the biggest carbon emitters in the UK is transport, and the daily commute is among the most frequent and stressful journeys we make, be it by car or public transport. According to a recent study by the South East Development Agency, if more workers in that region worked from home carbon emissions would be immediately cut by nearly 9,000 tonnes a month. As well as this, the money saved on travelling costs is significant - an average of £80 a month per person.

Green Office

Creating a proper work area in your home is a big part of achieving an efficient and environmentally friendly working life. When you’re equipping your home working office, try to invest in a low electricity computer and energy saving light bulbs. Set up other electrical items such as printers or fax machines so they turn themselves off automatically, and consider how many appliances and electrical pieces of equipment are really necessary to complete your working day.

Energy Saving Tips at Home

There are plenty of things we can do to change our energy habits at home and at work, meaning it’s easy to put in place a few energy saving processes when you’re working from home straightaway.

1. Turn Off –Remember to switch off your computer and equipment at the end of the day and only turn printers on when you need to use them.

2. Reduce your Usage –Minimise the amount of paper you use to print items by printing on both sides or not printing at all.

3. Ethical Materials -Use stationery from recycled or sustainable sources.

4. Heating – If you need to have the heating on, ensure that you’re only heating your office space during the day rather than the whole house unnecessarily.

Greener Habits

Working from home rather than in an office workplace will also generally increase your energy efficiency. Studies have shown that the good energy saving habits we form at home don’t necessarily follow us to the workplace. If your workplace is at home – and you’re paying for the energy you’re using – you’re much more likely to be more careful with the amount that you’re consuming.