We have all made some transition to online school and online jobs in the past two years. Remote working has many advantages over traditional office jobs, giving people more autonomy and flexibility but it also has some great advantages for the environment as well. In this article, we’ll look into what advantages have we benefited from our switch to more remote work and why we might want to keep up the trend!

For the sustainability you don’t yet know.

How does remote working benefit the environment?

Written by David Lelouche

We have all made some transition to online school and online jobs in the past two years. Remote working has many advantages over traditional office jobs, giving people more autonomy and flexibility but it also has some great advantages for the environment as well. In this article, we’ll look into what advantages have we benefited from our switch to more remote work and why we might want to keep up the trend!

No commute reduces your carbon emissions

According to the U.S. Census Bureau report and research from The Washington Post, the average one-way commute time for American workers was 27 minutes, equating to nine days spent in your vehicle each year. The US transportation sector accounts for 29% of the overall greenhouse gas emissions (60% of it being cars). 

By working from home you can decrease:

    • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
    • Consumption of Fossil Fuels
    • Office Supplies
    • Power Consumption 

Last but not least, you can improve the air quality!

Going paperless

According to the American Forest and Paper Association, Americans use 85 million tons of paper every year which accounts to 680 pounds per person or 7 trees per person! Of all this paper being used, only 2/3 of paper products end up being recycledThe accelerated digitalization of our society to accommodate a remote work environment can significantly decrease these dreadful numbers. 

Opportunity for plastic free and eco-friendly diets

The New York Times found that the United States emits 3 times more greenhouse gasses than the rest of the globe due to meat-related production! Americans can leverage the extra time they have in a day (by not commuting to work) to prepare eco-friendly diets. In order to reduce their carbon footprint remote workers should try to eat:

    • Organic foods
    • Seasonal food
    • Local products
    • Discounted groceries that are about to go bad
    • Chicken instead of beef, if you are fully committed to the vegetarian lifestyle you’ll find proteins in many vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and asparagus!

Here is a list of things you can do to reduce your plastic consumption while working from home: 

    • Brewing coffee at home can reduce the usage of plastic lids
    • Using products like SodaStream can eliminate the use of plastic soda bottles
    • Cooking at home – you can prepare meals for the week all at once, it will save you time and money! 
    • Drinking water out of the tap or through a filter (NO WATER BOTTLES!)

Opportunities to save more of your time!

Flexibility and work-life balance are amazing benefits of remote work. Use your extra time to find unique ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle!

    • Grow your own fruits and vegetables
    • Repurpose glass jars
    • Go paperless
    • Switch your old bulbs for led lights
    • Hang your wet clothes on a drying line 
    • Clean trash in a park or body of water
    • Donate unused items
    • Thrift clothes

 

These are just ideas, COMMENT and SHARE what you do to be more sustainable! We want to learn from you as well!