There are many benefits to working from home. Some of them include mental health benefits, reduced travel costs, and reduced carbon footprint - which is always something we should all try and do to preserve our planet.
Although reducing your carbon footprint may not be the first thing we think about when our boss asks us to work from home, it is something we all should consider. Essentially, our carbon footprint is the number of greenhouse gasses that are created from our actions. From driving to work to using public transport - all these little actions contribute towards our carbon footprint.
And while not traveling to work might make employees believe that they are doing enough to preserve the planet by not travelling to work - there are also those who want to find out what extra steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprint while working from home even further.
So, in this article, that is exactly what we will take a look at.
1. Travel Less
It is no secret that the most obvious way to reduce your carbon footprint is to travel less and luckily with remote work, you can do just that. But just because you are working remotely, that doesn’t mean you won’t find another reason to get in the car and drive to the nearest shopping center or the gym.
So, next time you consider going to the shop or the gym during the time you’re technically supposed to be in the office - take the bike or walk. It will not only benefit your health but will also keep your carbon footprint at bay.
Besides, you can also bring the gym to your office. If that’s something you want to do, you should definitely learn how to work out while you work. That way, you not only keep up with your schedule but are also getting fit while doing so.
2. Turn Off The House Lights
Turning off your house lights during the day or when you are not home is probably one of the simpler ways to reduce your carbon footprint while working at home. Not only does it save energy, which will have a direct impact on your energy bill, but turning off lights when not in use will also reduce your carbon footprint.
Additionally, you can also turn your household appliances off during the day. This will also aid in reducing your carbon footprint.
3. Use Less Plastic
Plastic is one of the biggest issues we need to overcome as species to preserve the planet. The use of plastic bags at shopping malls, tupperware, and non-recyclable food containers all contribute towards the problem.
By being conscious of the types of plastic you allow in and out of your house, the more environmentally friendly you’ll be, which will significantly reduce the impact your actions have on the environment. The demon of all plastics would be single-use plastic, so you should try to veer well away from it where possible.
So, when you are going to the shops remind yourself to take a material bag and buy foods that aren't being kept in plastic and if you do, make sure it is recyclable so it is at least going somewhere useful.
4. Switch Your Energy Provider
The electricity provider you use will have the biggest impact on your carbon footprint while working from home. Luckily, there are many options to pick from, so, what you should do is search the market for an ethical and environmentally friendly energy provider.
And who knows - they might end up charging you less, which will not only reduce your carbon footprint but your energy bill too.
5. Take Recycling to the Next Level
Most of us take recycling seriously. And that’s good but what if you could take things an extra step further. From old phones to batteries, which are just lying around - these can potentially become harmful to the environment over time if they aren’t recycled properly.
So, what you can do is find designated centers near you, which are happy to take care of the technology you no longer use, and have it recycled on your behalf.
Conclusion
If we are just conscious about what we are doing, and how we are doing it - we will be able to reduce our carbon footprint. Reducing this footprint, will have a positive effect on the overall emissions released daily, and eventually over time.
You may think you are only one person, but a change in the world has to start somewhere and if that somewhere is at you, it is better than nothing! Yes, some things are unavoidable but if that is the case, finding more suitable ways is still better than ignoring the problem as a whole.
Working from home is already a step in the right direction, then turning off your house lights during the day and turning off appliances is another step. It is the smallest things that will make the biggest difference over time.
