The Self Employed Mom

The Environmental Perks of Working From Home | May 31st 2008

In January 2007, my husband and I downsized our vehicle from a minivan that guzzled about a gallon of gas per 15 miles, to a small sedan that goes a little more than twice that distance on the same gallon of gas. This change made me happy.

I’d done something, however small, to reduce our carbon footprint and I wanted to do more. It made me take a good look at what I could do to become greener at work.

It turns out, as a telecommuter, I was already off to a good start. Last year the Consumer Electronics Association released the results of a study titled, ”The Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Impact of Telecommuting and e-Commerce.”

The study revealed that the estimated 3.9 million telecommuters in the U.S. reduced gasoline consumption by 840 million gallons and curbed carbon dioxide emissions by 14 million tons (this is equivalent to removing 2 million vehicles from the road every year).

But gas isn’t the only “green” issue to consider at work. National Geographic’s Green Guide has a lot to say about the environmental impact of paper, for example. From the toxic byproducts created when wood pulp is bleached, to deforestation and the vast amount of garbage paper creates (paper contributes 30-40% of landfill waste), there are many good reasons for businesses to limit its use.

As a telecommuter who spends all of my time online, I use very little paper, but I could use even less if I really tried. Computer storage is relatively cheap, and most computers come with built in CD burners, so there’s really nothing stopping me from creating a virtually paperless work environment.

In addition to reducing my total garbage output by working from home, I’m also trying to eat less packaged foods and eat local foods when possible.

Last summer, thanks to my husband’s careful ministrations, we had plenty of string beans, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce for home grown salads at lunch time. Picking lunch directly from the backyard garden not only saves money, fuel and reduces garbage, it’s also guaranteed organic and tastes delicious!

These are some of the things I’ve personally done to try and live more conscientiously, but there’s always more to do! Earth Day, which takes place on April 22nd, is a great time to reflect on the impact we each have on the environment and strategize ways to reduce our carbon footprint.