Home office and sustainability - 10 reasons why working from home is more environmentally friendly

Do home offices and sustainability really go hand in hand? If you're looking for the answer to this question, you've come to the right place! I've been working from home for many years now and have adapted very well to the fact that my home is also my workplace. However, the coronavirus pandemic has given many people the opportunity to work from home for the first time. The many advantages of teleworking and working from home become apparent after a week of getting used to it. Not only for employees and employers - but also for our environment.

In this article, I would like to present the most important reasons why working from home is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Let's go!

Working from home and sustainability - 10 reasons why the two go hand in hand

Let's not get this wrong. The home office is not sustainable per se - whether it's more sustainable than working at your usual desk at the company, depends on several factors. For example, how you set up your home office, where your electricity comes from, how your employer is positioned in terms of sustainability and how long your usual working day is. Commute and how you usually reach your workplace.

However, it can generally be said that working from home is more sustainable. Here are 10 reasons why this is the case.

1. less rush hour traffic

The Transport sector accounts for 19 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany.₁ Traffic jams, long journeys to work, air pollutionhonking horns, gasoline consumption and the burning of fossil fuels in general - you no longer participate in any of these things when you work from home.

If 40 percent of employees were to work from home two days a week on a permanent basis5.4 million tons of CO₂ could be saved per year. That's the equivalent of around 18 percent of all CO₂ emissions caused by commuting in traffic.₂ It's crazy how much environmental potential there is in working from home, isn't it?

Notice: Not everyone can work from a home office! At sustainable driving you can find out how you can still be as environmentally friendly as possible on your four wheels.

2. no travel for business appointments

Working from home is also a more sustainable alternative to the usual workplace in the office because long journeys to business appointments, for example by plane or car, are hardly necessary any more. A Zoom or Skype meeting does the job in most cases - and protects the environment at the same time. So working from home and sustainability go very well together in this respect too.

3. lower energy consumption

Coffee machine, heating, lights, cold rooms, computers - In an open-plan office, many devices run 24 hours a day. At least on standby. In addition, windows and doors are constantly opening and closing - making sustainable heat management more difficult.

Of course, you also consume energy when working from home! But there you have full control over it. Under Save electricity you'll get the key tips you need to consume significantly less energy at home and protect the environment.

4. 100% Green electricity at home

You probably have little control over what electricity your employer uses. It may well be that your computer or other technical devices run on fossil fuels at work. If you're working from a home office, you're the one who makes the difference.

By clicking on green Green electricity - e.g. from Hydro, solar or wind power - it makes your workspace at home much more environmentally friendly. This is very important if you want to combine home office and sustainability.

5. less paper waste

Home office employees have a higher financial incentive to save paper and produce less waste. This is simply because it doesn't cost them any more money personally if they use 20 sheets of paper in the office instead of the two they actually need.

Since the Deforestation of the forests and paper consumption are closely linked, working from home and being automatically aware of the Paper Saving This means we can make a valuable contribution to environmental protection.

Tip: Even in your company's workplace, you can make a difference. At Paperless office find out more!

6. higher work ethic

Happy and satisfied people work more efficiently.₃ In other words: what is good for the employees is generally also good for the company. Employers who prohibit their employees from working from home, even though it is theoretically and technically possible, are simply risking an avoidable loss of trust, which can have a negative impact on morale and productivity.

Working from home ensures higher morale in the long term, as people feel more comfortable in their familiar surroundings and also have more private recreation time, since no long commutes to the workplace are necessary.

7. space saving

Home and workplace - basically two heated buildings and workplaces are required. In addition, there are spaces for parking lots and congested roads. Our personal Space consumption is ultimately significantly lower in the home office. This not only saves the boss costs, but you as a "digital nomad" also save a lot of time.

Tip: In a separate post I have also given you once again the essential Advantages of working from anywhere compiled.

8. control over food purchases

In the office Food and drinks often provided - There is usually no hotplate. In addition, food is thrown away more often because nobody knows exactly who owns what in the shared company fridge.

At home you can specifically Eat sustainably - and consciously buy seasonal, regional, vegetable and cook fresh. Also the You can reduce food wastefor example, by only buying things that you can really eat. So working from home and sustainability go hand in hand in this respect too.

Tip: If you are interested in sustainable cooking interested, then I can give you my Book "Cooking for the climate" recommend. There you will learn about all the consequences and problems of our Western diet - and find out how you can become part of the solution.

9. more focus on your job

For each of us, there are only 24 hours in a day. If you have a job that adds value to the environment and society, you can use the time saved from your non-existent commute to work to save even more time. put more energy into your work. Depending on the type of job you have, this can make your home office work even more sustainable. If you're looking for a new, environmentally and socially friendly challenge, be sure to check out the Sustainable job portal from CareElite over.

Alternatively, you can use the time you save for the last aspect of my list of reasons why working from home is sustainable!

10. more time for your work-life balance

We have already established that happy and satisfied people work more efficiently. More flexible working from home has a lasting influence on your balance - and most likely also on your entire life. Working at your desk within your own four walls can therefore be sustainable for both the environment and yourself.

Tip: I can also recommend the detailed article on the subject of "When does a job make you happy?" recommend

Working from home and sustainability can go hand in hand

Ultimately, the environment, the employer and the employee themselves benefit significantly from working from home on a regular basis. Not least because the daily commute to work and travel to business appointments become largely superfluous thanks to digitalization.

Can you think of any other reasons for the sustainability of teleworking and working from home - or are there any arguments against it? Then just write me a short comment under this article.

Stay sustainable,

PS: Would you like to work from home all the time? Then take a look at my article now Become a digital nomad inside!

References:
₁ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety: Climate protection in figures - the transport sector (as of May 2019), available at https://t1p.de/doqw. [16.12.2020].

₂ Greenpeace e.V.: Greenpeace study calculates climate and transport benefits of more teleworking (as of 20.08.2020), available at https://t1p.de/pc81. [16.12.2020].

₃ Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth: Work Life Balance, available at https://t1p.de/09xs. [16.12.2020].