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 in a home office for many years and have been able to adjust very well to the fact that my home is also my workplace. But in the wake of the Corona pandemic, many people had the opportunity to work at home for the first time. After an adjustment period of a week at the latest, the many advantages of telecommuting and working from home become apparent. Not only for employees and employers - but also for our environment.

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

Home office 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 some 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.

But basically, it can be said that working from a home office is more sustainable. Here are 10 reasons why that's 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 pollutionThe noise of the horns, the consumption of gasoline, and the burning of fossil fuels in general - you no longer participate in all of these things when you work in a home office.

If 40 percent of employees were to work permanently from home two days a week5.4 million tons of CO₂ could be saved per year. That's the equivalent of around 18 percent of all CO₂ emissions caused by commuting.₂ Isn't it amazing how much environmental potential the home office has?

Notice: Not everyone can work from a home office! At sustainable driving you will find out how to travel on your four wheels in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

2. travel for business appointments are omitted

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 anymore. A Zoom or Skype meeting in most cases - and it's good for the environment, too. So home office and sustainability go together very well in this respect, too.

3. lower energy consumption

Coffee maker, 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 thermal management more difficult.

Of course, you also consume energy in your home office! But there you have full control over it. At Save electricity you will receive the decisive tips for using significantly less energy at home and protecting the environment.

4. 100% green power 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 make less waste. This is simply because it doesn't cost them more money personally if they use 20 sheets of paper in the office instead of the 2 they actually need.

Since the Deforestation and paper consumption are closely related, working from a home office and being automatically aware of Paper Saving thus make a valuable contribution to environmental protection.

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

6. higher morale

Happy and satisfied people work more efficiently.₃ In other words, what's good for employees is basically good for the company. Employers who prohibit their employees from working in a home office, even though it would be theoretically and technically possible, merely risk an avoidable loss of trust, which can have a correspondingly negative impact on morale and productivity.

Working from a home office sustainably boosts morale, as people feel more comfortable in their familiar environment and also have more private recreation time, since no long commutes to the workplace are necessary.

7. space saving

Apartment and workplace - basically, this requires two heated buildings and workplaces. In addition, there are areas for parking 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 location-independent working compiled.

8. control over food purchase

In the office Food and drinks often provided - a hot plate is usually not available. In addition, food is thrown away more often because no one knows exactly who owns what in the shared company refrigerator.

At home you can specifically sustainably nourish - and consciously buy seasonal, regional, vegetable and cook fresh. Also the You can reduce food wasteby, for example, only buying the things that you can really eat. In this respect, home office and sustainability go hand in hand.

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

9. more focus on your job

For each of us, the day has only 24 hours. 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 do more for the environment. put more energy into your activity. 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're best off using the time you've gained for the last aspect of my list of reasons that working from home is sustainable!

10. more time for your work-life balance

Happy and satisfied people work more efficiently - we've already established that. The more flexible work in the home office has a lasting influence on your balance - and, in all likelihood, your entire life. So working at your desk in your own home can be sustainable for both the environment and yourself.

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

Home office and sustainability can go hand in hand

In the end, the environment, the employer and the employee himself benefit decisively from being allowed to work regularly in a home office. Not least because the daily commute and journeys to business appointments are largely made superfluous by digitization.

Can you think of any other reasons for the sustainability of telecommuting and working from home - or is there anything that speaks against it? Then just write me a short comment below this article.

Stay sustainable,

PS.: You would like to work from home all the time? Then be sure to check out my post now Become a digital nomad inside!

References:
₁ German 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 Aug. 20, 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].