Do you work remotely? Yes? Then take a moment this Friday, June 5th to pat yourself on the back for World Environment Day because you are an environmental hero.
Not only do you benefit from a productivity boost and a happier work-life balance (we hope!), but you’re helping us all by reducing environmental costs associated with work.
The UN’s World Environment Day is celebrated every June 5th, and this year it focuses on the responsible management of natural resources.
By working remotely, you already make a hugely positive impact on the environment by significantly reducing your carbon footprint.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways your remote work benefits us all.
You’re helping to reduce congestion
Have you ever been stuck in rush hour traffic with hundreds of cars, trucks and buses crawling through the streets?
It’s terrible, right? It’s incredibly aggravating, not to mention a colossal waste of time and fuel. In Europe and the US, people spend an average of 111 hours stuck in traffic each year.
That’s a whole lot of time we could put to better use elsewhere.
A serious health risk
According to a 2010 study by Harvard’s Department of Environmental Health, emissions from congestion pose a serious risk to our health.
As a remote worker, you are not constantly confronted with these health risks because you don’t need to regularly drive across town to the office or constantly take flights in order to take part in meetings or provide technical support.
You complete all your tasks from wherever your desk and computer might be at the time.
You help reduce fuel usage
As a remote worker, when was the last time you needed to commute or take a flight over to another office?
The second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions is transportation, according to to the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA).
Up to 98% of an office worker’s carbon footprint comes from travel. By traveling a lot less, you’re making a huge difference.
You help save energy
Offices use up a lot of energy.
Approximately one fifth of all energy used by commercial buildings is eaten up by offices.
Consider the fact that they need to supply power for:
- Computers
- Screens
- Servers
- Printers
- Lighting
- Ventilation
- Heating
- Air conditioning
- Phones
- Etc…
It all adds up.
Your personal workplace is likely a lot more energy efficient than you might think.
In fact, according to Global Workplace Analytics, your remote setup may require only half the amount of energy to run than if you were working from an office space.
Using less energy means doing good for our environment.
You help your employer reduce space and waste
In the USA, the average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper per year.
Remote workers are far less likely to print out documents than their in-office counterparts – instead, remote workers prefer electronic documents, which results in less paper waste.
Reducing the amount of paper you use is not only good news for Earth’s trees, it also reduces the necessity for companies to build and maintain storage facilities.
By removing the necessity for employers to provide and maintain a work space, you help reduce the amount of property employers must own and maintain.
Sustainable power sources
Innovative engineering companies the world over are desperately looking for ecologically sustainable sources of power for transportation.
Until they find sustainable solutions, we’re likely to continue our reliance on using fossil fuel sources that produce harmful gases when burned.
Because remote workers often travel less frequently, they reduce the need to consume these fuels.
You’re an environmental Hero!
There are all kinds of ways remote work benefits the environment. Working remotely is a green act with far-reaching positive implications for our environment.
As the world’s population continues to increase, it is becoming ever more critical for each of us to take responsible actions with regard to our personal environmental impact.
Let’s hope that more people follow in your footsteps.
If you haven’t yet achieved environmental hero status but are interested in trying remote work for yourself, give TeamViewer a trial by using the download link below.
