Working from home offers tons of sustainability benefits.
Remote employees usually have smaller carbon footprints because they don't have to commute to and from the office. Fortunately, there are many more opportunities to reduce your impact on the environment while working from home.
Below are five working from home sustainability tips.
Working From Home - Sustainability Tips
1. Adjust Your Thermostat
Adjusting your thermostat 2 degrees up in the summer and 2 degrees down in the winter can save up to 2,000lbs of carbon dioxide per year!
Alternatively, you could use an energy efficient thermostat that conserves energy automatically.
For example, the Nest Thermostat programs itself to save energy. It learns the temperatures you like and create a schedule that saves electricity and money.
2. Use Eco-Friendly Office Supplies
Did you know that the average office worker generates about 2 pounds of waste every day? Fortunately, today's products can help improve our efficiency.
The trick is to use office supplies that are either waste free or biodegradable.
Paperless Notebooks
For instance, using paperless notebooks is an option that our readers love.
Rocketbook is our favorite! It looks and feels like a regular notebook, but is erasable and reusable.
It can even store your notes in Google Drive, One Note and Drop Box.
Ready to try it for yourself?
Rocketbook is available on Amazon. There are a ton of success stories and positive reviews.
Biodegradable Pens
A good pen is essential for any office worker. However, throwing away plastic pens can harm the environment.
Biodegradable pens made from recycled materials are a more sustainable choice.
3. Unplug Devices as Much as Possible
Electronic devices use energy when they are plugged in but aren't being used. Everything that is plugged in draws energy from the grid which puts unnecessary stress on the environment. This is referred to as "Vampire Energy".
Source: Payless Power
To improve sustainability while working from home, you can start by unplugging electronic devices that aren't in use. This could mean unplugging things like your cell phone, laptop, coffee machine, microwave or television when you aren't using them.
4. Decrease the Brightness on Your Computer Monitor
Reducing the brightness on your computer monitor can save up to 20% of the monitor's energy. Less energy equals less strain on the environment!
5. Consider Using Bamboo Office Products
It is important to use office products that will keep you comfortable, productive, and organized. However, a lot of office supplies is made from plastic or other materials that harm the environment.
Using materials made from bamboo is significantly better for the environment. For example, bamboo decomposes more quickly then plastic yet it is just as sturdy.
Here are a few bamboo office products that we like.
Bamboo Pencil Holder
Keeps organized and never lose another pen or pencil.
Bamboo Book Stand
Eco-friendly option for books, tablets or papers.
Bamboo Monitor Stand
Simple design and dedicated space for all of your supplies.
Analyze Your Habits and Make Small Improvements
Lastly, look at your daily habits and see what you could do differently. For instance, go to FootprintCalculator.org and take their quiz to calculate your carbon footprint and see what changes you can make to decrease it.
There are tons of small steps you can take that will make working from home more sustainable. Be the change you want to see!
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