Going green is the new black when it comes to the way we work – and not just for the Autumn/Winter season. Evidence suggests that remote working is just one way you can save on costs as well as some serious CO2.
The positives that remote working can bring, for your own wellbeing and for the environment, are endless. Here are a few thoughts around how working remotely will benefit you and our planet.
Travel less, save more
As if that pesky commute on the tube or that honking horn headache of a ride to the office isn’t a good enough reason to start working from the comfort of your own home, then how does saving the planet sound? The numbers (research from Monster.co.uk) show that the average person working from home saves almost a tonne of CO2 a year – the same amount as absorbed by 44 large trees. One look at the lockdown skylines of cities across the world showed us the difference reducing traffic can make.
Eating your greens
Let’s face it, time is of the essence and convenience is king when it comes to weekday lunches. How many of us really think twice when picking up that pasta salad with its plastic box and plastic knife and fork when we’ve only got 5 minutes to grab something and get back to the office? Easier said than done when you’re lunching against a deadline. But cut out the commute, and more time at home means less impulse towards fast, greasy choices (we know, though, sometimes all the heart wants is a chip butty).
Plus, we can avoid that grab-and-go culture that’s polluting our oceans, and start to eat more sustainably. It’s so much easier to keep track of what you’re eating when you’re the one responsible for meal prep and when you have access to your own kitchen cupboard. CoSo Cloud found that 42% of remote workers ate healthier than when working in an office. Good for your health, good for the planet. What more could you want?
Powering down, while you power up (responsibly)
Fewer people in an office space can reduce the need for industrial level resources – and it’s one of the less obvious but more important ways to help combat climate change. With the telecommute becoming the norm, companies can cut down on everything from printer paper to the amount of energy being guzzled up by some of those larger working spaces and offices. The Carbon Trust have reported that with more people working from home here in the UK, companies and their employees can cut costs by £3bn a year and save over 3 million tonnes of carbon a year in the process. Working from home also means that you can choose to use Green Energy, like Octopus Energy, who support the use of renewables.
The future is now
During lockdown, remote working has been a necessity for most people. But at Word Monster, it’s always been a choice. Coronavirus has changed everything about ‘normal’ life, but we were all set to continue business as usual for the most part. Even before the virus hit, more and more companies were making the move to offer remote working, at least in part. But the situation has forced all businesses to review and optimise their remote working processes. And this is one really positive outcome! Millennials (who make up the majority of our team) and Generation Z may very well go down as some of the most eco‑conscious people in history. Plus, let’s face it, why wouldn’t you want to add a bit of flex to your day? Many people no longer consider working from home a perk, but a right. NGA Human Resources have calculated that millennials will represent 43% of the workforce across the globe by 2025, meaning businesses will need to continue to adapt. And those who embrace the change will surely reap the rewards in years to come.
So, every time you feel like a bit of a slob for staying in your pyjamas past noon on a workday, remind yourself – you’re actually part of a new eco-friendly revolution that is helping our planet stay a bit greener and that little bit cleaner.
