Reduce Your Carbon Footprint by Embracing the Modern Workplace

Well, we all know that commutes to work aren’t typically ideal, we sit in traffic while wasting a lot of gas and time. But, that’s not the worst thing that comes from it.

Commuting is contributing to global warming and local air pollution. Yet, we continue to do it twice a day, 5 times a week. Cars are producing around ⅓ of all the American air pollution. In my opinion, something needs to change.

So, if you’re like me and want to reduce your carbon footprint (while also avoiding the dreaded rush hour traffic) you can simply work from home. Even working from home a couple of days a week can make a huge impact.

Is commuting really THAT bad?

To me, it's alarming that only 2% of employees work from home often, even though 40% of American employees have a job that could be done from home at least sometimes. And thanks to new technology shaping the modern workplace, working from home would be very easy to implement within any company. So why aren't companies open to trying it?

Commuting just 10 miles one way, 5 times a week for a whole year on average produces 2.6 TONS of carbon dioxide emissions. Now, multiply that by the amount of people who drive to work in America, and you can see what a large effect it has on our air quality.

This has made me rethink how often I drive and how careless I have been about my affect on the environment.

How much could remote work actually help?

I know it's hard to feel like you're making a difference on your own. But, if you eliminate commuting sometimes, you alone are directly making a positive impact on the environment and air quality.

A recent study stated that if everyone with a job that could be done from home telecommuted half the time, the environment would be spared the hurtful effects of about 22 million barrels of oil. That is a crazy, huge amount.

Every time I work from home, I feel good knowing I spared the environment from a bit of air pollution. And also saved a lot of time.

Does this benefit my company?

On top of saving the environment, allowing employees to work from home can benefit your company, too! Businesses could save $8,300 per employee each year in turnover, facility and utility costs if able employees worked from home half the time. And the benefits don’t stop there. If those same employees that could work from home, did at least half the time, they could personally save up to $10,500 each year in commuting costs alone.

As an employee who sometimes works from home, I can say I am much happier being able to cut out a couple commutes. I also save a lot of money from doing it. It makes employees happy to know they are valued, helping them save time and money is a great way to show that. Happier employees are definitely a huge benefit to any company. 😊

Every employee that is able to work from home, at least sometimes, is making a positive impact on the environment and local air quality. I hope more companies start to embrace the modern workplace because it will truly benefit our planet.  The benefits that come with working from home go beyond the environment, and help companies as a whole. So why not try it out?