WFH Good for the Environment?
Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations have had to adapt their work patterns and behaviours, and remote working is one of the most popular terms of reference on this subject. Numerous benefits have been preached with respect to working from home, which includes better work-life balance, increased productivity, increased diversity and inclusion, and, arguably, higher savings/reduced costs of living.
But what about the benefits of working from home for the environment?
Besides the popular benefit that reduced commuting to work brings via lower carbon emissions to the environment, working from home is good for the environment in so many ways. Below are a few environmental benefits of working from home.
1) Energy savings on office equipment/appliances: Generally, there are more savings in energy from office buildings than in the average home. Working from home conserves energy that would have been readily depleted, especially when there is little or no incentive to conserving energy at the office. Although there is the increased utility of energy at home due to remote working, the net effect is not very significant compared to the savings from office buildings in a large organization, for instance. And because of the increased cost of power at home, while working from home, consumers are more aware of energy-saving practices that can help them reduce their utility of energy, thus impacting positively on their energy conservation habit in the long run.
2) Reduced use of paper, nylons, and plastics: These materials are contributors to the global climate change crisis when burned. By working from home, employers have been able to reduce the usage of these items, as employees now go to local markets and stores to buy greener foods for the cook or correspond more via email documents that are digitally signed.
3) More resources for socially responsible environmental practices: One of the things that work from home reduces is travel expenses on executives of an organization. If there are no hidden costs, this could lead to an increased budget for socially responsible practices which protect the environment, especially if the budget for socially responsible practices is a percentage of the revenue of the organization. Likewise, for employees, working from home provides the time resource for them to practise green habits such as planting trees or growing vegetables in their gardens for more eco-friendly diets.
4) Reduced Pollution that Leads to Communicable Diseases: This is the first reason for the worldwide lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic. This benefit would be sustained even after the COVID-19 pandemic because of remote working. Safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) are crucial for building a healthy environment; when working at home, air and surfaces are less polluted by viruses or bacteria from humans. This reduces the risk of contracting communicable diseases from the air, water, or land, thus creating resilient communities living in healthy environments.
