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The surprising impact of remote work on the environment

surprising impact of remote work on the environment

Telework, often known as remote work, is the only long-term answer for the future. Companies gain from resource savings, increased productivity with flexible working hours, and lower staff turnover. It has become the new normal. It is undeniably a win-win situation for workers and companies, but let us not forget about the environmental benefits.

Being mindful of ecosystem conditions benefits everyone. People make healthy decisions that advantage people, organizations, and the environment. Let’s take a look at the top five environmental benefits of RemoteHub:

impact of remote work on the environment

Paper Reduction:

The digitization of papers for mobile workers has resulted in lower paper use across the board in businesses. Employers may dramatically reduce the quantity of paper spent each year by eliminating the need for printed documentation. However, the environmental effect of remote it jobs and the paperless office does not end with paper usage reduction.

Even a salvaged tree may take up to 14.7 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, considerably lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This double whammy of less waste and reduced emissions is a compelling reason to continue working from home, and it may inspire companies to adopt similar work arrangements.

The footprint of transportation:

Reduced traveling while working from home would undoubtedly assist the environment, but there are growing indicators of rebound effects, such as increased non-work travel and more short-distance travel. For example, a decrease in car miles driven get matched by a 26 percent rise in the average number of trips in a sample of California employees who migrated to work from home during the COVID-19 epidemic. Changes in emissions from business travel in hybrid contexts will be crucial in addition to changes in commuting.

Reduced use of fossil fuels:

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicted that 142.71 billion gallons of gasoline get consumed in the United States in 2019. (about 390.98 million gallons per day!) Working from home would reduce gas use and greenhouse gas emissions. But how much will it cost? Xerox said in 2015 that its telecommuters traveled 92 million fewer miles, saved 4.6 million gallons of petrol, and cut carbon emissions by approximately 41,000 tonnes.

Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 

For many workers, commuting elimination is a significant benefit of remote employment. Working from home not only saves you time, but it also saves you money on public transportation or petrol. Furthermore, remote employees lessen their carbon footprint. It’s as simple as that: fewer commutes equals less greenhouse gas emissions. According to Global Workforce Analytics, if everyone in an office worked from home just half the week, reduce emissions by 54 million tonnes yearly!

Reduced plastic pollution:

It is difficult to get credible data on how much it decreases plastic pollution. Companies can reduce plastic waste if workers do not commute to work in the office. Even removing plastic cups and straws in the workplace can help minimize the quantity of plastic in the environment. According to a UK poll, those who work from home are more eager to limit their use of plastic than those who work locally.