Tips: how to sustainably work from home
Working from home – since March 2020 we have become experts at this. After breakfast you jump behind your laptop to do a video call and right after your workday your free evening begins. No train, no car; commuting has decreased enormously during the past half year. That appeared to be a good boost for our climate. So a home office is nice and sustainable, but did you know that you can do much more to work from home in an eco-friendly manner? These 5 tips for working from home help you with that!
5 tips for working from home
From houseplants to sustainable office supplies: with these durability tips you can improve working from home a little bit.
Tip 1: separate your waste
Little effort, great results! Many offices have waste stations on the work floor, in which you can easily separate your waste: cardboard cups, trash paper, organic waste… At home we tend to throw it all on one big pile. Such a pity, because you can make the recycling process much easier by sorting your trash. And recycling is sustainable! Pay extra attention to sorting your trash paper (or: don’t print), aluminum coffee capsules and food remains that can be added to organic waste.
Tip 2: place (many!) plants
Very many! An office or a home filled with plants is beneficial in many ways. It does not just look cozy. According to several studies plants help reduce stress and boost your creativity and productivity. Do you need more reasons to gather a jungle? Plants also clean the air in the room; they turn CO2 into oxygen. Just like forests and jungles, but in a small way.
Tip 3: turn off devices when you don’t use them
You can leave your coffee machine on; you definitely need it now. But check out which electric devices you could actually turn off. If you work in your home office, you can turn off the lights in the rest of the house. What about the heater? It doesn’t have to be totally switched off but turn it down a little and put a sweater on. This is eco-friendlier and it saves money.
Tip 4: work with an erasable notebook
One of the best tips for a sustainable company: work with sustainable office supplies. Think of whiteboards, digital boards and sustainable notebooks. The ultimate tip for working from home: an erasable notebook! A Correctbook allows you to endlessly make notes and to do lists without building up piles of paper. It helps create a healthier and better world. By using Correctbook you don’t only save lots of trees. You also ensure that more children in developing countries can learn to read and write. Enough reasons to switch from a paper to an erasable notebook, right?
Tip 5: use a bike or electric scooter
What? Yes, working from home is not possible for everybody of course. Even during COVID-19. Do you go to work, go by bike. Good for you and good for the environment. Is your work too far to bike to? In that case buy an electric scooter or ask your employer for one. Our colleague Géraldine also rides one: “I love my electric scooter. It is a fast, clean and eco-friendly vehicle. It doesn’t need gasoline and it’s nice to be outside and clear my mind after a workday at the office. Really get some peace and quiet, because it is silent too!” Leave your car at home once in a while when you go grocery shopping or visit somebody.
Of course: working from a study room (or at the kitchen table!) is not always ideal, but with these sustainability tips you make working from home worthwhile. For yourself and for our planet.
