Ten tips to encourage green remote working

Many charities are focused on reducing their carbon footprint – through sustainability strategies, working with ethical suppliers, and changing banks and investments.

 

Hybrid and remote working plays its part, by significantly reducing commute times. Around 84% of charities now offer hybrid working and collectively this can make a big impact on the sector’s carbon footprint.

 

Remote working is great for the environment by cutting down travel. In fact, research shows that hybrid working can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% in cities across the UK.

 

­­But what about sustainability when people are working at home? What can employees do to minimise their carbon footprint when working remotely? And what can you do to help them? 

 

Here are some ideas to encourage teams to work sustainably while at home.

 

 

For charities

 

Keep sustainable practices on the radar

 

Gently remind your team of the importance of reducing their carbon footprint and share your sustainability plan if you have one. You could regularly promote green homeworking tips, remembering to highlight how reducing energy consumption goes hand-in-hand with lower utility bills. Saving money is a good motivator for making small changes.

 

 

Provide sustainable office supplies

 

While avoiding printing should be the default, if there are occasions colleagues need to print, provide paper products that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Ask your team to opt for black and white printing, choose ‘draft’ mode to save ink, and recycle ink cartridges. 

 

 

Consider shifting work arrangements according to season

 

One study showed that working from home in the summer and in the office over the winter is the most effective way to reduce carbon emissions. WSP’s calculations suggest that heating a home on a cold winter day, produces more combined emissions than an office’s heating and combined commutes.  

 

 

Clear out digital clutter

 

Encourage your team to regularly delete any emails they don’t need and to be mindful of the quantity they send. Emails could account for as much as 0.3% of the world’s carbon footprint and regular email clear-outs are an easy win.

 

 

For individuals

 

Heat your home efficiently

 

Heating is often the biggest source of energy consumption at home, and turning down a thermostat by just 1 degree Celsius can reduce your carbon footprint and save around £100 a year.

 

Use timers and thermostats to take control of your heating and be mindful of which rooms you’re heating – for example, if you tend to work in the same space every day you might not need to heat the whole home.

 

Making sure your workspace is well insulated will also help to reduce the need for cooling in summer and heating in winter. That might include sealing windows, adding insulation or getting a draught excluder.  

 

 

Use energy-efficient devices

 

Energy saving devises are designed for lower energy use (meaning lower carbon footprint and lower bills). You might consider laptops instead of desktops (laptops consume much less power), LED bulbs (which use 75% less energy than incandescent lighting), and smart power strips, which automatically cut power to devices you’re not using.

 

 

Maximise natural lighting

 

Where possible, set up your desk in a space that maximises natural light. As well as reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day, a good dose of daylight can be motivating.

 

 

Choose a green energy provider

 

Remote working is likely to mean higher home energy use. Consider choosing an energy provider that uses renewable sources, such as Octopus Energy which provides electricity from 100% renewable sources, or 100Green, the UK’s only provider of 100% green gas and renewable energy.

 

 

Don’t automatically turn up the heating

 

If you’re chilly, grab a jumper or blanket instead of turning up the thermostat. And remember that moving can also keep you warmer. Sitting in one position at your computer for hours can lead to your hands and feet getting cold. Getting up, moving around and doing some stretches will help to get your blood flowing and warm you up.

 

 

Switch appliances off when not being used

 

When you’ve finished working for the day, switch off any appliances you’re not using. As well as avoiding wasting energy, it can be a helpful routine for finishing your workday. Likewise,  when your mobile or laptop are fully charged, unplug them.  

 

 

Don’t overfill kettles

 

Working at home can mean more hot drinks. Only boil the amount of water you need so you don’t waste energy. Which? share lots of other easy, sustainability tips – the effect of small, repeated actions can all add up.