American researchers have found that working from home is good for the environment. (Image: Rymden – adobe.stock.com)
A study by the US National Academy of Sciences has found that people who work from home produce fewer greenhouse gases. What sounds logical has now been proven for the first time.
According to the researchers, those who don’t drive to the office cause up to 54 percent fewer emissions. However, for people working in a hybrid model, the numbers look different.
One to four days working from home is not so environmentally friendly
One day of home office a week only reduced emissions by two percent. Where energy savings took place in the office, this did not affect the commute.
Working from home two or four days per week reduced a person’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 29 percent compared to on-site employees.
Home office puts many companies to the test, as this example shows:
How was it tested?
Researchers from Cornell University and Microsoft used data from Microsoft employees on commuting and home working behavior, among other things. They used this to calculate the expected greenhouse gas emissions in five categories:
- office workers
- Home office employees
- Hybrid employees
Two areas in particular were the main causes of emissions: Energy consumption in the office and the daily commute to work.
According to the study, the use of IT and communication technology, i.e. laptops, headsets, cell phones and so on, has a negligible impact on the environment.
Another environmentally friendly advantage of working from home is the reduction in traffic on the roads during rush hour. According to the researchers, this improves the fuel consumption of other road users.
However, the study authors warnedthat working from home needs to be carefully planned to achieve emissions savings.
Working from home is not the same as being environmentally friendly
Conversely, anyone who works from home is not necessarily environmentally friendly or even climate neutral. The reason is simple: those who spend more time at home emit emissions in other ways, especially through social interactions or hobbies.
Households are not always optimized when it comes to the use of renewable energy and the efficiency of their own devices. For example, a small home printer is likely to be less energy efficient than an office printer.
While the study’s findings don’t apply to all workers – a bus driver can’t work from home, for example – they do provide guidance on how office-based employers can reduce their company’s emissions.
Green does not always mean green: oil companies use influencers to carry out greenwashing. Another study found that in a 5-day week we usually do nothing for one day.
Home office is a hot topic, not only in Germany, but also among American companies. The study shows that employees who can work from home are good for the environment. How do you feel about home office? Do you think this is the right path for the foreseeable future? Or does only the person who is at work work? Feel free to write it in the comments!
