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75% of the workforce will work remotely at least five times per month by 2025
Photo by Antonio Borriello from Pexels
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It is estimated that 75% of the workforce will work remotely at least five times per month by 2025. And with the trend we see now, working from home can be a permanent setup for many businesses.
As such, it is essential to have a suitable home office. When we say “suitable,” we mean that it should be conducive for work without sacrificing comfort.
And one excellent way you can implement that is to make your home office environment-friendly. The best part is that you do not have to spend a lot to make it happen.
In this post, we will walk you through the eight simple ways on how to create an environmentally friendly home office:
Properly Recycle E-Waste
We get rid of our electronics by simply throwing them away in the dumpster. But doing so can be extremely harmful to the environment.
That’s because these could end up in landfills and may contain toxic chemicals like lead, mercury, beryllium, and chromium. These toxins may leak into soil and water supplies and cause significant damage to the environment.
So, if you’re thinking of throwing them, look up the nearest e-Steward instead.
If you’re not familiar with this, recycling e-waste is a developed movement. That’s because there were raising concerns about how the e-waste of richer countries has been dumped into poorer nations.
An e-Steward will take away old electronics, disassemble them, and then recycle the materials more safely and ethically.
Opt For Sustainable Materials
Are you thinking about renovating a portion of your home into a home office? Then, in a sense, you should pay attention to the kind of materials you’re using. Make sure that you opt for natural products.
The good news is that there are plenty of eco-friendly options in the market. You can talk this over with your contractors and suggest a couple of renewable or sustainable materials that they can work with. This includes bamboo, cork, or reclaimed wood. Make sure that these materials are locally sourced as well.
Also, when looking for furniture, and storage options, you can look for some beautiful pre-owned pieces. While looking for a brand new ergonomic chair is non-negotiable, you can settle for a second-hand desk or filing cabinet instead.
Switch To Energy Saving Devices
While LED light bulbs give off the same amount of light as the regular incandescent bulb, they tend to use up around 40% less energy. Also, although they’re costlier, they last so much longer- so they are a lot more cost-efficient as well.
Another energy-saving device worth mentioning is a smart power strip. While they may look like regular extension cables, they’re pretty intelligent devices. They will detect if you aren’t using plugged electronics, and they will turn them off automatically.
This device is excellent for people who tend to forget switching devices and electronics off or just leaving things in standby mode.
Make The Most Of Natural Light
When looking for a spot in your home that you can turn into a home office, opt for a space that gets plenty of sunlight. A room with a big window can be an excellent choice. This significantly decreases your energy use, thus helping you save money on electricity.
But you do not have to worry if your room is not blessed with natural light. You can still use light colors in the room and then strategically place mirrors so that it will boost the amount of light you’re getting.
Natural light has plenty of natural benefits, from improving your immunity to boosting your mood.
HAVE YOU READ?
Think Before You Print
This may sound cliché, but one of the best ways to reduce waste is to go paperless. If this isn’t an option, you may also limit your printing only to essential documents, and to save on paper, try to print on both sides.
Before you start printing, as yourself, if this is necessary, you can opt for recycled paper as well. Your choice of ink, printer and toner is also vital.
Search if there are any environmentally-friendly options like refillable printer cartridges. You can also use various online digital tools for office communication, invoicing, and filing your records.
Decorate With Indoor Plants
There are plenty of benefits that houseplants can bring to your home office. It gives you space, a touch of life, and greenery, bringing along the gifts of nature.
It breathes in fresh oxygen indoors, as it absorbs carbon dioxide in the air. As a result, you’ll feel much more refreshed and invigorated.
Use Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
Many standard cleaning products may contain toxic chemicals that do more harm than good, even to our bodies. That’s why Planet Maids House Cleaning NYC recommends asking your professional home cleaner to use natural or eco-friendly cleaners. Otherwise, you can make your cleaners and ask them to use them instead.
Know The 3 R’s
When setting up an eco-friendly home office, you need to be aware of the 3 R's: Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle. In other words, don’t throw away anything that you can use again.
When it comes to reducing, carefully track your supplies by not purchasing items you don’t need. Not only you’re wasting cash and end up cluttering your space, but you also might not even need most of these pieces, and you’ll end up throwing them out.
Lastly, try to recycle stuff you don’t have any use for or donate or sell things you don’t need.
Over To You
Having an environment-friendly home office allows you to reap the following benefits:
Boost cognitive thinking
Increased motivation to work
Improve your physical health
Boost productivity
Increased job satisfaction
As such, we encourage you to do a tip or two from this list. Doing so ensures that you can get things done while saving the environment your way.
The best part? You do not have to spend money on gas or commute to work. Instead, you can use this time to spend with your family.
That’s because having the freedom to work within the comforts of your home is an excellent way to be a productive remote employee.