Is Working From Home A Greener Choice?

A constant debate is going on, is working from home a greener choice? Is it the right choice? Here are few positives and negatives. I'm afraid I don't have the answer, but I tend to see more positives for a competent, self motivated worker, being at home vs. the office.

Green reasons why you should telecommute.

1. A recent article posted in The Arlington Environment stated that when commuting to and from work each week, the U.S. white-collar workforce burns more than 583.3 million gallons of gasoline.  It further states that if one average employee teleworked, just one day per week, it would save the environment 1,680 pounds of CO2 emissions per year. 
2. The US Patent Office alone had 3,609 employees participating in some form of telework, and are boasting savings more than 613,000 gallons of gas, preventing 9,600 tons of emissions, and saving more than $1.8 million annually in fuel costs by allowing employees to work outside the office. 
3. It reduces your overall work related costs by as much as tens of thousands of dollars per year.
4. You can hold down pollution and waste by making your own decisions about disposable items, pencils, paper products and more.
5. Spending More Time With Your Family
   

Reasons Staying Home May Not Be Your Greenest Choice

1. You generally end up putting in more than 40 hours a week. Remember, not only will you be doing work for clients, but you’ll have to invoice, market and work on your own business as well. I’m pretty certain there are few, working a true 40 hour work week.
2. You have no time management skills, you end up taking more computer time, running late at night when all the lights need to be on and your ordering take out because you are not managing your time well. Not a green solution. 
3. The office may be able to offer greener solutions vs. 100 employees working in a non-green efficient home.
4. If an employee works at home all year, however, he or she pumps out 2.38 tons of carbon dioxide, whereas a typical office worker produces only 1.68 tons of carbon per year.
5. While home workers can save carbon emissions by not commuting, the extra heating and power they use during the winter months can outweigh the benefits.