Millions of Americans have created a new norm by working from home during 2020. Depending on your personality and the work you do, this was an asset or something less desirable.
Regardless of your stance on this issue, there are some considerations that can add to a more healthy and eco-friendly remote work lifestyle.
Read on for expert tips and tricks for making your home work space eco-friendly and feel good about doing it.
Let’s jump in!
Remote Workers Can Choose Green Furnishings
While making a decision on which desk to buy, ensure that you find something that is not only comfortable but ergonomic so that it lasts for a considerable amount of time going forward. This is especially important for your desk and chair, which you will likely be using for several hours on end.
Also consider choosing furniture pieces that have the lowest environmental impact possible. Wood furniture is generally the best option for creating a solid, eco-friendly workspace when sourced from a responsible supplier.
Include Indoor Plants
Studies have proven that indoor plants improve concentration and productivity (by up to 15 percent!), reduce stress levels and boost your mood — making them perfect for not just your home but your work space too.
When it comes to your indoor air quality, plants possess purifying properties. Thus, they can remove tiny quantities of volatile organic compounds.
Because a plant essentially purifies the atmosphere, it can give your home a greater level of freshness.
While plants have less horse power than air purifiers, they're more natural, cost effective, and therapeutic.
Furthermore, even small houseplants utilize carbon dioxide and add oxygen into the indoor air so that you can breathe easier. Plants additionally help to create more comfortable levels of humidity in atmospheres that are dry.
Here are just some plants that are known for being the best at cleaning indoor air:
- English Ivy
- Bamboo Palm
- Chinese Evergreen
- Gerbera Daisy
- Dragon Tree
- Chrysanthemum
- Peace Lily
- Spider Plant
Make your remote work space greener with a house plant.
Choose Green Stationary or Go the Paperless Route
You can also make your home office more eco-friendly by replacing reams of paper with printless storage options, digital apps and erasable white boards.
By using these options there is no waste as there would be with paper.
In the same way, cut out physical subscriptions where you can. Try reading business journals, magazines, and newspapers online instead.
If you do choose paper subscriptions, be sure to recycle them once you're finished with them, or pass them around to friends and family.
Likewise, if you have to use paper for printing in your office, try to stick with paper fabricated from materials that have been recycled.
Furthermore, be sure to recycle your print cartridges to make your printer usage more sustainable long-term.
Embrace Natural Light in Your Office Space
Conserve energy by setting up your desk and work space near a window and in a bright sunshiny room. By depending more on natural light, you can trim your home's electricity costs. You’ll also benefit from absorbing more Vitamin D, which is excellent for boosting your productivity and health.
Helpful hint: for Zoom calls during the day, position the sunlight in front of you versus behind you. This will allow you to look clearer on camera.
If you haven’t already, begin replacing your traditional bulbs with quality LED lights as they burn out. This will help trim power consumption.
Power saving tips:
Turn off the lights when you’re not in a room.
Wash clothes in cold as often as you can.
Keep the tv’s off when you’re not actually watching them.
Burn your paper products rather than adding to the landfill.
And use your dishwasher rather than washing by hand—it saves water!
We Can Help You Take Your First Step to Create a Green Remote Work Space
If you are serious about making your home work space more eco-friendly, we can help.
We offer unique wood products designed to help remote workers create greener home offices. For instance, you can incorporate one of our solid wood benches into your office space design if your business attracts visitors. Our benches stand out for being both aesthetically appealing and functional.
We also provide decorative pallet wood wall art that will immediately add character to your work space.
Visit our website to learn more about how we can help you to create an attractive, comfortable, and environmentally friendly remote work space.