Is working from home better for the environment?
At first glance, you might think that working from home rhymes with ecology since it avoids business trips. Knowing that 70% of Belgians use their car to get to work, it is quickly established: teleworking reduces CO2 emissions related to transport. However, the calculation is not so simple! Let's discover together the links between the environment and teleworking.
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The benefits of teleworking on the environment
When it comes to citing the environmental benefits of teleworking, the reduction in car journeys is at the top of the list. According to a study carried out by ADEME in 2020, one day of teleworking per week would save 271 kg of CO2 emitted per year. On average, teleworking can reduce the environmental impact of car transport by around 30%.
In addition to avoided business travel, teleworking could reduce the ecological footprint of companies. If the number of workers is reduced, so are the energy resources and equipment! First of all, the amount of energy consumed in the company is limited. In offices, printers are very energy-intensive, not to mention light, air conditioning, heating, or even the coffee machine... Fewer employees in the office means less space to supply ! In addition, fewer supplies are needed with teleworking. Whether it's paper, ink cartridges, pens... In this sense, teleworking makes it possible to serve the environmental cause and offers a significant potential for reducing pollution.
However, we should not neglect the rebound effects that could materialize in the medium and long term. Even if they are still difficult to measure, it is important to be aware of them.
See also: the 8 advantages and disadvantages of teleworking
The hidden pollution of teleworking
Digital pollution
Digital pollution is one of the aspects that blurs the positive effects of teleworking. Indeed, digital technology requires physical infrastructures that consume a lot of energy. With the rise of teleworking, the use of videoconferencing has increased drastically and is not without consequences for the planet. According to a 2020 study mentioned in the ADEME study, one minute of videoconferencing would emit 1g of CO2. On the other hand, the over-equipment of computer equipment necessary for remote work is the source of new waste.
Digital pollution currently accounts for 4% of global carbon dioxide emissions according to ADEME. With teleworking, this figure is expected to increase. However, there are simple ways to reduce your environmental impact while working from home and achieve digital sobriety: delete your emails, clean up your Cloud spaces, favor calls over videoconferences or turn off your camera during videoconferences...
Energy expenditure at home
Even though our transport-related carbon footprint is decreasing thanks to teleworking, the International Energy Agency (IEA) notes that work-related pollution could well increase due to an increase in energy consumption by households. In the United Kingdom, for example, the 2020 lockdowns caused an increase in electricity consumption of around 15%.
In addition, energy consumption in companies is not necessarily decreasing with teleworking. In the office, it sometimes even remains stable since the premises remain open to accommodate certain employees wishing to work in person.
Commutes replaced
The number of business trips has certainly been reduced, but we must look at the repercussions of teleworking on other daily trips. When we work remotely, we don't necessarily stay at home. Teleworking can lead to unforeseen non-professional travel: shopping, taking your children to school, going to personal activities, etc.
In addition, teleworking can have a relocation effect. With this new way of working, workers are encouraged to move further away. Indeed, they will agree to make more trips to work than once a week. As a result, journeys are longer and workers have much more recourse to the car. This can fade the positive impact of reducing commuting.
See also: the 8 advantages and disadvantages of teleworking
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