How to save energy when you work from home
Since covid lockdowns drove millions to work from home in 2020, many businesses have taken on remote or hybrid working patterns, enabling more of their employees to work from home a lot more of the time.
Not only does home working reduce the cost and carbon footprint of operating a large office space, it drives down carbon emissions from commuting. However, it does come with its own costs and carbon emissions which employers and employees do need to factor in.
In this article, we explain several ways to save energy when you work from home.
The working day
If you work from home, you’ll be using your own heating, Wifi and electricity instead of your office’s. Here are a few ideas for being more energy efficient.
Save time, carbon and money on your commute
One positive about being at home is the reduction in both carbon emissions and air pollution from driving your car less. Instead, you could ‘commute’ to or from the home office with a run, walk or cycle.
Set up your workstation
If you’re making do with a DIY office, try to choose a spot with plenty of natural light so that you don’t have to have lights on all day. Speaking of lighting – when you go out for essentials, you could see if the supermarket sells energy efficient LEDs.
Be efficient with your home heating
The Energy Saving Trust recommends a range of 18-21ºC for healthy adults. If you tend to have the heating at the higher end of the scale, turning it down by just one degree saves energy and money. Time to embrace the working from home wardrobe of cosy jumpers and slippers.
Tea and coffee breaks
Many offices come with the benefit of efficient instant boilers. No such luck at home. To reduce energy used from boiling the kettle, why not make yourself a thermos for refills throughout the morning? Or to cut down on the amount of times the kettle is boiled, set up hot drink breaks with other members of your household.
Turn off all your electronics at the end of the day
Finish the working day by closing down your computer and turning it off at the plug. Don’t leave it on standby all night. You could also try to get into this habit with other appliances, too.
Leisure time
With no need to travel, we have longer days and evenings to fill. Reaching for another screen may feel like the simplest option for filling time, but it’s also energy hungry. Why not think outside the boxset and make room for some lower energy activities as well?
Reducing screen time
From drawing and painting to playing a musical instrument, this time of year is a great time to revisit neglected hobbies or rediscover old interests. Or perhaps you have a pile of books you’ve been wanting to read. With news only ever a few taps away, spending some time offline can help give your mind a rest.
Be energy efficienct in the kitchen
More time in the house means more meals prepared at home. Here are a few ways to be greener when you cook.
Save energy and time by batch cooking
From homemade soup to stews and sauces, cook up a big pan at once and then refrigerate or freeze portions for later. Reheat in the microwave, which is more energy efficient than using the oven.
Learn some new recipes
Get creative with your store cupboard and try out new plant-based recipes. Going meat free for a few meals a week will help reduce the carbon footprint of your diet. Try to limit food waste by eating up or freezing leftovers, or using a composter.
Other energy saving tips
There are plenty of other things you can do to make your home energy efficient. Visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk for more ideas.
Finally, you can reduce the carbon footprint of the energy you do use by switching to a clean energy supplier like Good Energy. We’ll match your power use to 100% renewable electricity generated from sun, wind and water.
