The Environmental Benefits of Remote Work

One of the greatest benefits of technology (especially for parents) is the rise in opportunities for working at home. It’s more convenient and often less stressful, and there are many remote work environment benefits.

While employees and many employers tend to support remote work — with benefits including saved money, increased productivity, flexibility for working parents, and reduced employee turnover — they don’t often discuss the positive impact it can have on the environment.

Remote work, also called telecommuting, is on the rise. According to FlexJobs, the number of remote workers since 2005 has increased by more than 120 percent. And since 2020, more companies are adopting hybrid and remote work models for the long-term.

A Gallup survey found that 8 in 10 people are working hybrid or remote. That’s more than 165 million people cutting out their daily commute and lessening their impact on transportation infrastructure.

Remote Work Benefits for the Environment

Remote work may do more for the planet than we expected. Here are some of the most impactful positive environmental benefits of remote work.

Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The biggest and most obvious advantage to telecommuting is not having a daily commute. While any amount of remote work can help reduce your environmental impact, research shows the number of days you work from home makes a big difference.

A 2023 PNAS study found:

• Working remotely just 1 day per week results in only a 2% reduction in emissions.
• Full-time remote workers reduce their carbon emissions by 54–58% compared to onsite workers.
• Hybrid workers who stay home 2 to 4 days per week cut emissions by 11–29%.

During the global shutdowns of 2020, NASA observed reduced air pollution and improved water quality worldwide, much of it linked to the sharp drop in commuting and industrial activity.

And Global Workforce Analytics estimated that if half of the U.S. workforce worked remotely even part of the time, it could eliminate 54 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. This is the equivalent of taking more than 10 million cars off the road for a year. Over time, the climate savings really add up.

Decreased Consumption of Fossil Fuels

The US Energy Information Administration found that the country consumed 391.40 million gallons of gasoline daily in 2017. Employees who work remotely have the chance to reduce that number, especially if they live in a remote area or have a long distance to travel.

Decreasing our fossil fuel usage is a key factor in keeping the environment safer and improving the climate situation.

Employees can save money on gas, oil, and wear-and-tear on their vehicles — a necessity, considering that the financial experts at Fiscal Tiger claim millennials are expected to pay more than $8.8 trillion in climate change costs over the course of their lifetime (source).

Fewer Office Resources Used

Fewer employees in the office means using fewer resources, which is one of the most effective ways to combat climate change.

With more employees telecommuting, employers can cut down on everything from printer paper to the size of the office and the energy it uses. Even a Work from Anywhere Week can make a huge difference in utility and supply use!

Less Impact on Infrastructure

Transportation infrastructure in the US is in desperate need of a major overhaul. Many of the nation’s highways operate at capacity due to lack of road repairs and expansions.

Not only does working remotely reduce the amount of traffic at peak commute times, it lessens the amount and intensity of damage done to transportation infrastructure.

Neutral or Negative Consequences

Though there are many environmental benefits of working from home, it’s important to consider any neutralizing or negative consequences.

Trade-Offs and Environmental Caveats

While remote work offers clear environmental benefits, it’s not entirely impact-free.

Working from home can increase household energy use (heating, cooling, and powering extra devices.) In fact, global remote work in 2021 was estimated to generate around 34 million metric tons of CO₂, largely from home energy use and digital technology.

Additionally, some remote workers have relocated to suburban or rural areas, which can lead to longer drives for errands, school drop-offs, or social activities. These extra non-work trips may offset some of the emissions saved by skipping a daily commute.

Though home offices may not use as many resources, employees may need to obtain extra equipment at home. People in offices usually share tools like printers and copiers. For home based work, each employee might need to purchase and power these devices, leading to higher energy uses and more eventual e-waste.

Being conscious of these environmental factors can help employees and employers alike make choices about the workplace that benefit them, their organization, and the planet.