Three Ways You Can Make Your Home Office Utilities More Eco-Friendly

With millions more people working from home since the start of the pandemic, many environmentally-conscious professionals have had the opportunity to flex their eco credentials and create a sustainable home office. From small changes to more large-scale makeovers, there are so many different ways you can help the environment from the comfort of your swivel chair.

Here are three ways you can make better use of your office utilities to make your work space work for the environment.

Use energy efficient appliances

The most obvious place to start when it comes to saving energy on office utilities is with your equipment. There are a number of simple changes you can make to how you use electronic devices and appliances that can have a big impact on your overall energy consumption. For instance, using power-saving modes on laptops and turning off office equipment when it’s not in use can help reduce your carbon footprint considerably.

Another factor to consider is the amount of energy that’s being used on domestic utilities like lighting and heating. With people spending more time at home, it’s even more pivotal to address this area, and fortunately there are many different ways you can make your energy go further. Firstly, be sure to switch out any incandescent light bulbs for LEDs instead, which are far more efficient and cost-effective.

Better still, try and set up your home office in a space that’s exposed to sunlight. Being able to make the most of natural lighting means you’ll be less reliant on artificial sources, saving you both energy and money in the process.

Reduce waste

There are many ways you can limit office waste, including reducing paper use and being more mindful of food waste. For any documents that need to be printed, try to print on both sides of the page whenever possible. Instead of accumulating masses of post-its, ditch the pen and paper and take notes electronically. After you’re done, make sure to recycle old documents rather than simply throwing them away.

Finally, managing the carbon footprint of your food takes effort but can make a big difference. This can be done by composting food scraps and only buying foods in bulk sizes or with minimal packaging. With these simple strategies, you can ensure that your home office produces less waste each day.

Recycle

There are so many opportunities to recycle and reuse materials throughout your office space. Firstly, when designing your home working setup, try to use recycled furniture and decorations. Not only can pre-owned items give your office a more unique look, but they allow you to focus on your work in the knowledge that you’re also playing your part in protecting the environment.

As well as utilising recycled items, you should also consider how you can dispose of things you no longer need in a responsible way. For example, do you have any old laptops or other electronics lying around collecting dust? Generally, most parts of a laptop are recyclable, so don’t just throw it away, even if it’s in bad condition. Alternatively, if it’s still in good working order, use an online marketplace to trade it in to find it a new home and help reduce the strain on the planet’s natural resources in the process.

To sum up

Living a sustainable lifestyle always begins at home. Whether you’re working remotely full time or in a hybrid setup, there are so many simple changes you can make that won’t cost the earth. Switching out inefficient appliances, identifying more opportunities for recycling and limiting the amount of waste you produce will go a long way towards creating a more eco-friendly office space.

Article by Liam Johnson, Creative Media