Work from home. Work from home. Work from home. The tip in the Earth Hero challenge was “bring zero waste to work”, but I’ve been working from home for a year now and my carbon footprint has decreased GREATLY. I’d love to know by how much because the amount of emissions and waste I’ve cut down on since not having to be in the office must be massive.
I don’t have to drive to work every day, saving me two fuel-guzzling trips in traffic a day. Looking solely at work trips, I used to drive 130km a week before the pandemic. Now I barely drive that in a month. My car also requires less maintenance because it spends less time on the road.
In addition, I’ve cut back on takeout, ready-made meals, and coffee because I get to make and eat fresh, healthy, practically waste-free food at home. I have less laundry, wear less makeup, and use fewer toiletries, all of which help me cut down on waste and save a ton of money.
We may send more e-mails, use communication apps more often, and have more online meetings, all of which require electricity, but if I think of what lazy shits we used to be, driving to meetings that were within walking distance, it all balances out.
If you do have to go into the office or have a job that requires your presence on-site, cut back on waste by bringing your own meals from home. It can be difficult to resist though, especially when heading out for a meal or grabbing a cup of coffee is the only chance you get to take a break or move around during the day. And nothing you prepare beforehand, no matter how gourmet and gob-smacking, is a substitute for fresh food.
Read more about the Earth Hero Zero Waste Challenge here.