A new study shows that, if done right, remote work can cut your carbon footprint by 54%According to a new study by Cornell University and Microsoft, remote workers can have a 54% lower carbon footprint compared with onsite workers.
This is only if remote work is “done right.” Lifestyle choices and work arrangements play an essential role in determining the environmental benefits of remote and hybrid work.
The study also finds that hybrid workers who work from home two to four days per week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%. Working from home one day per week only reduces their carbon footprint by 2%.
The main contributors to the carbon footprint for onsite and hybrid workers, according to the study, are travel and office energy use.
The study finds that companies and policymakers should also focus on incentivizing public transportation over driving, eliminating office space for remote workers, and improving energy efficiency for office buildings.
They also found the effects of remote and hybrid work on communications technologies such as computer, phone, and internet usage have negligible impacts on the overall carbon footprint.
