I'm a little ashamed to admit that I hadn't given much thought to the overall impact telecommuting can have on the environment until I hit the "Google Search" button in my browser window. 

Wow - results galore! Apparently I'm a little behind on this issue. While most articles highlight the environmental benefits of telecommuting from home, others challenge this widely-accepted opinion.

The Environmental Benefits Argument

• By working from home, you eliminate the commute, reduce emissions of pollutants and save in energy and petroleum consumption.  

In The Green Book, authors Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen report that workers commute an average of 10,000 miles per year and consume 67 billion gallons of gas. Telecommuting reduces vehicle miles traveled per year by more than 35 billion and saves almost 2 billion gallons of gas.

That obviously also reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

In the 2008 "Smart 2020" report, the Climate Group for the Global e-Sustainability Initiative found that virtual meetings and flexible work arrangements could reduce 70-130 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. (The study was conducted by international management consultants McKinsey & Company and outlines the many ways the tech industry can reduce emissions - telecommuting was at the top of the list.)

The Environmental Damages Argument

• Many telecommuters end up driving just as much as their office counterparts, running errands or driving to lunch meetings.

• Employees also have to equip and power their work area, and often end up duplicating what's also shared at the company office. ("Does telecommuting help really the environment?"

Arpad Horvath, an engineering professor at UC Berkley has been researching the environmental impact of working from home, and advocates taking into consideration all the resources used while telecommuting. While telecommuting may lower the amount of carbon dioxide released into the environment, the "extra electricity used by dedicated home offices and electronics meant that telecommuters produced more nitrous oxide and methane."

Horvath and his research team have developed a web-based tool that can help people track the environmental impact of their telecommuting. The online calculator asks data about use of transportation and electricity, and then it determines the type and amount of emissions generated.

I'm not entirely sure where I stand on this issue. While I agree that it's important to take into consideration all resources used while telecommuting, I also think it's a little unrealistic to assume that office workers do not run errands over lunch or drive to lunch meetings. On the other hand, I agree with the statement that teleworkers are duplicating the power that's being supplied in their offices at home. Also - as Workshifters, we do a considerable amount of traveling, which likely wouldn't be the case (at least as much) if we were office based.

What do you think?

Photo Credit: Atwater Village