Does remote work help the climate? How remote access and support affect greenhouse gas emissions

In January 2024, the yearly average global air temperature exceeded the critical 1.5 ° C warming limit for the first time. At this rate, climate change is causing floods, droughts, wildfires, and other disasters worldwide – seriously threatening life as we know it.  

The warming process can only be slowed if governments, organizations, and individuals minimize greenhouse gas emissions. One way to do so is by working remotely. In fact, according to a 2023 study, remote work can reduce emissions by up to 58% compared to traditional office work.  

This article explores how remote work cuts emissions compared to the conventional office, accounting for potential risks. It also offers tips on how to leverage remote work to achieve your organization’s sustainability goals.  

What are the main sources of emissions in the conventional workplace?

Before diving into the environmental impact of remote work, let’s look at the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the traditional workplace.  

Office energy usage

Electricity and heat are the leading sources of CO2 emissions worldwide. Conventional offices have a high energy consumption for lighting, heating, and air conditioning. Office equipment like computers, monitors, and printers also use a lot of energy. And let’s not forget about appliances like coffee machines, refrigerators, and microwaves. 

Work-related travel

The second major source of carbon emissions is transportation, which includes work-related travel. In 2022, more than half of the people commuting to work or school did so by car – even though, aside from flying, car travel is the form of transport with the largest carbon footprint. 

Business trips are another critical aspect to consider. Many employees travel long distances for meetings, conferences, client visits, and technical support. They often do so via airplane, and air travel remains a major emitter of CO2, especially domestic flights.  

Office waste

Another way of causing greenhouse gas emissions is by creating waste. Offices tend to have a high usage of disposable items like paper, office supplies, food packaging, plastic bottles, and so on. 

In addition to that, 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food waste. And the amount of food that goes to waste in office cafeterias, lunchrooms, and catered events certainly adds up. 

What are the environmental benefits of remote work?

As conventional office work has a large carbon footprint, remote work appears to be a promising alternative. But what are the actual environmental benefits of working remotely?

Less travel for work 

The most obvious environmental benefit of remote work is that remote workers travel less. Employees can substantially reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by working from home or somewhere nearby.

Remote work and collaboration technology like video conferencing, cloud storage, and digital project management tools also reduce the need for physical meetings. They enable employees to meet with clients, contractors, and other external parties worldwide without leaving their desks. 

Reduced work-related travel doesn’t only have a substantial impact on greenhouse gas emissions. It also means there are fewer vehicles on the road at rush hour. This can improve the quality of life in urban areas.  Think less traffic, fewer accidents, less noise, and cleaner air.  

Smaller office spaces

Remote work also means a reduced need for office space. Companies should consider downsizing their offices when introducing a remote work or hybrid policy. That way, they can cut the energy used for office heating, air conditioning, and lighting. This doesn’t only benefit the planet. Office downsizing is also an effective way of cutting overhead costs. 

When the demand for office space decreases, communities are under less pressure to build new office buildings. This means more possibilities to create climate-friendly living spaces and preserve natural habitats. 

Less waste

People working from home tend to produce less waste. After all, they can drink coffee from mugs instead of to-go cups. They don’t have to pack or buy their lunch, reducing the amount of disposable packaging like tin foil or Ziploc bags. And they can prepare everything using the appliances they have at home. Also, employees working from home can prevent food waste by preparing the right quantities and saving leftovers.  

More digitalization 

Remote work encourages paperless, digital workflows. With the switch from a conventional workplace to a work-from-anywhere approach, it becomes clear that we don’t need Post-it notes, paper clips, or toner to be productive. Remote workers can boost their productivity and reduce waste by using digital resources rather than physical office supplies. 

More mindfulness

Another aspect to consider is that employees may be more environmentally conscious at home than at work. Recycling tends to be more common in homes than in the workplace. Reasons for this include people not feeling responsible for dealing with waste and a lack of available recycling facilities. And since they’re paying the energy bill, remote workers may be more motivated to turn off lights or unplug laptops.

Does remote work always reduce carbon emissions?

Remote work can save up to 58% of carbon emissions compared to conventional office work, according to a PNAS study from 2023. However, to reap the environmental benefits of remote work, businesses must also be aware of the risks. 

One risk is that remote workers might replace their commute with other, non-work-related travel. This can happen when they move to rural areas, where day-to-day tasks like taking children to school, grocery shopping, and doctor’s visits are associated with longer car drives. Remote workers are also more likely to live far away from their workplaces. This can mean that if they need to come into the office, they must fly to get there.  

Further, if managed poorly, hybrid work can have a negative environmental impact. Remote work must go hand in hand with a reduction in office space. If people are working at home and half-empty offices are still powered at total capacity, the energy used by the employees at home is added to the fixed energy use of the office space. 

The information and communications technology (ICT) people use to work remotely also consumes energy. However, a recent study shows that their contribution to carbon emissions is negligible.  

Remote work can be a great way for businesses to reduce their environmental footprint and improve workplace satisfaction – as long as they actively address these challenges. 

How do remote maintenance and support affect carbon emissions?

Many articles focus on the impact of work-from-home (WFH) on greenhouse gas emissions. But how do remote maintenance and support influence emissions? 

Say goodbye to on-site visits

Imagine a classic technical support scenario. A device or machine isn't working, and the expert who can fix it is located two hours away. Traditionally, the expert would have to travel to the user’s location, i.e., a four-hour round trip (not accounting for traffic), even if it only takes 20 minutes to resolve the issue. 

With remote technology, the expert can access the machine, identify, and solve the problem without leaving their desk. Or they can communicate with the user via augmented reality (AR) enhanced calls. This way, they can point out the issue to the user and guide them through fixing it themselves. 

And it doesn’t stop there. The use cases for remote technology in maintenance and support are endless. But they all have one thing in common: Less travel means happier technicians, happier customers, and a happier planet. 

Make the most of what you have

It’s common practice to get rid of devices when they break. Especially when it’s difficult or expensive to fix them. However, throwing devices away instead of repairing them causes unnecessary waste and puts a tremendous strain on the environment.

More than 50 million tons of electronic waste are generated every year, and only 20% are recycled. Many electronic devices contain toxic substances. So, they contaminate the air, soil, and water when they aren't disposed of correctly. 

You can break the cycle of tossing and replacing devices. Remote technology allows you to perform proactive maintenance on devices and machines to prevent foreseeable technical problems. And with readily available technical support, users will be more inclined to get their devices fixed instead of trading them in. It’s all about being mindful of your resources and making the most of them.