When working from home, you may notice, aside from spending way more time in front of your computer screen, your trash cans fill up more quickly, or that your electricity bill creeps up. If you have a growing concern about the footprint you’re leaving each day, you’re not alone.
Sustainability can be about reducing waste, conserving resources, and preserving our mental health and wellbeing. With more than half of the U.S. workforce continuing to work at home, sustainable workplace practices are more critical than ever.
The good news is that despite working from home more often, you can take a few simple steps to be more sustainable when working from home and celebrate Earth Day–not just this Thursday, April 22, but beyond.
Register for sustainability education
Become educated in sustainable living best practices starting with three key sessions on Intuition.
- Sustainability Buzzwords: What Do They Mean, Why Should I Care (4/19)
- 10 Simple Sustainable Ideas To Do While Working From Home (4/21)
- Zero Waste Life Hacks (4/22)
Get new ideas for saving money, making simple switches to be more healthy, and tips to reduce our negative impact on the environment.
Participate in a step challenge
Take advantage of the time working from home, and commit to walking more throughout the day versus driving, whether behind the wheel or using services like Uber Eats or DoorDash. At the end of the month, tally up your steps taken and consider donating to a nature conservatory or an environmental charity.
Clean up your neighborhood
Stepping outside of your home throughout the day is excellent for mental health, but add an Earth Day twist by taking a bag and gloves with you and picking up pieces of trash you see on the ground in your neighborhood. Many municipalities and cities cut back on garbage services and recycling; doing a deed like this is neighborly and kind to the Earth.
Sign-up for an Earth Day trivia session
Or create one for your company! Make it a midday break or an after-work event, and find out how much your colleagues know about the Earth, its species, resources, and threats.
Make a long-term commitment
The possibilities are endless, but making it a yearly habit to focus on one sustainable effort can go a long way. If your goal is to reduce your plastic pollution, identify areas where you can use it less at home. Or invest in a new recycling bin and make it a point to fill it up each month. Reward yourself at the end of the year with a sustainable piece of clothing, yoga mat, water bottle, or anything else that is an environmentally conscious choice.
