Telecommuting (or teleworking) has been touted to be an ecological argument to the traditional way of working (i.e., bringing oneself to the office via some form of transportation that uses gasoline and emits pollution, and therefore, not environment-friendly). The newfangled work style seems to have caught fire because there are at least 3.9 million Americans who do not go to the office to work, at least one day out of
the work week. This translates to a staggering 840 million gallons of unused gasoline, and 2 million cars not driving on the road for a year.

The skeptics have spoken. Telecommuting, they aver, is even worse for Mother Earth than getting oneself to the office. Telecommuting’s ecological benefit isn’t all it’s touted to be. Cars are used more often for many other reasons and occasions, anyway. Using a vehicle to get to work only adds up to 20 percent of actual car usage. Telecommuters set up a semblance of an office at home, anyway. This means power-consuming equipment is still used. Only this time, equipment that can otherwise be shared at the office is now used by just one person. The math isn’t all too difficult to calculate here. But this one takes the cake: the home ‘office’ uses additional electricity that actually produces more nitrous oxide and methane. Huh?

Arguments fly. No matter. It’s the thought that counts. If telecommuters believe, in their heart of hearts, that they’re doing this planet some good by working at home, then something is accomplished here. The green revolution doesn’t start with all things green, right away. It starts from a little individual consciousness that will, with any luck, turn into a full-blown revolution someday. Hopefully, there’s still enough time between now and that aspirational future. Let’s face it. Everything has a carbon footprint. Whether you set your foot outside your home or not, you’re still making a carbon footprint. Just open your fridge and look. Everything you see in there already has its own carbon footprint.

Image

Via Web Worker Daily