Why It’s Important To Have An Eco-Friendly Home Office
Anyone who’s ever worked in a traditional office environment knows how boring and wasteful it can be. The place tends to be stressful and sedentary-oriented which is not good for the body and mind. However, what is worse, traditional offices also rarely care about the impact they have on the environment! Luckily, if you have the chance to start working from home, you’ll get to tailor your workspace according to your needs and make it as green as possible. Why? Here are just some of the benefits of having an eco-friendly home office.
Anyone who’s ever worked in a traditional office environment knows how boring and wasteful it can be. The place tends to be stressful and sedentary-oriented which is not good for the body and mind. However, what is worse, traditional offices also rarely care about the impact they have on the environment! Luckily, if you have the chance to start working from home, you’ll get to tailor your workspace according to your needs and make it as green as possible. Why? Here are just some of the benefits of having an eco-friendly home office.
Health benefits of eco-friendly materials
Probably the biggest benefit you can reap from creating an eco-friendly home office is health. Many traditional building and finishing materials are prone to moisture which can result in a dangerous mold and mildew buildup. These nasty additions to your office are not only ugly but can also cause various unwanted health effects. Other residents of your office are often harmful radon, carbon monoxide, VOCs and many other allergens.
On the other hand, building and decorating with eco-friendly materials, you will keep your home office free of these harmful chemicals and environmental pollutants and create a space that’s healthier for you and your clients. So, concentrate on non-VOC materials and paints and opt for mold and moisture-resistant materials and finishes. Just to be sure, make sure to regularly test the air quality in your office due to various health reasons. If your house is built in Sydney or Melbourne before 1990, it is quite likely that your house will contain some form of asbestos material which can cause lung, throat and skin irritation. While there are certain home-kits for this, it’s always better (and easier) to call experts to test your air. For instance, professionals conducting air quality testing in Brisbane can conduct complete asbestos testing, but other common types of pollutants are also considered. As you can see, the analysis is pretty thorough, so find your local expert and see what you breathe in every day. When you get your results, you’ll certainly switch to much greener home office practices.
Benefits for energy consumption
Unlike homes and outdoor spaces, offices, in general, use mostly electricity. It’s needed for air conditioning, lighting and powering all those computers and gadgets. So, how can you reduce your electricity waste in your home office? One of the best and most effective things you can do is supply your space with its own source of clean, renewable energy (solar panels or windmill). If that’s one step too many for you, you can opt for something easier like boosting insulation and choosing durable yet eco-friendly materials. If you choose something that will last dozens of years and something that’s recycled or repurposed, you’re actually saving a lot of electricity indirectly. Replacing windows with well-insulated and glazed fixtures will allow you to keep your office well-lit all year round. When you need natural ventilation, keep your windows open and when you need shade, cover your windows with smart treatments.
Additionally, investing in energy-saving electronics is also a great idea. Energy Star appliances and high-efficiency air condition will definitely help you reduce your energy consumption and even save you a significant sum of money on bills. If you prefer to work in the evening, replacing your traditional lights with energy-efficient LEDs will not only provide you with much more pleasant lighting but also save you money on bills and purchases (LEDs last up to ten times longer than traditional light bulbs). Plus, these green additions to your office are very easy to acquire today—with technological advancement and fast shipping, energy-saving products are available all over the world.
Benefits for the environment
An office that’s green is great for human health and money saving, but it mostly benefits our environment. Reduction in energy waste and minimal use of toxic and wasteful materials will allow our aching planet to heal. Investing in recycled, reclaimed and repurposed materials reduces water and energy waste while choosing low- or zero-VOC paints and fabrics reduces pollution.
Creating an eco-friendly home office will not only help yourself but also make an impact on a larger level. Even though your office is small, your new work practices might inspire other people to take the same path. And when many of us make small changes, together we will have a much happier, healthier and greener future. Knowing that your home office helps the green movement, you’ll be rewarded with many monetary and health benefits, so no matter what your motivation is, use it and turn your home office into an eco-friendly oasis.