'Green' Solutions for the Workplace

Legislative and social pressures are mounting for companies to decrease their carbon footprints and apply more “green” workplace policies.

The goal of going “green” is to reduce carbon footprints at minimal cost and the spectrum of solutions ranges from implementing a simple recycling program to installing solar panels in the office space. 

One possible solution is an employee telework initiative—having employees work remotely two to three days a week.

According to the Telework Research Network, half-time telework can accomplish the following:

• Reduce Gulf Oil imports by 45%.
• Save 281 million barrels of oil worth $22 billion in oil imports.
• Reduce carbon emissions by over 51 million metric tons a year (the equivalent of taking all of New York’s commuters off the road!)
• Reduce office energy consumption, roadway repairs, urban heating, office construction, business travel, and paper usage.
• Reduce road wear and tear (and associated repair costs) by 112 billion miles a year.

• 70% of employees report they would see their companies in a more favorable light if they helped them reduce their carbon emissions.
• 24% of employees say they’d take a pay cut of up to 10% to help the environment.

Sun Microsystems reported that 19,000 U.S. employees (approximately 56% of their workforce) participated in their Open Work Program and avoided producing 52,000 tons of CO₂-equivalents emissions in 2008 by driving less often to and from work.

The AT&T telework program enabled the employees who participated to avoid 175 million commute miles per year, with annual fuel savings of approximately 8 million gallons and a net reduction of 76,273 metric tons of CO₂-equivalents emissions per year.

A telework initiative also can be a way to cheaply implement some Clean Air Act requirements, as well as ADA accommodations for disabled employees.

How can you, as an employer, simply and easily initiate a telework program for your employees? There are many free resources available:

• The Telework Research Network has a Telework Savings Calculator so companies can quantify the potential cost savings
• ValleyMetro – the public transportation provider for the Phoenix metro area – has multiple tools available, such as a Cost-Benefit Analysis, sample telework plans and policies, and a free webinar. 
• The State of Arizona, long a proponent of telework policies, also has free online training available.