You know that sustainable living is important when it comes to how you cook, what clothes you buy, and the car you drive. But what about how you structure your home office?
Sure, by working from home you reduce your carbon footprint (no traffic jams or long commutes!), but what else can you do to help the environment?
Take a look at some of our favorite eco-friendly home office supplies, and let’s go green together.
Go green (literally) with indoor plants
Indoor plants are a positive addition to any home office for several reasons. Not only do they purify the air, but these powerful plants sharpen your focus, increase the humidity in your office, and they make you happier.
Sounds like a win-win to us.
These are a few of our favorite indoor plants:
1. The Best Indoor Plants by Emeritus Garden Plants
2. Five Large Indoor Plants by Florida Foliage
3. Clean Air Houseplants by Costa Farms
But don’t worry—even if you’re not a green thumb, these plants aren’t high maintenance. Just make sure to give them plenty of water and sunlight—without overdoing it of course—and you’ll have the happiest office plants.
Use only recycled paper items
Though most remote workers today can do their jobs entirely digitally, sometimes a situation calls for paper. Whether you need to print out an important document for your records or can’t fathom the thought of giving up your old school paper planner, if you’re going the paper route, make sure you’re using recycled materials.
Below are some of the top recycled paper materials for your home office:
1. Truegrasses A5 Hardcover Notebook
2. Hammermill 100% Recycled Great White Printer Paper
3. USA Eco Notebook by Northbrooks
Energy-saving lamps and bulbs keep your space bright and eco-friendly
Every home office needs a lamp, so why not pick one that is energy-saving (and better for your eyes)?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using light bulbs that have earned the Energy Star rating can save you $75 per year. What’s more, depending on the one you choose, energy-saving light bulbs last between 3-25 times longer than regular light bulbs.
Also, be sure to choose a light bulb that’s easier on the eyes (literally) like LED bulbs and halogen bulbs.
These lamps and light bulbs are perfect for when the ideas are flowing, but the natural sunlight is not:
2. Adjustable LED Desk Lamp by MEIKEE
3. LED Reading Floor Lamp by Sunix
Swap harmful plastic water bottles with a reusable one
If you’re still buying plastic water bottles in those big bulky packages, you may want to rethink why you keep doing so. These days there are all kinds of colorful, insulated, reusable water bottles to choose from that make the plastic ones look even more so like the waste they are.
Plus, some bottled water contains toxins (even if they claim to be BPA-free), so they’re not just bad for the planet, they’re bad for your health, too.
Check out some of these popular reusable water bottle brands:
1. Hydro Flask
2. Contigo
3. Nalgene
Turn your office into a sustainable one
Creating a sustainable office doesn’t just stop here. With so many ways—both big and small—to make your space more environmentally-conscious, it’s difficult to justify not doing anything at all.
Here are a few additional ways you can make your home office sustainable:
- Turn off electronics when you’re not using them.
- Keep your thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summertime and at 68 degrees, or as low as you can stand it, in the winter.
- Look for other green office supplies like refillable pens and staple-less staplers.
- Use green cleaning products to clean your office (and your home, while you’re at it).
- Use natural sunlight as much as possible.
What are your favorite ways to live green? Tune into the latest episode of the Unemployable podcast for more freelance advice.