It’s no secret that energy prices have been hiking up this year, and high energy costs can make working from home especially pricey. The good news is that there are a few key ways you can make your home office a little more energy-friendly to reduce your energy costs and your carbon footprint at the same time.
Use EnergyStar Equipment
Did you know that certain electronic equipment is more energy-efficient than others? If you’re looking for something that is strictly for work, there are energy-efficient options for most of your equipment needs.
As you shop for upgrades to your current office equipment, look for options that have an EnergyStar logo on them. EnergyStar is a program run by the United States government that provides information on the energy consumption of certain products.
If they’ve given something their stamp of approval, that means that it is more energy-efficient than its competitors. Buy these options in order to make your home office more energy friendly.
Find a More Eco-Friendly Web Server Host
The server host you use for work may not be following energy-friendly practices. If you want to make a green step in an often-forgotten part of your workflow, look for an eco-friendly web server host.
Web servers use a lot of power, which is often provided by fossil fuels. Look into the energy practices of different web server host companies and see which ones prioritize energy efficiency. Then transfer your server to them.
The global web hosting market is huge and expected to grow from a value of $102 billion to $321.5 billion in 2025, so there are plenty of options to choose from.
Open Your Blinds
Don’t forget to open your blinds when you start work for the day. If your room is dim, you might turn on overhead lights without even thinking about it. This can be a waste of electricity, especially on sunny days when you don’t need any additional light.
A move as simple as opening your blinds can make your office immediately more energy friendly than it previously was.
Turn Off Electronics
At the end of the day, make sure that you turn off all of your office’s electronics. When you work from home, it can be easy to forget to do this.
In the office, you’re going to be actively separating yourself from your work routine. Turning off your computer, flipping off the lights, and leaving is a natural parts of the closing process.
At home, however, you might not remember to do this if you’re simply leaving your office. Even in standby mode, these appliances use up a lot of energy that could otherwise be easily saved.
Reproduce those business habits at home at the end of the day by turning off your computer, as well as any other electronic equipment you’ve been using. Then they won’t sit and waste electricity until the next work day.
Unplug Chargers
It can be very easy and convenient to leave your phone charger plugged into the wall all the time. However, even when it isn’t being used, it still drains small amounts of electricity. This is electricity that do not need to be used since it won’t do you any good.
Take the extra step to unplug your phone chargers when you aren’t using them. While it might be a little less convenient to plug them in when you need them, it will reduce your energy usage.
You want your home office, where you do your job, to be energy friendly. Not only does that help the environment, but it also saves you money. By applying these tips to your home office, you can cut the amount of energy you use each day.
Feature image: Roberto Nickson; Image 1: Mike Cox
