The undisputed climate benefit of remote work

Plus, British Prime Minister's about-face on green policies hits home.

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How my 15-foot commute helps save the planet

I own a gasoline-powered car. I live in a non-efficient, century-old apartment building heated by fossil fuels. I fly fairly frequently.

In other words, I contribute fairly mightily to global warming.

But there is one thing I do that helps the planet: I work from home four days of the week. Yes, my commute is about 15 feet, from my side of the bed to a desk in the corner of our bedroom.

And that, says a new study just published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is a massive help in combating global warming.

In an analysis of various work scenarios, people’s behaviors and sources of emissions, the researchers found that switching from working onsite to working from home full time may reduce a person’s carbon footprint by about 51%. And hybrid schedules where people work remotely for two to four days a week — that’s me! — could cut emissions by 11 to 29%.