Can Working from Home Reduce Carbon Emissions by Half?

The COVID-19 virus, which plagued all of humanity after 2020. Although the pandemic was declared over in 2023, it's become impossible to fully return to life as it was before. We've now grown accustomed to contactless lifestyles, no longer needing to interact with delivery drivers when receiving packages or with store clerks when ordering food.

This contactless lifestyle has significantly impacted the work patterns of office workers. Many companies that initially implemented work-from-home arrangements to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have continued them even after the pandemic. According to one statistic, about 20% of companies are still implementing work-from-home after the recovery. While not everyone can work from home 100% like during the pandemic, many are adopting a 'hybrid' work style, combining commuting and remote work.

In fact, many companies believe that the hybrid approach boosts work efficiency. The reason for this increase in efficiency is likely due to the elimination of unnecessary energy expenditure on commuting. However, did you know that working from home doesn't just save our physical energy? There's astounding research suggesting that working from home can reduce carbon emissions by nearly half.

In 2023, Cornell University and Microsoft in the US published a research paper stating that 100% work-from-home arrangements can reduce carbon emissions by up to 54%. This outcome is likely due to the significant decrease in vehicle usage as commuting becomes unnecessary when working from home. Although electric vehicles are becoming more common, internal combustion engine vehicles still dominate, making vehicle usage a major contributor to carbon emissions.

Working from home 2-4 days a week can reduce carbon emissions by up to 29%. Notably, working from home just once a week only yields a 2% reduction. The researchers attribute this to the energy consumed at home offsetting the reduction achieved on that one day of remote work.

This leads us to realize that simply working from home isn't enough to drastically reduce carbon emissions. What we should truly focus on isn't 'working from home' itself, but rather the 'reasons' why carbon emissions decrease when we do.

In other words, we need to pay attention not to commuting itself but to the method of commuting. Even if we commute, using public transportation instead of a private vehicle can reduce carbon emissions. Conversely, even if we work from home, if we use a car for non-work-related outings after work, we won't see any decrease in carbon emissions.

Another reason for the reduction in carbon emissions when working from home is the decrease in energy used in the office. However, we shouldn't just focus on the outcome. If we work from home but consume a lot of electricity and gas, the effect on carbon emissions is minimal. Conversely, if we work in an office but use energy-efficient products, we can significantly reduce carbon emissions.

Ultimately, the key takeaway from this research is that lifestyle is more important than work style. By making it a habit to use public transportation and diligently manage energy consumption, we can contribute to environmental protection regardless of our work arrangements. Please keep this in mind.