Telecommute
 For many of us, it is simply not necessary to go to an office to get our work done. Telecommuting can reduce vehicle miles traveled and harmful emissions.
By telecommuting to work instead of using more conventional methods, there is a great potential to save oil. Not only does it reduce the amount of gasoline and diesel fuel used by reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT), but it also impacts traffic congestion, which eliminates idling, which reduces harmful vehicle emissions. Fewer vehicles on the roads means less wear and tear on them, which means less asphalt (a petroleum product) used. Telecommuting can give you more time for leisure activities and to spend with friends and family and can save us money on gas and childcare.
DID YOUR KNOW?
- The average American spends more than 25 minutes commuting to work and another 25 commuting from work.
- If approximately one quarter of one percent of the workforce in five major U.S. cities were to work from home just one to two days per week, 25 fewer tons of volatile organic compounds would be released into the air in those five cities each year.
- Telecommuting produces an overall net reduction in all household driving, a net energy benefit even with some small additional energy use at the telecommuting site, and a generally positive performance and satisfaction result for both workers and their employers.
- In excess of 25 million Americans telecommute.
- AT&T estimates its annual savings from having employees telecommute to be at least $180 million in productivity, real estate savings, and business continuity.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Investigate your company's policies on telecommuting.
- Working from home even once a week can have a large impact.
- Support state and federal legislation that would make nearly all government employees eligible to telecommute.
- When possible, set meetings by videoconferencing or teleconferencing rather than traveling to meet.
RESOURCES
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