Whether you work remotely or you are running a small business from the comfort of your home, having an office set-up boosts productivity and creates a creative workspace corner in your home. One of the most common ways of doing this involves renovating a spare room into an office space. But with all the extra expenses that it involves and the additional power consumption, making it sustainable can be a difficult task.
A sustainable workspace has more than just recycled papers and energy-efficient lights. It must also keep in mind the power provider and your consumption patterns. For instance, if you look at Origin Energy Plans, you can see how sometimes, even just switching to a different energy provider can significantly help save on energy bills.
Table of Contents
Steps To Follow
To make your life easier, this article explores nine simple yet effective ways to make your workspace more sustainable and eco-friendly.
- Buy functional and sustainable furniture: Consider buying pieces that can be used in multiple ways. For example, buy a table with drawer space to store your files and papers. Sustainable furniture choices often include pieces made from renewable materials. Bamboo, recycled plastic and unclaimed wood are some examples. You can even buy second-hand furniture in case you are working on a tight budget but do not want to compromise on your interiors.
- Opt for eco-friendly office supplies: Look for pens, notepads and paper products that have been made using recycled materials. Many small businesses sell sustainable stationery items at incredibly affordable prices. An alternative to minimising paper usage is to switch to digital platforms to keep track of your reminders, notes and to-do lists. These are easy to carry, and you can access these lists from anywhere.
- Let the sun brighten your workspace: Instead of relying on lightbulbs, draw your home office’s curtains to let the light in. Natural light boosts mood (extra important on Mondays), encourages the production of Vitamin D, and enables deep focus & concentration. Aside from this, it also helps in reducing electricity bills.
- Unplug and power down: A plugged power cable can draw electricity even when not in use. It is known as standby power or even vampire draw. These draws can cost 10% extra to your electricity bills. So instead of putting your laptop to sleep, consider turning it off. Moreover, unplugging and powering down extends the life of electronic devices.
- Choose energy-efficient equipment: If your work timings require you to work late hours, opt for energy-efficient devices like lightbulbs, cooling systems, monitors and printers. Investing in these devices will save money in the long run.
- Switch to a more economical electricity plan: Electricity costs have become a topic of concern for many households in the last few years. With a home office, these charges can increase drastically. This is why watching your electricity bills and understanding your household’s energy consumption patterns is important. You can look for electricity plans that are best suited for your power consumption patterns to reduce your expenses significantly.
- Add a touch of green: Indoor plants are a great addition when you are looking to enhance your home office’s interiors. There are a variety of plants that you can choose from. Some common indoor plants (that require minimal maintenance) include Pothos, Monstera, Chinese Money Plant and Peace Lily.
- Combat the peak charges: With advancements in technology and various solar rebates, solar energy has become more accessible. If you want to reduce your electricity bills further, consider installing solar panels to support your energy requirements during peak hours.
- Adopt energy-saving habits: It is always smart to adopt habits that can help save on electricity costs. From switching off lights after you have left the room to keeping the AC’s temperature at 24°C and using notebooks made with recycled paper, these are just a few habits that can help reduce costs and make your at-home office more sustainable.
Parting Words
Working from home is a convenience for many, one that also comes with the opportunity to create a workspace of their choice. Whether you are installing energy-efficient lightbulbs or getting a new plant, making your workspace sustainable is easy, cost-effective, and a fun task to take on. But if you want to lower your energy bills without keeping a constant tab on the meter, you might want to consider switching to a more practical electricity plan that aligns with your sustainability goals and needs.
