We, at RWorks, are very aware of the need for environmental protection. In our role of faciliating successful Remote working/Teleworking programmes, we are playing our part in helping individuals and organisations reduce their carbon footprint.

As a global community, in looking at our carbon footprint, we come to understand the impact of our personal behaviour on the environment. First, the science bit: Greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, ozone) are forming a layer in the atmosphere around the earth. The largest contributing source of greenhouse gas is the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil, gas, petrol and kerosene, which leads to the emission of carbon dioxide.( All of the greenhouse gases formed are taken into account, not just carbon dioxide) when calculating carbon footprint. Sunlight reaches the surface of the earth and warms it, much of it being radiated back out into space. However, greenhouse gases act like a mirror and reflect back some of this heat to Earth again, causing further heating of planet Earth, in what has become known as the ‘Greenhouse Effect’.

On 6th October, 2009, the International Energy Agency (IEA), released the 2007 figures for over 140 regions, showing carbon dioxide emissions per person from 1990-2006. All data was initially collected by the United Nations Statistics Division, and calculated by the US Department of Energy’s Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre (CDIAC).Carbon footprint is normally expressed in kg or tonnes of CO2 (1,000 kg = 1 tonne). It is widely advocated that the carbon footprint per person be 2,000 kg, or 2 tonne annually. The CDIAC figures reflect a very different reality to that recommended: USA average per person is 19.1 tonne; Australia 18.8; Canada 17.4; Ireland 10.1; UK 8.6; India 1.2.

So we have a long way to go! But there are simple measures worth re-iterating: reduce energy consumption by turning down the thermostat in our heating systems, turn the temperature down in our washing machines and dishwashers, switch our bulbs to energy efficient ones, make our homes much more heat efficient via insulation etc, and even simpler still, turn things off when not in use!!

Regarding work practices, we can recycle more, reduce junk mail, switch off our computers by night and at weekends ( 32 hours of computer activity generates 1 kg of CO2), and fly less ( air travel of 2.2 km or 1.375 miles creates 1kg of Co2), conference via telephone or video instead. Sometimes travelling by train can be faster than flight time plus transfer time at both ends of the journey. We can cut down our car use, and use public transport instead, walk or cycle. 1 litre of petrol creates 2.3 kg CO2; 1Gallon USA creates 8.7 kg CO2; 1 litre of diesel creates 2.7 kg CO2; 1 Gallon USA creates 9.95 kg CO2  emissions.

And of course, the cutting down on CO2 emissions, by reduction of all modes of travel, is just another of the many advantages of remote/teleworking. The technology is here- let’s harness it and get it working to our best advantage!

Interesting websites:

www.carbonfootprintofnations.com

www.iea.org