Information Week came out with this article yesterday regarding the internet’s effect on environmental issues, and reported the following regarding telecommuters:

“Internet-enabled capabilities like telecommuting, e-commerce, teleconferencing, and distance learning that have been around for decades are expected to play an increasing role in cutting energy consumption–reducing air travel and the need for warehouses, trips to the mall, and even malls themselves. The American Consumer Institute projects that telecommuting alone will cut CO₂ emissions by more than a half million tons over the next decade.”

A study commissioned by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reported the following statistics about telecommuting:

“… using electronics to telecommute saves the equivalent of 9 to 14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year — the same amount of energy used by roughly 1 million U.S. households every year. The findings also indicate the estimated 3.9 million telecommuters in the United States reduced gasoline consumption by about 840 million gallons, while curbing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by nearly 14 million tons. This level of CO2 reduction is equal to removing 2 million vehicles from the road every year.”

While telecommuting or working from home offers a great many other perks, it doesn’t hurt that it’s also the ultimate “green” way to work!

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