In today’s economy, there are literally millions of freelancers who work from home. Sometimes it’s a case of not wanting to be limited to a structured schedule and other times it’s a matter of taking what you know to make products or services better than the company you previously worked for. As a freelancer, depending on the type of work you do, you can choose any time of day or night in which to work. Unless you are a freelance home improvement company or in some other industry which requires you to meet with clients during daytime hours, you are free to work where and when you choose.
However, one thing you want to focus on is being green in all that you do. Not only are you helping to save the environment, but green businesses are a hot selling point, especially among Millennials. Looking to go green? Check out the following tips.
1. Working from Home Is the Foundation for Green Freelancing
One of the eco-friendliest aspects of working from home is the reduction of carbon emissions. Since you won’t need to travel to and from the office, you won’t be burning fuel in a vehicle twice a day. Whether you take a bus or drive to work, you will not rely on gasoline (or diesel) just to punch a clock. Secondly, you can also take a quick meal break and will not need to drive to a fast food restaurant or buy products in disposable dishes and cups. You can use regular dishes and utensils, which also reduces the amount of waste.
2. Do as Much as You Can Online
There may be times when you will want to meet with clients in person, but as many of your communications as possible should be conducted online. Why not use video conferencing instead of meeting at your client’s place of business or home? Here again, you will not be using as many fossil fuels if you don’t need to leave the house. Of course, if you are going to do the bulk of your work online, make sure that you have the highest level of Internet security to protect both your business and your clients’ sensitive information. Also, you may want to store files in the cloud to make data backup easier if you suddenly find you need to work offsite or after a computer malfunction. Cloud computing is, by its very nature, a green technology.
3. Employ the 3 R’s
Oddly, many home-based freelancers are already green without even knowing it! When you worked for a company you probably never gave a second thought to all the waste you were producing. From throwing out unneeded documents to using company provided Styrofoam cups, you were creating more waste than necessary because you weren’t concerned with cost. Now that you are responsible for paying your own overheads, you probably already Reduce, Reuse and Recycle as much as you can. Imagine that! Not only are you cutting costs thereby increasing your profits, but you are doing something nice for the environment.
From hanging plants in your office that provide oxygen and reduce toxins in the air (instead of using electric air filters) to keeping all files in digital rather than hardcopy format, you are being an eco-friendly freelancer. Whether you are looking to cut back on costs or are concerned with the future of Planet Earth, it pays to think ‘green.’