MNN - Mother Nature Network - Envrionmental News
improve your world
  • WorldShares
  • State Reports
  • Idea Lab
  • Mixed Greens
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Blogs
  • Advice
  • MNN Community
  • MNN Social
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Follow us    
  • Join
  • Log in
  • Earth Matters

    Browse All » Animals Weather Energy Politics Space Translating Uncle Sam Wilderness & Resources

  • Health

    Browse All » Allergies Fitness & Well-Being Healthy Spaces

  • Lifestyle

    Browse All » Arts & Culture Travel Natural Beauty & Fashion Recycling Responsible Living

  • GREEN TECH

    Browse All » Computers Gadgets & Electronics Research & Innovations Transportation

  • Eco-Biz & Money

    Browse All » Green Workplace Personal Finance Sustainable Business Practices

  • Food & Drink

    Browse All » Beverages Healthy Eating Recipes

  • Your Home

    Browse All » At Home Organic Farming & Gardening Remodeling & Design

  • family

    Browse All » Babies & Pregnancy Family Activities Pets Protection & Safety

MNN.COM›

MNN BLOGGERS

Melissa Hincha-Ownby

Telecommuting, the ultimate green job?

Telecommuting can make any job greener, but it also may become one of the hottest green job trends.

Mon, Aug 03 2009 at 10:44 AM EST
 23

Photo: mccun934/Flickr
Green jobs. You hear all about them lately, but what are they, exactly? This is where the problem lies; there is no concrete definition of a green job and if you ask five different people to define it, you’ll likely get five different answers. Just look at Jonathan Kesselman’s “On the Streets – Green Jobs” episode as evidence. Defining green jobs is difficult.
 
With the surge of renewable energy jobs in the nation, people often associate green jobs with wind turbine manufacturing or solar panel installation. Naturally, these industries are considered green, but other trends are emerging. One growing job trend that is beginning to make its mark on the green jobs movement is telecommuting.
 
Although today’s technology allows for employees to easily telecommute, a surprisingly small number of people actually do so. I think that corporate culture is to blame, at least in part, for the relatively low percentage of people who telecommute.
 
According to a Washington Post article, only 7.7 percent of 1.8 million federal employees telecommute. However, not all positions lend themselves to telecommuting. Of those positions in which an employee could, realistically, work from home, only 18.6 percent of employees telecommuted.
 
Although those figures seem low, telecommuting rates vary from state to state and across industries. A good site for researching telecommuting rates in your area is Undress 4 Success. According to the site, only 4.88 percent of the residents in the Phoenix metropolitan area telecommute. However, these remote workers account for a 155,456 metric ton reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Telecommuting may just be the ultimate green job, especially if the telecommuter works for a green company.
 
Now that I’ve piqued your interest in telecommuting, I thought I’d give you some guidance on finding a telecommuting job. One company, FlexJobs, is dedicated to telecommuting, freelance and online job opportunities. The staff at FlexJobs practices what they preach -- they all work from home.
 
“The idea for FlexJobs came about in 2006 by Sara Sutton Fell, an experienced entrepreneur who at the time was pregnant with her first child. She had started looking at flexible work arrangements for herself, and discovered how challenging it was to find something (a) legitimate and (b) in line with her career.” Source: FlexJobs
 
She touched on one of the biggest obstacles to finding a work-from-home opportunity: legitimacy. There are so many scams out there, and it is hard to filter through them. FlexJobs does the background research for you. The staff researches all of the jobs before they are listed on the site.
 
FlexJobs has a section of their website dedicated to eco-focused telecommuting opportunities. Jobs currently listed on the environmental section of FlexJobs include energy auditor account representative, wildlife blogger and eco-focused cartoon graphic artist.
 
As Americans navigate their way through the nation’s economic woes, many are looking for ways to save a little green. Telecommuting is one way to save a little green and become a little greener. I’ve heard the phrase “greener is the new green” used quite a bit lately. Telecommuting is just one way a person can become a bit greener.
 
Photo: Arbron
The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions, MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.
 
WorldShares lets you earn donations for your favorite nonprofit. Earn up to 20 points now.
Learn More
Earn Points
What's this?
Email Twitter Stumble Digg ShareShare
CLOSE link:
Previous Post
Mayor Daley discusses green jobs
   Next Post
Earth911.com names its top five green jobs
Related Links
Related Topics
  • Green Commute
  • Comments

    Follow this conversation
    Add your comment
    View:
    • All (23)

    anonymous
    Jehnavi 09/28/2010 04:10 AM

    This growth of this kind of industry is one that is necessary for four reasons: one; http://www.globalwarming360.net/working-towards-a-greener-future-literal... it is one that is capable of bouncing back even the worst of economies, bearing the brunt of recession; two, it provides the.... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Max 09/21/2010 14:58 PM

    I think telecommuting is one of the greenest things a company could offer. It's crazy when you think about how much pollution an average person with a 45-minute commute each way creates. I think companies should be offered some sort of incentive for allowing their employees to telecommute. It doesn't take any LEED training to come to that conclusion.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    abel 08/30/2010 00:38 AM

    Telecommuting- Working from home has many advantages. It conserves energy. One of the largest sources of pollution is the automobile. Telecommuting reduces the need to go for the office from your home, so there is less pollution. Reduces the frustration in traffic jams. Working from home gives an opportunity to share their time with family. Time spent journey from home to office and office to home can be save.
    .... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Garen 11/12/2009 02:58 AM

    I believe telecommuting will increase drastically over the next decade. With the tough economic times people seeking are work from every possible angle, and telecommuting is a really good attraction to many different people. Working from home does really have it benefits, not only is a way of "going green" obviously by not driving to work each day you are saving the environment.

    I have heard of Flexjobs, but have you heard of Freelancers Oasis? They simply provide jobs where you.... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    telecommuting jobs 09/18/2009 14:29 PM

    The surge of renewable energy jobs in the nation, people often associate green jobs with wind turbine manufacturing or solar panel installation. Naturally, these industries are considered green, but other trends are emerging. One growing job trend that is beginning to make its mark on the green jobs movement is telecommuting.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Joyce Fredo, Flexible Resources 08/07/2009 10:38 AM

    We agree that telecommuting is the greenest way to work, keeping cars off the road, reducing cost and gas consumption, and also allowing people as much as 3 more hours a day to work. It also allows small businesses to grow without having to incur added overhead by needed bigger office space. One obstacle we often see is managers who worry about managing a staff that is not always in the office. Clearly, the best employees remain productive and focused at home. In fact, most find it less.... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    mhincha
    mhincha 08/05/2009 14:24 PM

    It has been great to read all of these comments. I first telecommuted in the late 1990s - it was just a few times a month but it was a nice break. I also felt refreshed when I returned to the office.

    Now I'm a 100% work-from-home type and it works very well for me but I do see how it may not be the ideal working situation for everyone.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    erin.p.fielding
    erin.p.fielding 08/05/2009 12:50 PM

    I tend to agree with you, Patti - I laud the efforts, but I've worked from home before and I was miserable and tended to be unmotivated (of course, I hated my job at the time, too...haha). I just don't think many companies have the technology available to really allow employees to telecommute.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Patti Ghezzi 08/05/2009 12:07 PM

    I am glad I work from home. It helps me lead a greener lifestyle and keep my home life on track, not to mention more time with my child and dogs. But stories and accompanying photos often romanticize working from home. It can be isolating and lonely. I miss working in an office with fantastic people. I laughed a lot back then. By the time my husband gets home, I'm wagging my tail, desperate for someone to talk to and laugh with. We are already a culture that encourages isolated lifestyles..... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Anonymous Today 23:18 PM

    I once read that our minds process over a terabyte of visual and auditory data every second. Telephone conversations fit nicely in 64k/s. Video conferencing is better, but most systems max out at ~512k/s.

    I think that the resistance to telecommuting is less about corporate control culture than about communicating good working relationships at a distance. Once we figure out that problem, telecommuting will explode.

    The iPhone generation gets it. The rest of us need to catch.... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Anonymous Today 14:41 PM

    Every job I have held, could have been done from home. Unfortanately "working from home" can only be done by "trusted employees" and is only for the corporate folks at the top the pyrmaid schemes

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Alison Kerr Today 10:08 AM

    My husband has worked from home for most of the last 10 years. Aside from benefits already mentioned are:
    - we get to tolerate the house at temperatures which mean less A/C and heating
    - my whole family eats healthy meals prepared from scratch
    When my husband commuted he worked in an office where the temperature was kept the same all year. When he got home at night he couldn't tolerate the kind of temperatures I wanted the winter thermostat set at after being in a warm office.... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Grey Garvin Today 09:02 AM

    Over the past 12 years, I've worked 3 years in an office & the rest out of my home. And I have a (very successful) brother who has worked out of a home office for 23 straight years! Benefits:
    1. yes, less cars on the roads
    2. but also more people in the neighborhood...I informally keep an eye on stuff around my street
    3. great for my kids
    4. great for other people's kids (as you would imagine, I'm the back-up "safe house" if a parent can't make it home right on.... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Anonymous Today 00:29 AM

    I've worked from home for several years and it is awesome. You get back your commute time which in my case was a few hours a day. My car stopped accumulating miles. I have a 2002 that has only 54k miles on it. Sure you could use public transportation but that just makes it take even longer to get to work and back. I am being 'green' with my own time and that is where it really counts. You can tell your boss its to save the environment, but the real reason is obvious.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Anonymous Today 00:09 AM

    John Davis neglects the FACT that the office can be half its usual size if half the workers telecommute. My employer does not have an office space for me, I could not work at work because I would have no desk and nowhere to plug in my computer. Most businesses rent space and they can just rent less. The worker's computer is on no matter where they work, that is moot. And YES, I do work during the time I would otherwise be commuting. It's called making a good impression on the job, and a.... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Byron 08/03/2009 23:22 PM

    As someone who telelcommutes, I don't think you can say that telecommuters use significantly more energy at home that those that are away. You are not going to turn your heat or AC completely off when you are not home. the savings really come from the main office being smaller in the long run as well as the gas savings. Then throw in that I don't waste an hour or more each day driving = better quality of life.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Sarah 08/03/2009 22:49 PM

    Sure you save energy in the commute, but what about the energy it takes to heat or air condition dozens of individual homes versus one office? Commuting to work using public transportation is much greener than telecommuting.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Angel 01/03/2010 17:38 PM

    Most people don't turn off their heaters or air conditioning when they leave for work so I would say it is defiantly beneficial to not have to power and additional location for someone to go work at when they can work at home.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Anonymous 08/03/2009 21:56 PM

    Show me a study that includes the increased cost of energy the telecommuter uses (Lights/Heating/Cooling/Television/Etc). Everyone cites the savings of the commute (car emissions, time spent in traffic). I'd love to see an employee that works an additional X amount of time that they would be in traffic.You work 8 to 5. If you drive an hour each way, you are not about to work 7 to 6. There's increased cost of heating and cooling the house. An Office building is still heated and cooled regardless.... More

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Lori 08/12/2009 10:56 AM

    Check out this article: "Telecommuting Saves Carbon Emissions" http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/138062/telecommuting_saves...

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    John Davis 08/03/2009 21:44 PM

    Dude that is truly amazing!

    RT
    www.anon-web-tools.us.tc

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Anonymous 08/03/2009 19:20 PM

    The Wa Post article you cite stating "...only 7.7 percent of 1.8 million federal employees telecommute" detracts a tad from your credibility since that article was published in 2005. Otherwise, useful post.

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    anonymous
    Liz 08/03/2009 18:00 PM

    Reston, VA employer TANDBERG is supporting Statewide Telework Day by encouraging its employees to use video conferencing to work from home today. With half of our staff (75) teleworking, we are eliminating almost two metric tons of carbon emissions and saving almost 100 hours of productivity by not sitting in traffic. Read more about it here: http://bit.ly/lZ8z4

    • Like This  
    • |
    • Reply
    • report this post 

    Add your comment

    Sign in with one of these accounts or just add your comment below.
      Log in or
      create an account
       
      Login
    Used only for emailed comments and will not be displayed with your post
    Notify me with an email when other people comment on this article.
    The posting of advertisement, profanity or personal attacks is prohibited.
    Click here to review our Terms of Use

    ADVERTISEMENT

    TOP MEMBERSJoin Now
    • poland.jr
      20869 points
    • achase
      9278 points
    • ecomainegirl
      9158 points
    • LauraB
      5049 points
    • Momof2
      4479 points
    All members

    SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

    CONNECT WITH MNN

    Follow @twitterapi
     Tumblr
     Google +
    FROM OUR SPONSOR
    SUSTAINABILITY FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW
    Are You an Everyday Superhero?
    When it comes to the environment, it doesn’t always take big, bold action.... more >
    Fun Tree Facts
    Test your treevia! more >
    Sustainable forestry rocks - part 2
    In this video, Chuck shares more of his passion for sustainable forestry and... more >
    James Bennett Named 2011 Brawny Industrial Great American Worker
    Georgia-Pacific honors Bennett and others for their positive contributions more >
    DensDeck roof boards contribute to the green building movement
    Take a closer look at few of the traits that make DensDeck Roof Boards a... more >

    GP Facebook link

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Editors' Picks

    4 snowboarders who fight for the planet
    Year of the Dragon parade and more great photos
    12 unforgettable Super Bowl animal ads
    Barrymore shines in 'Big Miracle'
    What's the big deal about eating your vegetables?

    MNN Originals

    MNN Eco-GlossaryMixed Greens: Leading voices in sustainabilityThis Day in HistoryMNN pollsInfographics

     


    • Earth Matters
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Green Tech
    • Eco-Biz & Money
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Home
    • Family

    Quick Links

    • Welcome to MNN
    • Editors' Blog
    • About us
    • Advisory Board
    • Press
    • Sitemap
    • Privacy
    • Terms of service

    MNN Tools

    • Idea Lab
    • Mixed Greens
    • Videos
    • Photos
    • Blogs
    • Advice
    • MNN Community
    • MNN Social

    All About MNN

    • Newsletters
    • RSS
    • Eco-glossary
    • Widgets
    • MNN Contests
    • MNN Lists
    • MNN Mobile
    • Contact Us

     


     

    Copyright © 2012 MNN Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Website by GLICK INTERACTIVE | Powered by CIRRACORE
     
    SPONSORS