Who would have thought even ten years ago that so many of us would be working from home—either on a full-time or hybrid basis? How sustainable is your home office space? Read on for 7 tips for a greener home office.

As I shared in Tips to make working from home work for you, I’ve been working from home three days a week for over ten years. I’ve had a long time to get my home office set up the way I want it but I’m still finding room for improvement.

This post was originally published in September 2020 and updated in July 2023.

When we think of the advantages of working from home, personal benefits like improved work-life balance immediately jump to mind. But let’s not forget the environmental benefits. Less driving and fewer cars on the road reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

So, by working from home, you’re already having a positive impact on the environment, but there are other things you can do to make your home office more sustainable.

7 tips for a greener home office

Note: This is NOT a paid endorsement of any of these products.

Let in some natural light

If you can, set up your workspace near a window so you can let in as much natural light as possible. This will reduce your electricity consumption. And natural light has been shown to improve mood and boost energy and productivity. This is especially important as we head into the shorter days of fall and winter.

Invest in a refillable pen

Pens are a plastic item that we throw away without thinking. Earth 911 reports 1.6 billion pens are thrown away every year in the United States. That’s a lot of non-recyclable plastic.

I’ve been guilty of picking up pens at meetings and conferences in the past, even if I didn’t need them. And I admit I never really gave much thought to the pens I was tossing in the garbage until recently. Last year, I bought a nice Cross pen that I can refill instead of throwing away.

The downside of refillable pens is refills are pricey and often come in plastic packaging. Although it’s definitely less plastic than disposable pens, it would be nice if someone came up with an affordable option in plastic-free packaging.

If you aren’t ready to invest in a refillable pen, collect your pens and markers and drop them off at a TerraCyle recycling collection bin. In Canada, you can find them at Staples stores.

Print with care…or not at all

In an increasingly digital world, we’re getting more accustomed to reading books and documents online. Try, as much as possible, to avoid printing. You’ll save trees, electricity and ink.

If you do need to print, here are a few ways you can reduce the impact:

• Print on recycled paper.
• Recycle your documents when you’re done with them.
• Set your printer default to double-sided.
• Use the low ink or draft setting on your printer.

Refill your printer cartridges

Printer cartridges are difficult to dispose of because you can’t just put them in your recycling bin like other plastics. You can drop them off at a local office supply store for recycling. Let’s face it, though, if we recycle less than 10% of plastics, it’s a pretty safe bet that most people don’t bother. This means millions of ink cartridges in our landfills.

As an alternative, consider refilling your ink cartridges. A refill is less than half the cost of a new cartridge so it’s more economical, in addition to being better for the environment.

Replace your plastic highlighters

Plastic highlighters are another common office supply headed straight for the landfill when we’re done with them.

I recently found these highlighter pencils. They’re pretty cool and I find they work really well. In fact, they’re better than traditional highlighters because the colour don’t bleed through the page.

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Put some plants in your office

Plants are another way to instantly brighten up your office space. But they’re not just pleasant to look at. Plants improve air quality, and they have a positive impact on mental health. Plus, plants have been linked to improved concentration and increased productivity according to a study by the University of Exeter.

I recently added this small succulent garden to my office space. I don’t really have a green thumb so I hope I can keep it alive.

Save energy

Finally, save energy by using LED or Compact Fluorescent lightbulbs and turning off your office lights when you’re not at your desk. And be sure to power off your computer and printer at the end of each day.

Other things I’d like to try

While I’ve made a lot of changes, I know there’s more I could do. Here are some more things I’d like to research and try.

• Refillable dry-erase markers. I use a whiteboard for my to-do list, but I haven’t been able to find an eco-friendly option for dry-erase markers. When I use up my current supply, I’m going to check out refillable options.
• Sticky notes made from recycled paper.
• Plantable pencils. Wooden pencils are already a more sustainable option than plastic pens or mechanical pencils, but I’ve seen pencils that contain seeds that you can plant in your garden.

What do you do to make your home office more sustainable? Tell us your tips below.