We have lots in common with our climate tech clients and peers, including our commitment to working with the planet’s best interest in mind. Since our homes are also our offices, we have the power to limit our environmental impact, not only through company policies, but through the actions we take to work in a sustainable way day-to-day.

With winter on its way, we want to share our tips for working sustainably, affordably and comfortably from home during the cold and dark months.

Keep yourself warm while keeping the planet cool

Space and water heating account for around three-quarters of the EU’s annual energy consumption. While it would be unrealistic to do away with home heating completely, there are things we can do to help us limit our usage while still staying toasty at our desk:

Warm your body first: Long sleeves and cosy jumpers can look professional on video calls while keeping us warm enough to reduce the need for heating around us, and it’s a tip that I use during winter.

Smaller devices for your desk area can also be more energy efficient than running central heating – for example, a portable heater or, as Martha suggests, a heated blanket for your lap. Helene recommends a good old-fashioned hot water bottle to keep warm while you work.

Prioritise your home office during the day: Being economical with home heating doesn’t mean turning it off. If you have a dedicated home office, it helps to run your heating only in that room during the working day and keep the door closed to contain the warmth.

Share your homeworking energy usage: If you have the option, using a coworking space can be a more sustainable way to work remotely. At coworking spaces, energy resources are shared so the overall impact is less.

Similarly, Helene enjoys arranging coworking days with other remote working friends, where one person hosts, reducing the overall energy consumption.

Let there be light

Most of us across Europe know that the shorter, darker days can sap energy and mood. It means that lighting is another area that sees increased consumption over winter while also impacting many people’s routines and lifestyles.

Make the most of natural light: Natural light is few and far between in the depths of winter, so set up your desk where you’re likely to get the most of it. A window that captures lots of sun is a great place to be facing when you work. It means that you can minimise your usage of artificial lighting and you’ll feel an energy boost.

Take the opportunity to step outside: If you are able to work flexibly, you could join our team in taking advantage of the chance to get out of the house and enjoy the sunlight away from your desk. 

For example, daily walks in daylight hours are something that Paige, Lucia and Helene do and you can too, even if it’s during your lunch break. For Sara, Jan and Saskia, movement and exercise are also important steps for maintaining a healthy routine during winter.

Create light while using less energy: When dusk approaches and your home office needs brightening up, you don’t always need to turn on your lights. Desk lamps can be effective and less energy-intensive. Martha likes to use fairy lights and candles in her home office, which not only brightens up her workspace but creates a cosy atmosphere for her winter evenings.

You are what you eat

Reducing your impact doesn’t need to stop when you leave your desk at lunchtime. We don’t tend to look at our food and its preparation when we’re seeking ways to reduce our footprint, but winter is a great time to put good habits in place..

Opt for seasonal ingredients: Food miles and energy for storage mean that out-of-season ingredients are associated with high greenhouse gas emissions. When preparing winter meals both during work and after hours, Jan prefers to cook with seasonal ingredients such as hearty root vegetables and dried legumes.

Try batching meals instead of cooking daily: Batch cooking makes life easier and is more efficient. Cooking once for multiple meals saves on gas and electricity for powering appliances and it also pairs well with more plant-heavy dishes, like soups and stews, which in turn makes them less carbon-heavy.

Keep yourself even warmer with the food you eat: Your food is another way of keeping yourself warm without relying on central heating. Warming meals, like soups, and drinking hot beverages throughout the day can be just what you need to feel the warmth at home.

Powering your home office sustainably

We couldn’t function as a remote team without consuming energy through using devices and digital platforms, but we can still be mindful about how we optimise our usage. These tips are applicable all year round, but they’re as important as ever during winter.

Manage your devices consciously: We can’t get away from powering our work devices, but we can control how we use them. For example, reducing brightness and having only the necessary tabs and windows open preserves the battery and means recharging is needed less frequently. Then, taking them off charge when the battery is full helps to minimise unnecessary extra energy consumption.

Reduce your digital waste: The data you store on your devices has a surprising emissions impact due to the reliance on fossil-fuel-powered data centres. Deleting unneeded emails, files and messages on a regular basis helps to control how much your digital data footprint grows.

Remote teams also heavily rely on digital communication methods, which have their own hidden impact. One hour of videoconferencing can emit between 150 and 1,000 grams of carbon dioxide, depending on the service used. That’s almost 25 times more carbon dioxide than audio calls. Try opting for voice calls and camera-off meetings where possible.

Working remotely doesn’t need to mean higher bills and a heavier carbon footprint. Winter working can be sustainable if you’re smart about your consumption, and we’ll be putting these tried and tested tips to good for another year.

Will you try any of these out this winter? Let us know if you have any of your own pearls of wisdom!