If you’re purchasing a computer, phone, TV or games console, this guide is essential reading. Download the full report in PDF format, and you’ll see electronics manufacturers in a whole new light.

What’s the Point?

According to Greenpeace, “The guide ranks the 18 top manufacturers of personal computers, mobile phones, TVs and games consoles according to their policies on toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change.”

Helping you to support electronics manufacturers that are ahead of the pack in terms of their environmental policies and practices is the whole point here, though it won’t make your next purchase a no-brainer.

Firstly, the average web worker uses many other electronic devices than just computers, phones, TVs and consoles, as our “What’s in Your Bag?” series showed — cameras, voice recorders and music players are just a smattering of the gadgets we own. So if I’m buying a camera, for example, the guide will be useless…or will it? A key benefit of the guide is that it rates manufacturers on the known aspects of their operations, not the products themselves. However, in an imperfect world, with imperfect information, I feel happy enough to infer the environmental credentials of the rated producers onto the other electronics products they produce.

The other snag is that you may be looking to purchase an item produced by a company that doesn’t rank in the 18 market leaders, like BenQ for example. You won’t know where the manufacturer sits relevant to the others in the guide. The answer here is, of course, to do your own research on the products you’re considering. But I expect I’d need to do that, no matter which items or producers I was considering.

How to Use It

Some of the web workers I know are extremely brand loyal. When their preferred company brings out a new computer, for example, they queue to buy it. Others are more impulse-driven, finding a great sale or markdown on a model they’ve been coveting for months, and pouncing.

Whether you’re brand loyal or a bargain hunter, buying in-store our online, this guide will help you navigate your way to the more environmentally sound brands. So, for example, if you’re buying a new phone, you might decide to opt for a Nokia, Samsung or Sony Ericsson, which are the only brands to have scored above 6 in the guide. From there, you can conduct your own research on the product’s features and benefits.

Other Considerations and Limitations

Greenpeace points out that the guide is, in part, designed to encourage manufacturers to “take responsibility for the full life cycle of their products, including the electronic waste that their products generate”, so using this advice to help make your purchasing decisions is a good way to actively support greener producers by voting with your wallet.

However, as Greenpeace acknowledges, “The guide does not rank companies on labor standards, mining, or any other issues” — it covers environmental criteria only. Greenpeace points us to Good Electronics, the international network on human rights and sustainability in electronics, and Make IT Fair, both of which produce reports that will help to answer your questions on the community- and mining-related issues that surround the electronics industry in general, and certain manufacturers in particular.

Spend a few minutes comparing this information with the data provided in the Greenpeace guide, and you should have as clear a picture as is reasonably possible of how your choice of gadget impacts the people who make it and dispose of it once you throw it away.

From there, you can start to look at specific models, researching their practical, environmental and social benefits and features, and weighing up the pros and cons of each, and make an informed, responsible decision about how you’ll spend your money.

How important to you are the environmental and social credentials of the electronics products you buy?

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The inherent resource-intensiveness of the western lifestyle is undoubtedly the reason why people become overwhelmed by the challenge of climate change. It’s the reason why we often feel as if we can’t do much as individuals to make a real difference.

Perhaps you need to upgrade your software for work, which, unfortunately, necessitates the purchase of a new computer. Essential devices like phones, PDAs, cameras and other peripherals are built to become obsolescent within a given timeframe. You may buy green energy and recycled paper and refill your printer ink cartridges, but the very concept of printing a document entails the use of resources and processes that emit carbon.

Yes, our web working lifestyles necessarily produce carbon emissions, but there is a way to help decrease your carbon footprint, and your contribution to global warming: buy carbon offsets.

Carbon Offsets 101

Buy a carbon offset from an accredited supplier, and you’re effectively paying the company to undertake a specific task to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Some tasks aim to prevent carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere — like methane flaring or investment in renewable energy technology. Others, like planting trees, aim to lock up carbon dioxide that’s already present in the atmosphere. Most of the offset sellers I’ve looked at specialize in one or two areas.

Most offset retail sites provide calculators that allow you to enter the details of your shopping habits, transport usage, power and food consumption, and give you a rough estimate of the amount of carbon dioxide you may need to offset. Some sellers offer different calculators for individuals and organizations, so you can obtain closer carbon estimates for things like business consumables, travel, and waste produced through your work.

Once you have your total, it’s a simple matter of entering your credit card details to buy the offsets. The cost of offsets varies with your carbon footprint and the service you use, but as an example, the cost to offset the 3.34 tonnes of carbon produced by my commuting (30,000 miles last year) and driving the Australian annual average of 6,000 miles in my large, old diesel-powered car was $68 AUD ($62 US)  through one offset supplier.

Carbon Offset Controversy

Carbon offsetting is a controversial area, not only because the results are yet to be proven, but because some retailers promote offsets as a means by which people can live a carbon-neutral lifestyle. Many offset companies estimate the carbon that will be sequestered or prevented  from entering the atmosphere on the basis of statistical and scientific analyses, and some argue that these estimates are inaccurate, involve double counting of the possible environmental benefits, and so on.

It seems the best way to assess the value of a given offset activity is to find out about it, by reviewing the offset seller’s information, plus any information your government or interest groups may have produced on the market and seller. In Australia, for example, we have an independent offset rating site which aims to advise on the credentials and capabilities of different offset sellers. Doing your homework on offset sellers in your country is vital.

Carbon Offsets for the Web Worker

Try as we might, most of us are unlikely to achieve a carbon-neutral lifestyle. Even the most environmentally friendly lives in developed countries necessitate the use of technology, devices, transport and consumables whose production or usage contributes to global warming and climate change.

Carbon offsetting is not an answer to global warming, and it’s still in its infancy as far as results go. But even though it’s unlikely to have the same impact as making changes wherever possible to reduce your carbon output, offsetting the carbon emitted through your remote working lifestyle may be a means by which you can compensate in some way for your unavoidable carbon emissions.

Have you ever bought carbon offsets? Would you consider building offsets into your annual expenses?

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Source: U. S. Department of Transportation http://www.climate.dot.gov/about/transportations-role/overview.html

Transportation is the second-largest source of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions, accounting for 28 percent of the total. As web workers, many of us can choose where we work, and how we get there.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a career that’s allowed me to live and work in places where I don’t need a car. There are many such places, even in North America, where being car-less is possible and desirable. (Of course, in most of Europe, it’s much easier.)

If you are contemplating moving, consider finding a residence where it’s possible to live without a car, or reduce the number of cars your family owns. Many city dwellers rely on public transit, and use taxis for the occasional shopping trip. My company has a membership in Zipcar, which allows us to rent vehicles by the hour when we need them, at very reasonable rates.

In most cases, you can save considerable money by not driving. But transportation alternatives can require investments of time that busy web workers may feel we can’t afford to take. That’s why it’s important to find locations where transportation options are reliable and convenient. After many years of building highways while neglecting other modes, many localities are now realizing the importance of encouraging light rail, commuter trains, and bus rapid transit, while making improvements for traditional buses, pedestrians, bicyclists, carpools and vanpools.

Even in less urban areas, transit-oriented development is becoming popular. Housing with convenient access to transit may be priced higher, but will actually save you money. According to Malcolm Kenton of the National Association of Rail Passengers:

“As you get farther from the center of a city, housing gets less expensive, but transportation costs grow at a higher rate than the cost of a home drops. The opposite occurs as you get closer in. Residents of outlying suburbs who depend on their cars spend an average of 25% of their household income on getting around vs. 9% for those living in walkable neighborhoods with good transit connections.

If transportation costs were considered as a factor in the affordability of housing, the whole equation would change in favor of denser, less car-dependent neighborhoods.

Nationwide, only 20% of housing units lie within half a mile of a bus or train stop, but in many larger cities, that figure is over 60%–even in places like Houston, Salt Lake City and Denver. Transit-oriented development doesn’t necessarily mean high-rise apartment buildings. It can also include townhomes and small single-family homes that are close together and laid out well enough to encourage walking.”

Of course, not everyone is in a position to make major lifestyle changes. But here are a few simple things you can do to reduce climate change:

• Buy a fuel-efficient vehicle
• Maintain your vehicle
• Avoid speeding, rapid acceleration and braking
• Check your tires
• Combine multiple errands into one trip
• Lighten your load; remove roof racks and unnecessary cargo
• Check traffic before you leave to avoid getting stuck in a jam

And, of course, if you aren’t already working from home, try telecommuting at least one day a week. WWD has some great tips for working from home effectively.

No matter where you live and how you get around, you and your children will be affected by climate change. All of us need to make whatever transportation changes we can, be they large or small. We also need to advocate for more earth-friendly forms of transportation. Support national and local projects that increase transportation efficiency. Join groups that encourage such projects. Nationally, I’m a long-time member of the National Association of Rail Passengers; locally, I’ve worked on a number of transit projects.

How are you advocating for more earth-friendly transportation systems? How have you made your transportation more efficient?

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As web workers, most of us don’t face the same daily commute that our cubicle-dwelling colleagues do, and it’s easy to think that we’re already “doing our bit” for climate change (although there is some debate as to whether web workers are truly green). Reducing transportation is great, but there’s still much more that you can do. Today is an opportunity to brainstorm some ways to reduce the resources you consume and the carbon emissions you’re responsible for.

We’ll be providing some tips for reducing your impact on the environment today, but we’ve already published quite a lot of posts on the topics of sustainability and reducing energy consumption for web workers. Here are some highlights:

• Resource Rationalization for the Home Office
• It’s Easier Than You Think to be a Green Web Worker
• Where’s the Power: Energy Awareness for Web Workers
• My Web Working Resolution: Be More Green
• Getting Green About Work Meetings

If you’re interested in technology and the environment, you should read our sister blog, Earth2Tech.

What steps are you taking to minimize your environmental impact?

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Here are a few ideas that might help you cut your greenhouse emissions and bump up the sustainability of your lifestyle.

You’re probably aware of the “three Rs”: reduce, reuse, recycle. Keep this mantra in mind as you approach an assessment of your remote working lifestyle. What can you do to you reduce your resource usage? Can you reuse objects rather than discard them? And where and how can you recycle the items you want or need to discard?

I use another set of criteria to assess prospective purchases of things like computers, office furniture, and so on:

Do I need it?
First, I try to work out if I really need the item, or if I can get by without it. For example, can I add memory to boost my computer’s capacity rather than buying a new machine?

How long will it last?
If I decide I really need to buy an item, I look at the products on offer and consider their lifetimes. I prefer to buy things that last and can be repaired or augmented, than things that can’t. For this reason, I have a second-hand wooden desk chair (yes, ergonomically it’s fine) rather than the latest high-tech number from a developing nation with a big pollution problem. I also try to consider the resources it took to create whatever I’m buying (as I’ll explain in a moment), though sometimes this can be difficult.

How will I dispose of it?
Finally, I consider the reusability and recyclability of the items I buy so that I know that when I finally need to discard my computer, phone, desk chair or lamp, I’ll know it’s not going into landfill. The best option, before recycling, is always reuse: Can your neighbor’s teenager use your old computer for school assignments? It may not meet your needs for processing or disk space, but someone you know might be glad to have it.

I find these criteria helpful for assessing new purchases. But there are a range of other considerations in the home office. Let’s look at them now.

Energy
There are three key power drains in my office: climate control, lighting and device usage.

When it’s cold do you put on a jumper or turn on the heater? Can you open your office windows on warm days? Do you turn your monitors and other devices off at night (and I mean off, not on standby)? Do you crank up your surround-sound system to get motivated, or put on some headphones and play an album through your computer? Outside your home office, do you drive to all your meetings (under the justification that you don’t have time to wait for the bus), or travel on public transport or your bike?

All “environmental” choices seem to have degrees of impact, and it’s definitely true with powered devices. For instance, task lighting is generally more efficient than overhead lighting, and fluorescent or LED technology is more efficient than incandescent bulbs. But ideally, you probably want to get some natural light happening in the home office — aren’t luxuries like fresh air and sunshine what remote working is all about?

Printing
The paperless office might be an ideal, but for many, it’s impossible. I try to keep my printing to a minimum. I buy recycled paper, and I print at draft quality to conserve ink. It’s easier on the wallet as well as the planet. Depending on the type of work you do, you might be able to find ways to curb paper usage, and use more environmentally sound printing products to boot. Don’t forget toner refilling services, either.

Recycling
Few of the offices I’ve worked in have had recycling on offer. But at home, I have all kinds of recycling — including organic waste. So I make sure to use them. Obviously, the types of materials that you can recycle will depend on the services in your area, but make sure you know what you can recycle, and see if you can reuse the items that aren’t recyclable.

Device choice and usage
Choosing low-energy devices is an essential consideration in the green home office. But, as I mentioned above, don’t neglect to look at the recyclability of the devices you buy, and to consider how long you think you’ll use them. Augmenting your systems with extra capacity, clearing old files from your hard drives, and using devices like phones until they die can be simple but good ways to do your bit.

Furniture
Your choice of office furniture — desks, shelves, chairs — is another area in which you can make greener choices if you need to. I’ve always used second-hand office furniture, because it’s affordable, and I can keep it out of landfill those few years longer. Second-hand stuff also meets my  recyclability criterion perfectly!

If you’re buying new furniture, look at the resources involved in the product. This can help you avoid accidentally buying computer desks made from rainforest timbers that would probably have served the planet better if they were still growing.

These are the kinds of things I’ve thought about in trying to make my home office more environmentally sound. What are your tips?

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In the meantime how can we, as web workers, be more green?

Moving More of Your Services Online

Your bank likely provides a free online bill-pay service. Use it. Each electronic payment saves paper and also saves you an enormous amount of time. Also, check if your utility company and other montly bills offer online bill service. This way, you can also skip having to receive paper bills each month.

Working with clients? Check out online invoicing. We’ve covered FreshBooks before, and other online invoicing options include PayPal’s request money feature and BlinkSale.

Also, to cut down on paper usage, check out our tips on printing smarter.

Use Energy Wisely

If you’re working at home constantly, you probably keep the heat at a higher rate than if your home was empty. Try throwing on an extra sweatshirt and turning down the heat a few degrees. Alternatively, dress cooler in the summer and invest in a ceiling fan in order to keep the air conditioning from having to work so hard to keep you cool.

Combine your trips. If you have errands to run for either work or business, combine them. For example, if you have to get milk and go to Kinko’s to make some copies, make both stops in the same trip. This will help cut gas costs and save time as well.

Set your electronic devices wisely. There are power saving settings for your computers and it’s a good idea to set them for your situation. I have my Mac go to sleep after 20 minutes of inactivity. Perhaps you need an hour or just 10 minutes, but use these settings and your power consumption (and bill) will go down a bit as well.

There are many things we can do in our day-to-day business life to help the environment. None of these actions alone are going to make a huge difference, but every little step helps. What home business sustainability practices do you recommend? How do you go about being a bit more ‘green’?

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