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Home, Travel and Food: together they make up more than 60% of the average UK resident's carbon footprint. Here you'll find the latest news, research and ideas to help you cut their impact.

Alternative ways to how we workPrint

Alternative working practices can help to reduce the amount that you drive each week. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Every day millions of Britons endure the daily grind and commute to work. According to Act On CO2, the average commuter only drives 12 miles a day, but these miles really add up. In fact, the Department for Transport reports that commuter and business travel accounts for nearly 40% of all miles driven by car in the UK.

Where and how you work has a huge impact on your carbon footprint

By working from home, or from an office closer to where you live, instead of driving to your normal office, you could reduce the number of commuting miles you drive each week.

Advances in telephony and digital technology like the internet and remote access, have the potential to transform how we work. In one case study, teleworkers who took the opportunity to work from home reported that doing so reduced their weekly mileage by as much as 95 -193 miles.

What if I can't adopt flexible working practices?

Videoconferencing can cut down the number of physical meetings staff travel to attend. Another, cheaper, option is audioconferencing. It requires no equipment other than a standard telephone line, and eliminates travelling to and from meetings.

Flexible working conditions might not be a solution that everybody can use, but adopting new technologies where possible can help to reduce the number of miles travelled, and CO2 emissions generated from transport.

Every BIG helps

  • In 2005, BT prevented up to 54,117 tonnes of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere by using conferencing. Each avoided face-to-face meeting also saved a minimum of £431 adding up to £146m over the year.
  • Swapping a face-to-face meeting in Sydney with a conference call to the UK could save almost 14 tonnes of carbon.
  • By using videoconferencing the 45-strong team of PR Agency Mason Williams estimates that it cut its travel costs by one third.

How to... get started audioconferencing

  • Use Voice over IP (VOIP) software. VOIP packages allow you to make calls to other users, through your computer, anywhere in the world, in some cases for free
  • Sign up for a hosted audioconferencing service

Sources

[0] With an average car commuter driving 12 miles a day, cutting that by half through car sharing would save around 400 kg of carbon dioxide over one year, equivalent to around 170 litres of petrol. (An average car commuter drives 12 miles a day. Cutting that by half through car sharing saves around 400kg of CO2 over one year, or about 170 litres of petrol.
Information Source: Car share leaflet, Highways Agency

[1] With an average car commuter driving 12 miles a day, cutting that by half through car sharing would save around 400 kg of carbon dioxide over one year, equivalent to around 170 litres of petrol. (An average car commuter drives 12 miles a day. Cutting that by half through car sharing saves around 400kg of CO2 over one year, or about 170 litres of petrol.
Information Source: Car share leaflet, Highways Agency

[2] Transport is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, and commuter and business travel constitute nearly 40% of all miles driven by car.
Information Source: Department for Transport, How to reduce costs and carbon emissions from business related transport (Under Managing your commuter and business travel)

[3] Surveys of employees who regularly telework suggest that they have reduce their weekly mileage by 95-193 miles, have increased their productivity, and benefit from other more subtle advantages such as less stressful lifestyles resulting in lower rates of absenteeism.
Information Source: Smarter Choices, Changing The Way We Travel Case Study Report, Teleworking (2004) (Page 68, paragraph beneath BT and Teleworking sub-heading)

[4] Swapping a face-to-face meeting in Sydney with a conference call to the UK could save almost 14 tonnes of carbon
Information Source: Estimate from CO2 calculator Return journey to Sydney is 34,000 km, therefore, carbon saved is 13.7 tonnes.

[5] Mason Williams, a PR agency with 45 staff, reports that videoconferencing has cut its travel costs by a third.
Information Source: Department for Transport, Making Smarter Choices Work, How effective is teleconferencing? (Page 43, paragraph 3)

Team Green Britain and London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd (LOCOG) do not endorse any of the products, companies, organisations, opinions or websites that have been mentioned in this article. The content of this article has merely been provided as background to, or discussion on, various topical issues relating to the environment and it is not necessarily representative of the views of Team Green Britain and LOCOG. Further, any figures and calculations noted in this article are estimates (unless otherwise specified), and may vary in light of numerous factors and readers are advised to undertake their own research in relation to the facts and figures applicable to their particular circumstance. Certain facts and figures shown have been sourced from third parties. Team Green Britain has not verified information sourced from third parties and Team Green Britain cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of these facts and figures.

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