Go Green: Work from Home

Photo: Husband & Baby at my office desk. "Hey, I'll trying to work here!"

Go Green: Work from Home

I was watching Emeril Green this morning and I thought, "I'll check out Planet Green for one of Emeril's recipes." (By the way, cooking has never been my talent. I need all the help I can get).

Well, I got to the Planet Green site and a different article caught my eye, How to Go Green: Work from Home by Blythe Copeland. I wanted to address this issue because I have become a Home-working, baby-raising, house-cleaning, blog-beginning, eco-entrepreneur. I am living the natural life and loving it. I own a large vehicle, but rarely drive. I eliminated the commute for work, scaled back on gas, only use florescent bulbs in my office and I keep my thermostat on 64 degrees. (The office I worked in was always too hot for me). Therefore, I lightened my carbon-footprint all for the sake of Baby-Raising. I am completely liberated from the traditional work place and I am green in doing it!

Before everyone goes out and quits her job, some things about working from home need to be considered. First, you have to find a job or start a business that you can do from home, or get the flexibility from your boss to move your job home. That, of course, may be a given, but taking your personality into consideration might take a little more thought. If interaction with people and the hustle of the workplace is something you crave, working from home probably wouldn't work well. Also, be honest, can you self-motivate? Can you set goals for yourself and keep them?

If you take the plunge, it is good to keep a schedule, including taking time for breaks and especially for fresh air. I have caught myself not even leaving the confines of my home for an entire day! Work can be consuming and internet interaction can be transporting to the extent that I forget about stepping out into the freshness of the outdoors. I know, what a sad case, right? I do not intend for work to be that way, but it can creep in without notice. This restricted mobility and lack of interaction with people can take a toll on a person. When Baby cries, I tend to him, which switches my focus off the computer screen and onto the precious moments with him. The baby-raising aspect of my working from home creates variety in routine.

I love working from home because it gives me the opportunity to make money without missing all the intimate baby moments that only the stay at home mom knows about. Every day Baby is doing something new such as grabbing for the Pug or making varying goo noises. I thank God I am able to partake in all the little things that make baby-raising exciting.

I can do cloth diapers. Okay, so I use cloth diapers for several reasons and I intend to do a post specifically on the subject at a later date. For the work at home subject, try handing a baby fitted with an oversized bottom (aka cloth diaper) to a daycare provider and she is liable to hand him right back. Working from home has given me the opportunity to practice the green lifestyle with my son.

If you want to practice the green lifestyle, but can't work at home, think of doing small things at the office like turning off the lights in rooms that nobody occupies, print less, reuse & recycle office paper and turn down the heat. If your boss hasn't already done so, suggest florescent bulbs. Can you think of other useful at work green tips?