Steve MacLellan

Transportation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in North America, and a lot of that comes from commuting.

For
example, if the four-million-plus people in Canada whose jobs could be
done from home did so twice a week, it could remove the equivalent of
385,231 cars from the road and cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by
1.9 million tonnes, according to a 2011 report from the Telework Research Network commissioned by the City of Calgary.

“There’s
no quicker, easier, cheaper way to reduce your carbon footprint than
not drive,” said Kate Lister, lead author of that report and president
of Global Workplace Analytics, a U.S.-based firm that helps companies
plan for the future of work.

In the longer term, emissions
savings can be even greater, as telework policies allow companies to
reduce the amount of office space they must heat, power and equip. That
also saves money.