There are many benefits of working from home including the fact that you can create your own sustainable office, save money and time due to the fact that you no longer have to commute to work. In fact, according to Environmental Protection UK, road transport accounts for 22% of total UK emissions of Carbon Dioxide, a major contributor to poor air quality and climate change! Statistics have shown however that people who opt to work remotely at least part-time have reduced the number of vehicles on the road by 7.8 billion vehicles.
Here at Harmoni, one of our main priorities is to help you find a sense of harmony and balance in your work and life by using eco-friendly products. We recommend buying second hand products or materials (Facebook Marketplace, letgo, AptDeco are just some of the great sustainable platforms selling second-hand products) in order to create a sustainable workplace.
Ahead of World Earth Day next month, we’ve curated our top five sustainable pieces you need in your workspace so that you can help fight climate change and create a zero-waste, stylish workspace that works for you.
1) Buy Some Desk Plants
Along with creating a cute, interior aesthetic, plants are great for helping to purify the air. Fraser Torpy, a lecturer in the School of the Environment at University of Technology in Sydney points out that “[E]ven three potted plants in an average-sized office will reduce airborne volatile organic compounds to an extremely low level.” Plants help to produce more oxygen by offsetting any chemicals released into the air by new office furniture and help to make a cleaner, happier space which will improve your mood.
2) Use a Glass Writing Board
By opting to use a glass writing board, you can reduce the amount of paper you use and inevitably end up throwing away! Unlike white boards made from plastic, glass is a more sustainable material which doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals. Using a glass writing board can also help to declutter your workspace as you can organise all your information in one place.
Additionally, glass writing boards can help to encourage more visual thinking. Given that the brain processes images 60,000 times faster than it does text, and that ninety per cent of the information transmitted to our brain is visual, it is really powerful that we can use colourful visual boards to creatively convey information clearly! Moreover, a study published in the Journal of Psychological Science found that people who take handwritten notes as opposed to writing notes on their laptop were able to recall more information.
Opt to use a sustainable glass writing board to improve your concentration, memory and mood in your workplace!
3) Juna Labs Chair
Do you suffer from back ache due to sitting down all day? The Juna Labs chair is an ergonomic, rocking posture stool which is proven to spread your bodyweight more evenly, thus reducing lower back pain. Made from durable and sustainably sourced beech wood, this sturdy chair helps to increase blood flow and energy by giving you the posture benefits of standing and the relief of sitting. It has an elegant, light-coloured, straight-grained and smooth textured finish which gives the chair a contemporary feel. With thick memory foam cushions for extra comfort, the Juna Labs chair is a perfect posture corrector which is quick and easy to assemble.
4) Air Purifier
It is really important that your work environment is both comfortable and eco-friendly. In fact, according to the State of Sustainability Report by the Natural Marketing Institute, “Sustainability is not a trend, it is becoming a cultural shift. All organisations, therefore, will need to realise that sustainability is not just a desired activity but a necessary strategy.” With more companies considering both the environment and the health of their employees, now that you’re working from home, isn’t it about time that you made your health the priority too?
Invest in a sustainable air purifier to help you feel more at ease when you’re working. By inhaling cleaner air this will not only help your breathing, but create a positive impact on your productivity and happiness both in your work life and your private life!
This sustainable air purifier naturally cleanses your air with oxygen-boosting plants. Respira uses nature to uplift spaces and cleanse the air by naturally absorbing gases and particulate matter. Alternatively, try Briiv, an innovative, sustainable air purifier which uses nanotechnology to create a healthier and happier work environment.
5) Harmoni Desk and Accessories
Optimise your energy levels and productivity by using a Harmoni standing desk! According to the British Medical Association, all workers should spend two hours of their working day standing; gradually increasing this to four hours per day over time. Why not take a stand and join the standing revolution? What’s more, the Harmoni desks are made from 100% FSC certified wood.
Be sure to keep an eye out on our website for some new accessories which are due to be released very soon! We currently have standing mats and cork mats available on our website which are both made from sustainable materials and will add comfort to your workspace.
Moreover, along with opting to stand to work, try working where you have access to plenty of natural light. The World Green Building Council reports that employees working near sunlit windows have a 15% higher production rate. The Principal of H. Hendy Associates further points out, "Natural light sets the body's circadian rhythms, which control awakening, falling asleep, synthesising vitamin D and digestion.”
Conclusion
Make some small changes to your workspace by investing in some sustainable pieces. By opting to be more eco-friendly by using sustainable products in your office, together we can have a large, positive impact and help create a healthier working environment!Sources
‘Going Green - Tips for Building a Sustainable Workplace’ <http://office-envy.com/2018/06/12/going-green-tips-for-building-a-sustainable-workspace/>
‘5 Easy Ways to Make Your Workspace More Eco-Friendly’ by Cecilia Amador de San José <https://allwork.space/2016/10/5-easy-ways-to-make-your-workspace-more-eco-friendly/>
‘5 Eco-Friendly Office Furniture Pieces to Enhance Your Workspace’ <https://blueandgreentomorrow.com/lifestyle/5-eco-friendly-office-furniture-pieces-enhance-workspace/>
‘Going green: 10 Ways to make your office more eco-friendly and efficient’ by Alison DeNisco Rayome <https://www.techrepublic.com/article/going-green-10-ways-to-make-your-office-more-eco-friendly-and-efficient/>
<https://www.earthday.org/>
‘Earth Day 2021 Press release’ <https://www.earthday.org/press-release/earthday-org-and-global-partners-unite-for-three-parallel-climate-summits-2/>
‘Houseplants make good company, but can they also reduce air-pollution?’ by John Cole <https://www.earthday.org/houseplants-make-good-company-but-can-they-also-reduce-air-pollution/>
‘7 useful tips to create a green workspace at home’ by Devika Manghnani <https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/7-useful-tips-to-create-a-green-workspace-at-home>
‘The Zero-Waste Workspace - Build a Sustainable Home office for Work or School’ <https://www.zerowaste.com/blog/the-zero-waste-home-office-zerowaste-com/>
‘EPUK Statement on the VW Emissions Scandal’ <https://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/policy-areas/air-quality/air-pollution-and-transport/car-pollution/>
‘This sustainable air purifier naturally cleanses your air with oxygen-boosting plants’ by Sarang Sheth <https://www.yankodesign.com/2021/02/08/this-sustainable-air-purifier-naturally-cleanses-your-air-with-oxygen-boosting-plants/>
‘Glass writing boards - the surprising benefits’ <https://justboards.com.au/Blog/Glass-writing-boards--use-and-benefits/>
‘Briiv’ <https://www.briiv.co.uk/>