May
22
We’re all trying to do our bit these days to save the environment, even us busy professionals in the business world. Do you know what your carbon footprint looks like? Err, no, neither do I, but I know that it’s a good idea to try and cut down on carbon emissions by reducing the number of car journeys I make each week.
In the UK around 13% of greenhouse gas emissions are produced by personal car travel (source transportdirect.info). The more car journeys we make, the greater the amount of CO2 pumped into the atmosphere. All over the world, the economy, society and our very way of life are threatened by climate change. By now most people have come to realise that this is already happening; in recent times we have experienced flooding, heat waves, droughts and bush fires. Unless we take action to reduce our CO2 emissions now, things can only get worse for us and our children.
But what to do about it? One practical suggestion that’s been doing the rounds lately is to leave your car at home for one day a week. You could go to work on the bus, train or tube, you could get a lift, or you could be really green, and stay at home. With the latest in web-based technology this is a real option now for most of us. I’ve discovered a great way of working from home that harnesses the power of internet technology and makes it really easy to use. It’s called SaaS, or Software as a Service.
Some SaaS services can be expensive, but I’ve found one that has all the features I need, very cheaply. For that, I get a service I can access from my home, from my office, from my client’s office, from a hotel room – wherever I want to be. With the online document management tool I can organise all my documents and folders, read and update them, and share them with colleagues & clients, whether at home, in the office or travelling. Not only that, there are also tools for online project management, online time reporting, creating web pages, and more. This one has many more features than most other SaaS products, which tend to focus on just one specialist area. It really seems to give you a complete virtual office to manage all your projects from beginning to end.
OK, sometimes we all have a good reason to make a personal appearance in the office. But slog into the office every single day? I don’t think so. Just because that is the way we have always worked, doesn’t mean it makes any sense or is the best and only way.
So why not give it a try? Stay at home for one day a month, or perhaps one day a week. The more days you can spend at home working in your virtual office, the more money you will save, and the more you will be cutting down on the greenhouse gases you produce. Save money. How much does it cost you to park your car near your office? In my town it costs around 7 pounds per day – I dread to think what it costs for a day’s parking in Central London these days – and that’s without the congestion charge. And I’m only paying 7 pounds per user for a whole month!
You also get a one-month trial, completely free of charge! With SaaS you can be good to the planet and be good to yourself: with the time you save on travelling you could relax and have an extra hour in bed. Could I realistically do without my car? I don’t think so. But I do try to cut down the amount of driving I do. Days when I need to work but don’t need to be at the office in person, I can be really productive by working through my SaaS service. Just common sense really, and I have the satisfaction of knowing I’m doing my bit for the environment.
By: Charlotte Mooney
About the Author:
Charlotte Mooney is an IT professional with many years experience, currently working for International IT Software Consultancy Proswift, specialising in the Webforum online Document Management and online Project Planning Service. If this story strikes a chord with you, click one of the links above and check out what Webforum could do for you and your business.
