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Work from Home: Getting Techie
Coworking
Working from home has plenty of advantages, but the more social among us can get feel a little lonely without the watercooler banter over last night's Lost, and a little uninspired without nearby coworkers to bounce ideas off. Co-working spaces—which have sprung up all over the world—are offices where freelancers and other self-employed people share space and ideas. The Coworking wiki describes it as "start with a shared office and add cafe culture. Which is the opposite of most modern cafes." Sounds like a good compromise-as long as you walk, bike, or take public transport to get there.
EPEAT vs. Energy Star
When buying electronics, you're likely to see certifications from either Energy Star or EPEAT—but they're not addressing the same factors. Energy Star electronics have been vetted to make sure they are energy efficient; the EPA claims that if all computers met these standards, the annual greenhouse gas reduction would equal that of 2 million cars. EPEAT, on the other hand, stands for Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool; it's used by a non-profit agency to judge computers on their materials, end-of-life design, longevity, packaging, and four other qualities relating to construction and performance. Check out our guides for How to Go Green: Gadgets and How to Go Green: Home Electronics for more on both certifications.
Greenguard and Indoor Air Quality
The Greenguard Environmental Institute offers three different certifications: Indoor Air Quality, Children and Schools, and Building Construction. Since the latter is targeted at commercial buildings, it's the first two that are most likely to end up in your home office. Both offer certification to products with low chemical and particle emissions-which means they won't be giving off harmful VOCs; these products include electronics, building materials, bedding, furniture, and more. Got young kids in the house? The Children and Schools certification follows stricter guidelines, but is available to adult-sized furniture.
Cradle to Cradle
Design firm MBDC implemented the Cradle to Cradle certification program to identify products that are made of environmentally safe materials, intended for reuse, made with renewable energy sources, and are water and energy efficient. You'll find this label on cleaning products, office supplies, bedding, furniture, and building materials (plus much more).
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