Will a 4-day work week cut CO2 emissions?
Source: https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/will-a-4-day-work-week-cut-emissions
Author: Sammie Eastwood
The 4-day work week campaign has been gaining momentum around the world, after the UK’s first successful trial resulted in less stress without impacting productivity, inspiring 56 of the 61 companies involved to adopt it full time. A welcome move forward as it is repod that more employees are suffering from poor mental health caused by overwork, with stress being the main cause for the majority of long-term sickness leave. Along with the indisputable benefits of the 4-day work wee, including increased revenue, significantly less attrition, higher staff satisfaction due to less stress and feelings of burnout, and a better work/life balance, studies have also shown that it could be key to reducing CO2 emissions by 127 million tonnes per year by 2025. The most major benefit of the 4-day work week would be to lower emissions through the reduction of commuting. A study by Green Peace estimated that the 4-day week could cut commuting miles by a staggering 558 million per week. Without the exhausting and frustrating nature of multiple long commutes, employees may even be inspired to ditch the car and get out on their bikes to get around. The carbon savings go even further. With businesses closed for the day, there is no need for heating and utilities to be in use for 8 or more hours per week. This not only saves the business money but saves the environment from millions of tonnes of wasted power and emissions. A 4-day week also means 1 day less of office waste that ends up in landfill, where it fills the air with noxious gases that contribute to global warming.