You don’t have to find a job cleaning the ocean, ripping dolphins out of fishing nets with your bare hands or throwing barrels of toxic waste into space to make a difference through your occupation.  In fact, a simple a change as changing how you work makes a world of difference.  Depending on what you do, you might find that telecommuting can save you time, money and make a significant dent in your carbon footprint.

Several of my IT friends already barely need to show up at the office on a regular basis since they can provide tech support through various network tricks.  Some that work in advertising have also reduced their need to travel to the workplace.  Then there’s people like me that work exclusively on the internet and don’t even have an office to go to.

Consider the amount of fuel you’re using driving to and from work each day.  On average, people spend an hour and a half commuting for their job each day.  By working through your company’s networks, you’re not only using less fuel but you’re not spending as much money and you’re gaining a significant chunk of time to use for something other than yelling at inconsiderate taxi drivers and giving the finger to strangers that drive too slow.

Of course, it depends on what you do and how you maintain productivity.  While some may find that it is easier for them to remain focused without the distraction of the office social setting, I find it much more difficult to work from home where my television, game consoles, computers and various toys are, which is why I usually do the majority of my writing from the city’s abundant coffee shops with Wi-Fi.  Of course, there are also a significant number of jobs that don’t allow you to work from a remote location.

However, if you find yourself with the opportunity, maybe see if your company would allow you to work from home.  You’ll be reducing traffic congestion and increasing your own amount of free time.