One of the things I love most about working from home is that I no longer have to commute.

This does have its downside however!

I’ve since found my tolerance for sitting in traffic is massively reduced. On the odd occasion I have to go into our local city I feel exhausted just by getting there. It’s amazing what you adapt to and how quickly you acclimatise to things.

But I do remember the commute well and I’m grateful I no longer have to endure it.

I’ve learned recently that the average person in the UK spends one year of their life getting to and from work! Statistics show personal happiness decreases with every mile a commuter travels. The stress caused by a lack of control, delays, boredom and isolation causes lower life satisfaction and anxiety.

And not to mention the health effects of air pollution caused by cars and public transport. I’ve seen countless photos of people wearing anti-pollution masks when out and about.

This infographic from GoToMeeting shows some ways you can help reduce air pollution. It includes three simple ideas such as looking for work-from-home opportunities, car sharing and using video conferencing rather than physically going to meetings.

What about you – how do you reduce air pollution?