While working from home affords some obvious perks—such as the ability to set one’s own schedule and the freedom to take business calls in pajamas—the life of a freelancer can be a lonely one.
At Sandbox Suites' downtown San Francisco location, members can work at any open workstation, rent a private desk, or book a "team office" (pictured), which is perfect for group brainstorming sessions. Photo courtesy of Sandbox Suites
By Joel Williams
Published: March, 2010
While working from home affords some obvious perks—such as the ability to set one’s own schedule and the freedom to take business calls in pajamas—the life of a freelancer can be a lonely one. It can also leave a larger carbon footprint than you might expect. So two enterprising San Franciscans have come up with a cheap, easy and more environmentally friendly way for independent contractors to work more productively, enjoy some welcomed (and needed) human interaction, and better their professional profile.
At Sandbox Suites, a co-working facility adjacent to San Francisco’s Civic Center area, members can sidle up to any open workstation, whip out their laptops and get cracking. Workstations are available for use in increments of as little as 20 hours per week. For those who’d prefer a place to call their own, Sandox Suites offers private desks for a little more money.
Membership includes high-speed Internet access, use of a landline phone, use of shared office equipment, the assistance of an on-site concierge and IT technician, and access to shared meeting rooms. It also affords opportunities for networking with like-minded professionals in a variety of industries—members include writers, graphic designers, web designers and small-business owners—and at-will social interaction.
Sandbox Suites’ founders, Roman Gelfer and Sasha Vasilyuk, say that, while many freelancers and telecommuters are happy to leave behind time clocks, cubicles and grumpy bosses, they miss water-cooler chitchat and being able to pop their head around the corner to gab with a neighboring worker bee.
“A lot of people dream about being an independent contractor or being able to telecommute, and it’s great at first,” says Vasilyuk. “But after a few months, they start to actually miss having people around.”
“Plus there are a lot of potential distractions to avoid when you work from home,” adds Gelfer. “You’ve got the gardener working outside, or the cat is screaming for attention, or the television in the other room is calling your name. Being in a more professional environment, even one as casual as Sandbox Suites, makes it easier to stay focused and motivated.”
Making it easier to be green
According to Gelfer and Vasilyuk, co-working also makes it easier for independent contractors to work greener. What people seem to appreciate most about working from home is the absence of corporate-prescribed policies and procedures. Unfortunately, that includes having a system in place that, when adhered to, increases overall sustainability without much thought on the part of employees.
Aside from recycling, few home businesses have any kind of workplace sustainability program in place. A co-working program puts such a system in place for members, but leaves the other elements of corporate culture to the 9-to-5ers. “There’s a lot of wasting of electricity and paper that goes on at any business,” says Gelfer. “Co-working is inherently greener, because you’re sharing resources.” “Having one printer for 40 people just makes more sense than 40 printers,” adds Vasilyuk.
The energy savings from sharing a printer and copier may be modest, she concedes. But she says that the energy used to manufacture forty machines must also be considered, not to mention what will become of those forty machines when they inevitably need to be replaced.
Sandbox Suites has a system in place for dealing with this and other e-waste, including old laptops, cell phones and batteries. Even the most conscientious work-at-home type is tempted to toss old alkaline batteries in the trash rather than driving them to a disposal facility, as the law requires. Sandbox Suites’ members can simply chuck such items into a clearly marked receptacle to be disposed of properly.
To help cut down on paper waste, Sandbox Suites’ staff helps members set their computers to print duplex-style (on both sides of a sheet of paper), which immediately cuts paper usage in half.
The challenge, according to Vasilyuk, has been keeping members on the green track, which she says requires a lot of handholding. “We hold workshops periodically and do a lot of posting of reminders and directions around the office,” she says. “I guess you could say we play the mother role, but that’s okay. These little things may not sound like much on their own, but when you add them up, they really help.”
Green at the door
Sandbox Suites is the first business of its kind in San Francisco to be Green Certified, which Gelfer and Vasilyuk say was their goal from the onset. “It’s a pretty intense process,” says Gelfer. “There was a checklist of a least a dozen things that we had to do, and it took us about a year to complete.”
That checklist included installing an energy-efficient lighting system (on timers) and low-flow bathroom fixtures, as well as having an enhanced recycling and composting program in place. “We use 100 percent recycled paper and recycled toner cartridges,” adds Vasilyuk. “And we did away with disposable cups. We now use plastic and glass that can be washed and reused. Again, little things that add up and make a big difference. And some of these things actually save us money, which is great.”
Plus, being a green business itself has helped Sandbox Suites attract members, a number of whom offer green services and products. “Being here makes sense for them,” says Vasilyuk. “They’re sticking to their green principles.”
Sandbox Suites’ members all live within walking or biking distance, or a short bus ride, away from the 10th Street location. That’s key to maximizing the green potential of such a business model, says Gelfer. In order for the co-working movement to grow, as it has throughout Europe, more co-working spaces need to open up so that members don’t have to drive very far (if at all) to utilize one. Otherwise the auto emissions and time wasted in a car render co-working less effective.
“The idea is hardly a new one,” says Vasilyuk. “For centuries, artists have shared spaces both out of necessity and a desire for inspiration. We’re just putting sort of a technological spin on that.”
“Another reason that people come here is because they need to maintain a more professional appearance,” adds Gelfer. “You can’t ask clients to meet you at a coffee shop, not to mention take a business call over the music in the background, and the sound of the espresso machine. Still, this is a more relaxed environment than the usual office setting.”
“I’d say we’re an intermediate step between the corner café and having your own fancy office,” says Vasilyuk.
By simply opting to use washable (and reusable) plastic and glass cups instead of paper drinking cups, Sandbox Suites is minimizing its carbon footprint. Photo courtesy of Sandbox Suites
Sandbox Suites' founders say that co-working is greener than working at home because multiple people are sharing resources, including office equipment and electricity. Photo courtesy of Sandbox Suites
