Read more here: http://gigaom.com/collaboration/study-telecommuting-is-worth-a-pay-cut-especially-for-men/

While each company can be different in determining which employees would be eligible for telework, the benefits of the cloud network for teleworking is fairly universal. Cloud computing expert and InfoStreet CEO Siamak Farah said the government demand for the cloud network has changed cloud offerings for the better, increasing the number and quality of cloud solutions so business have more choices. Farah also emphasized the security of the cloud network. Although files are stored in the centralized cloud, current data protection measures in the cloud are just as safe as the rest of the Internet.

Read more: http://gigaom.com/collaboration/4-lessons-for-business-from-the-telework-enhancement-act/

Watch the videos below to hear Larry Crenshaw discuss the multiple ways broadband helps the environment.

And telework certainly is growing. The Telework Research Network estimates that 20 to 30 million people currently work from home at least one day a week and that 38% of people who did not currently telecommute said they had job-related tasks that they thought they could perform from home. And according to panelist Chuck Wilsker, President of the American Telework Coalition, Forrester Research predicts that over 40% of the American workforce will be telecommuting by 2016.

Jennifer Alcott, of Telework VA!, who has over sixteen years of experience helping employers from both the private and public sector to implement telework programs, added a practical perspective the discussion. She recommends that companies implement telework policies and do so thoughtfully so that

Finally, Debbie Berlyn, of Getting Older Adults Online (GOAL) advocated for the opportunities that telework brings the aging demographic both with increasing disabilities and as caregivers.

Our conclusions? The speakers agreed that broadband access and adoption are both key to moving towards our telework future and see the following benefits moving forward:

• Saves carbon emissions, wear and tear on infrastructure, and personal expenses related to commuting
• Increases personal freedom for workforce, helping with employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity
• Reduces costs for employers by lowering
• Accommodates people with disabilities, including an aging workforce that will remain in the job market longer than previous generations
• Provides jobs that are often sent offshore

What better way to get more for your buck than to use the cost savings from minimal fuel consumption for essential needs such as back-to-school shopping, groceries, home goods, car supplies, etc. Only a click away, a surmount of widely priced products are easily accessible for consumers to consider as they look for ways to save money wisely and not randomly consume gas at $4 a gallon.

Online shopping is a prefect example of how broadband is providing Americans with cost, energy and time efficient alternatives to everyday activities.

Going “paperless” is a term that has been thrown around a lot recently. Many companies are now providing customers the option to pay their bills online and a good number of consumers are going this route. This small task is not only easier and more time efficient, it can make a huge impact in protecting the environment. If every household in the United States switched to paperless billing, CO2 emissions would be reduced by 2.1 million tons and solid waste in landfills would be reduced by more than 800,000 tons a year. Not to mention the 18.5 million trees that would be saved in a single year.

Broadband can be used in a number of ways to make our lives easier and also help conserve the planet. By just going online, you can pay your bills with a few simple clicks. Paying bills online can save a lot of hassle and a lot trees!

As we’ve highlighted before on NextGenWeb, the smart grid is possible because of the high-speed broadband networks connecting homes and utilities all across America. And it is thanks to the billions of dollars annually invested by America’s broadband providers that today make the promise of the smart grid closer to a reality.

Present on the panel were two representatives from two of those broadband providers leading the charge – AT&T and Verizon. Jeff Brueggeman, Vice President for Public Policy at AT&T, stated that a conversation about the smart grid must start by thinking about the full range of communications needs that enable the smart grid. The challenge, according to Brueggeman, is managing huge amounts of data that flow over the networks. This is why state of the art broadband networks are needed in order to ensure that seamless flow of data and information.

Larry Plumb, Executive Director of Emerging Issues and Technology Policy at Verizon, began by stating that Verizon sees the smart grid as a business opportunity. A good business model is to invest in what consumers really want. In this case, consumers want to save money and reduce their energy consumption, which the smart grid is allowing to happen. We caught up with Plumb following the panel to further elaborate on the idea of the smart grid as a business opportunity (see below).

During the audience Q&A, a question was posed of what affect the Net neutrality and other broadband regulation debates going on in Washington may have on smart grid policy. In near unanimity, the panelists echoed that network provider’s ability to manage their services will be key to realizing the full potential of the smart grid moving forward. To read more about the managed broadband services debate, click here.

Teleworking is an efficient way to save money on gas and reduce pollution by keeping cars off the streets. In the same instance, telecommuting also helps balance traffic, which in turn can lower accident rates. In 2008, the federal government reported over 5% of its workforce was telecommuting. Out of 27 federal agencies, 24 reported better overall morale and 22 increased productivity and performance.

To learn more about the benefits of teleworking, join NextGenWeb at our Connectors Series discussion this Thursday, October 14th at 10:00am eastern in the executive center at US Telecom Association. We look forward to seeing you there!

The use of broadband allows us all to play our part in helping the environment and our planet. Big commitments are not always necessary to lend a hand to the green movement. Small tasks such as telecommuting and teleconferencing can reduce CO2 emissions, oil consumption, and even traffic congestion. Going paperless also makes a huge difference. If every household in the U.S. would pay their bills online, we would be able to save 16.5 million trees a year. But broadband use to save the planet isn’t limited to just work and paying bills, it can also be used for fun purchases. By simply downloading a CD rather than buying it a store, we could save 42 million gallons of oil.

You’d be amazed at all the ways broadband can be used to help the environment. This week, NextGenWeb will be highlighting the role broadband plays in helping reduce our carbon foot print. Each day, from now until Friday, we will unveil a way broadband can help the environment and how you can join the green movement by simply going on-line.

Wade says that the smart grid is having a huge impact on electricity consumers.  He introduced the smart grid as “intelligent, self-healing, and interactive,” and went on to enumerate the following benefits:

• Reduce outage times by 40%, which thereby reduces the costs of power disruptions correspondingly
• Real time interaction with millions of devices leading to reduce peak usage by 100MW
• Give consumers tools to use energy more efficiently, thereby helping manage usage and costs

Even with all of these benefits, Wade says they are still testing ways to further improve their system.  I’d say this is a great start!

Read more on Chattanoonga’s Smart Grid system here!