If you're reading this article you're probably already concerned with your carbon footprint. But, whether that's turning off the lights when you leave the room or reducing your programmable thermostat when you're not at home, telecommuting can still be a drain on your energy source.

Throughout metropolitan areas there are many telecommuters. Those who may be working in the major cities but choose to stay home to do most of their business. This is a great way to save money on gas and car maintenance but it also means that you are using energy sources in your home a lot more often. If you're looking to reduce your energy costs in the home, without sacrificing your work day, here are some things to consider.

#1. Turn off your computer for the day or run sleep mode.

Most computers have a number of power mode features that can save money on energy bills. This could be a standby or passive mode or you can simply turn it off at the end of the day when you're not working. This also keeps your mind free from those nagging emails that may keep popping up.

#2. Use a backup server.

If you have many servers in your home you might be able to consolidate all of that into one central server. This puts all of your important work on a server and backs it up every single day.

#3. Consider a laptop.

If you are like me, you probably have your central computer and two or three monitors up at all times. This it drains energy and usage on all of these devices. You might consider switching to a laptop that's more energy-efficient and can move around the house with you.

#4. Make sure there are energy-saving power strips on all devices.

This not only saves energy but it could save your work in case of a power outage. There's nothing worse than being three hours into a project only to have the power go out and you've lost everything.

#5. Do you really need to print?

Tampa Buyers Broker says, "They used to print everything from simple invoices to every PDF that came across their email. However, now they have electronic files and folders for all of these items. This practice helps them save their actual file folders for more important things that need to be printed, while also reducing energy costs by avoiding the use of a printer and the purchase of extra ink."

Working from home is a great idea but it can drain the energy in your home quite quickly. Try some of these easy-to-handle fixes.