Resolution 2023: adopt an eco-responsible behavior

What if we create a better eco-responsible version of ourselves for the year 2023?

Eco-responsibility has been on our minds for some time in order to preserve ourselves and our beautiful planet while saving money!
Here are some tips on how to behave responsibly at home and at work. These gestures are simple and easy to apply on a daily basis, so that they can become reflexes. 

How to be eco-responsible at home 

Let's start by reducing over-packaging. It is important to avoid plastic as much as possible, especially by choosing reusable items. When shopping, consider using bags from your car or your pantry. This will save you having to buy new ones at the checkout. To store your food in the fridge, replace cling film and foil with pretty dish covers, which are perfect substitutes. Otherwise, opt for glass tupperware. They are just as effective. Finally, you can also swap plastic water bottles for a filter jug or glass jug. 

Next, it is necessary to minimize energy consumption. To do this, remember to turn off the light as soon as you leave a room, do not turn on the water too hot when you are in the shower, and turn off electronic devices if they are no longer in use. You can use a power strip with a switch to make this easier. These small actions will save you money on your water and electricity bills.

You must have heard about it very regularly over the last few years... selective sorting! Indeed, sorting your waste is important, because it reduces the volume of waste to be buried or incinerated. Recycling cardboard prevents thousands of trees from being cut down each year, recycling glass saves sand, and recycling plastic reduces oil consumption. You know what to do! 

How to shop eco-responsibly and eat healthier? Firstly, buy from local and short-distance suppliers. Find out about the food markets in your area and meet them to discover the good products they offer, or go to the local grocer. This will cut out the middleman and help reduce the amount of packaging on your products. Next, here are some tips on how to eat in an eco-responsible and healthy way: favor seasonal fruit and vegetables, avoid processed products (and nothing beats a good home-made dish), reduce your meat consumption if possible, and reduce food waste. 

Adopt eco-friendly practices at the office

First of all, to get to work, start by walking if the distance allows, otherwise opt for public transport, or a bicycle for the more sporty. Carpooling is also an option in rainy weather and if your place of residence is not well served by public transport. Otherwise, consider teleworking!

As at home, consider turning off your electronic devices if they are not in use: printers, computers, coffee machines, etc. Consider adding a timer to your PC so that it goes into standby mode after a few minutes of inactivity. This will help to reduce energy consumption. 

It is also possible to adopt eco-gestures during your coffee and lunch breaks. You can reduce waste by limiting the use of coffee pods, plastic stirrers and individual sugar sachets. Instead of plastic cups, use a mug for your hot drinks and a water bottle for your water. Bring your own homemade bowls and reusable cutlery to avoid takeaway food and reduce unnecessary plastic.

Did you know that emails are polluting? In 2022, over 333 billion emails were sent and received. They are very energy consuming because of the weight of the attachments, the time it takes to store them in your inbox, and the number of recipients. To reduce your ecological footprint, consider reducing the size of images and PDF files, and limit the number of recipients. Then sort out your mailbox. Clean it up regularly by deleting spam and any newsletters that are not read by unsubscribing. 

Finally, go digital by reducing unnecessary printing. In France, 70 to 85 kg of paper are used per employee per year, i.e. about 3 reams of paper in a month. This is an easy saving to make. Print only when necessary. Thanks to this eco-gesture, you will avoid the use of unnecessary paper.