Eco-gestures to do at the office before you go on vacation

July and August are synonymous with vacations for many of us.
But vacation doesn't mean forgetting our beautiful planet!

So even if you've got a lot to think about, you should also ask yourself how you can avoid consuming energy unnecessarily. Whether at home or at the office, there are a number of eco-gestures you can carry out before you leave.

Don't worry, eco-gestures are a simple way of making a significant impact on the planet. You're probably already doing some without realizing it. So why not find out together what you can do before you leave the office?

What are eco-gestures?

An eco-gesture is a simple, everyday gesture designed to limit pollution and improve your impact on the environment. It is defined as eco because of its role, but it can be carried out by anyone.

How about making things easier for yourself by following our "to-do list" of eco-gestures to do at the office before you leave on vacation?

Grab your best bic and let us give you some easy-to-apply ideas.

5 eco-gestures to do before you go on vacation

#1 Unplug your electronic devices

It's not enough to switch off the various devices in your office.

Printers and computers are examples of devices that continue to consume energy even when on standby or switched off.

To give you an idea, a printer on standby consumes between 4 and 40 watts, while a computer consumes around 5 watts. Imagine that multiplied by the number of people on vacation.

As you can see, if you want to avoid this unnecessary energy consumption, you'll need to remove the plugs from your electronic appliances.

#2 Turn off the lights

Turning off the lights may seem a commonplace and logical gesture, but many people still forget to switch off the lamp when they leave the room. Now's the perfect time to turn this daily gesture into an energy-saving reflex.

Obviously, in an office of a larger company, it's not always feasible to turn off the lights in corridors or offices, as these lights are automatic.

Some companies are already taking action, such as shutting down the building completely for a week and ensuring that all the lights are turned off. However, the awareness that turning off lights is an important eco-gesture is already a good thing.

#3 Turn off the air conditioning and close the shutters

The summer months mean hot weather. You, like us, can see how the work environment affects morale and motivation. It's best tohave a cool, airy room, but above all, a well-lit one.

You don't want your office to turn into a sauna when you get back from vacation?

Then close your office shutters or curtains. This will prevent heat from entering the room and staying there.

On the contrary, you want to avoid getting sick on your way back to the office?

Don't forget to turn off the air conditioning. In this case, you'll avoid unnecessary energy consumption and, at the same time, a cold. 🙂

#4 Sort and delete your e-mails

If you took part in our first "cap ou pas cap" of July, you will have learned that the digital industry accounts for 2% of global CO2 emissions. Even storing an e-mail takes energy.  

If you haven't already done so, there's still time to reduce your carbon footprint simply by sorting your e-mails!

For example, you can delete your spam and unsubscribe from newsletters that no longer interest you. This will enable you to clean up before you go on vacation, and come back afterwards with the aim of continuing to organize your mailbox on a daily basis.

And here's an extra tip: there are applications like CleanFox that let you clean up your mailbox without even lifting a finger. Just click here for the link!

Nice, isn't it?

#5 Barter items with your colleagues

What better way to bring about change in the office than by going on vacation?

An air of renewal on your return could motivate you and not make you feel like you're returning to the same work environment.  

We've got some ideas. Why not rearrange your office by changing the decor?

There's no need to go shopping, just see if your colleagues want to get rid of a nice green plant or a small pen holder.

And why not add a new photo frame with a picture of your dog, or a small cushion on your office chair. Just one detail can change the look of your office.

This will break the routine and get you back on track.

You've got all the cards in your hand!

You now have all the cards in your hands to think about implementing these eco-gestures at the office before you leave on vacation.

Feel free to use this article as a to-do list to check off eco-gestures once they've been carried out.

Of course, this list is by no means exhaustive, so be imaginative about other things you can do on vacation. Share your ideas with us on social networks, and we'll be delighted to discover and implement them too!