dorysuperhappyfunearth

[dorysuperhappyfunearth]

Sharing a simple, easy to understand poster that I made for the recycling bin I set up in my house! Featuring the common items that my household uses :) Printed this on the other side of a used piece of paper and stuck it onto the wall - makes recycling easier for everyone!

[dorysuperhappyfunearth]

eco-friendly gift ideas

there’s just something about gift-giving that i really love. i think it’s all the time, the effort and the thought you put into it that just gets me - more so than the gift itself. and while consuming less is an important part of being more sustainable, the magic of gifting shouldn’t have to be given up! so here are some eco-friendly gift ideas that will hopefully help you express your appreciation to the people you care about while still acting in alignment with your values. :) the list below also features items with various price ranges to cater to every budget!

please remember not to purchase something that they might already have and do not need more of! for example, if they already have a reusable water bottle of their own, you don’t have to get them another one.

without further ado...

experiences/spending time

i really do think the best present you can give someone is time. in our fast-paced and jam-packed lives, we sometimes forget to take time out to spend with the people we love. plan a day to bring them out to somewhere they would like, have a meal together, have a chat - i’m sure this would be very much appreciated by anyone!

nature lovers

Singapore Zoo

River Safari

nature walks/hikes at nature reserves or parks

beach cleanups (check out Bye Bye Plastic Bags, Seven Clean Seas etc on Instagram for updates!)

visit Gardens by the Bay

take a walk along the Coast-to-Coast Trail (and other routes)

fun/active experiences

Sentosa Skyline Luge

Universal Studios

Forest Adventure

Adventure Cove

Wild Wild Wet

play paintball

escape rooms

go rock climbing/bouldering

chill days

have a picnic

you can either prepare the food for them or choose to prepare the food together! e.g. if you are going with your family, prepare the food together beforehand and that’s extra bonding time.

pet cafes

watch a movie together

treat them to a meal

visit a museum

have a game day

Playnation (Prinsep, Scape*, Our Tampines Hub)

Saint Games (check locations on their website)

board games cafes

attend a clay workshop - make your own mugs

Center Pottery - sales of their handmade ceramic wares go towards funding of special programs to help patients, elderly, and the underprivileged

eco adventures

thrifting

New2U (Bugis)

Salvation Army (multiple locations)

Underground Market (pop-up event)

The Luggage Market (pop-up event)

visit Ground Up Initiative (Yishun)

attend a green event (check out this Telegram group for updates!)

beauty and fashion

more and more sustainable beauty and fashion options have been popping up in Singapore. so if you have a friend or loved one who loves either, this is the list for them! some items can also be refilled so do check and remember to let your friends know.

a great place to check out for a variety of sustainable beauty and fashion items would be The Social Space (Marina One/Chinatown)! they also have a refillery to refill personal care products and are a cafe too. The Green Collective (Paya Lebar/Funan) is also a great place with a variety of green vendors selling things from soap to clothes to jewelry! :)

soap bars

facial/shampoo/conditioner/body

sustainable beauty products

face mists

lip balms

body lotions

swapping memberships

a one-time swap ($35) or a 1 month membership ($88) at The Fashion Pulpit

Swapaholic swap parties

thrifted clothing

there are many tutorials on how to thrift flip things (try YouTube). if you find something in great condition/new at the thrift store, you can always make something new out of it!

food

i love giving people homemade food! they’re usually cleaner and healthier when you make it yourself, and putting your blood, sweat and tears (not literally, please) into making them is so so meaningful. they are also pretty easy to make so give them a try! the recipes I have linked below are vegan but you can find any online that suit you and your dietary preferences :)

most ingredients can be purchased package-free from bulk food stores such as Unpackt (Jalan Kuras, Tanjong Pagar), Reprovisions (Jurong Point), Eco.Le, The Source Bulk Foods (Cluny Court), Scoop Wholefoods. package-free nuts and chia seeds can be found at Alison’s Pantry in most Cold Storage outlets (reuse the plastic bag provided every time you shop there).

for packaging, you can repurpose nut butter or bread spread jars, write a little note and tie it around the lid. (and remind your friend to reuse the jar!) OR, if you have a bigger budget, consider using beeswax wraps! the recipient can reuse them in their homes as well - it’s basically an additional present :)

homemade granola

banana bread

chocolate hazelnut

cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal, peanut butter, etc)

brownies (chocolate, salted caramel, etc)

homemade superfood nut butter

get a jar of nut butter (just nuts and sometimes salt! I love Adams), add mix-ins (e.g. chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds) = nutrition-packed nut butter that they can use on bread, in smoothie bowls, with bananas and more!

snacks from bulk stores

BBQ rice crackers, chili lime snippets, murukku, iced gems, chocolate-covered almonds/raisins, etc

eco items

eco items can be quite expensive sometimes, so any friend who is remotely interested in sustainability/cares for the environment would likely appreciate them! do make sure that they 1) would use it (e.g. if they don’t drink bubble tea, there is no point in getting a bubble tea straw!) and 2) they don’t already have it.

bamboo cutlery/straws

bamboo toothbrushes

reusable water bottles

this bamboo/stainless steel flask may be able to be engraved, which would make your gift even more special!

compostable phone cases

Pelacase - get $10 off

snack bags

Stasher (SG: The Sustainability Project, Your Sustainable Store)

on the go food containers

rectangle collapsible containers - Unpackt

collapsible bowls - Seastainable

bento boxes - Unpackt, TSP, YSS

on the go cups

Stojo collapsible cups (SG: TSP)

cup holders (SG: TSP, Unpackt, etc)

others

just some additional knick-knacks!

donate to a charity of their choice

a 1-/3-month/year-long streaming subscription

Entertainment: Netflix, Spotify

Education: Skillshare, EdX

homemade art (get supplies from thrift stores or Carousell)

painting: try Bob Ross tutorials, art jamming

paint/do hand-lettering of a quote that speaks to them or their name

frame them with thrift store frames

get them a plant that is easy to care for (e.g. succulents)

to clarify, the list of stores above is non-exhaustive and there are many more stores and places that stock amazing sustainably-made items that I haven’t included or mentioned! so please do a quick Google search and check out other stores as well.

remember that many of these items can also spark a conversation - so if you get a chance to, share with your family and friends why you chose to gift them, say, a collapsible cup or to bring them to the zoo instead of buying them material things. :)

last but not least, I hope this list was helpful to you! I’ll definitely return and add more things along the way. till then, don’t forget to stay conscious!

[dorysuperhappyfunearth]

5 easy ways to reduce waste

if you’re looking to reduce your waste and minimise your impact on mama earth in your everyday life, this is the post for you! here are 5 easy ways you can make less waste :)

1. use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water

this is one of the easiest swaps you can make - to get a reusable bottle, be it plastic, stainless steel or glass*. this stainless steel one from Bamboo Straw Girl is great because it has a handle that you can hook onto your bag and it comes in thermal and non-thermal versions so you can keep your drinks hot/cold! 

plus, Singapore’s tap water is safe to drink and there are many water dispensers and coolers around to refill your bottles. just naming a few: schools, nursing rooms in some shopping malls, Changi Airport, Our Tampines Hub, Heartbeat @ Bedok, and even public toilets. PLUS, think of all the money you’ll save on all the bottled water you would have bought. it really adds up!

*you may wish to consider the material of your bottle based on your lifestyle and its environmental impact. I personally wouldn’t recommend plastic bottles (e.g. Tupperware bottles) because they get oily and form dark spots after a period of time. if you’re accident-prone, glass is probably not the right choice for you. get something that you see yourself using for a really really long time! 

2. use a reusable bag instead of plastic bags

plastic bags are made with non-renewable resources and take a LOT of energy to manufacture. they take a really really long time to break down (think 1000 years) and can release toxic chemicals over time. In Singapore, shoppers take 820 million plastic bags from supermarkets every year and only 15% of a survey’s respondents bring their own shopping bags. the next time you head out, throw a reusable bag into your backpack or handbag. they’re compact and ready whenever you need it. grocery shopping, buying clothes, shoes, gifts, whatever it is, you’re gonna need a reusable bag. BUT if you ever find yourself without one, don’t be afraid to hold your purchases in your hand! REFUSE THE BAG. especially for small purchases - those small plastic bags can barely hold anything or be used to bag our trash.

for many Singaporean households, using plastic bags to bag our trash is just common practice. some ways to reduce our use of plastic bags for trash would include reusing food packaging (e.g. the plastic bag that was used to put apples), recycling (so the recyclables don’t take up space in the bag), composting (so food waste doesn’t take up space). the best being... make less trash in the first place!

3. bring your own set of cutlery

all you need to do is grab a set of utensils from your home (spoon, fork, chopsticks, whatever you need), place it in a pouch and voilà! throw it in your bag whenever you’re heading out and you are set. use them when you order food in or when you’re eating at a place with disposables. then wash them at any public tap, keep it in the pouch and repeat!

remember you don’t need to buy a new set of utensils if you already have some you can use at home. however, frequent travellers may wish to get a set of bamboo cutlery (this is not sponsored but I love Bamboo Straw Girl!) because metal cutlery may pose some issues at the airport.

4. switch to soap bars

if you’ve been using liquid soap for face, hair and body, chances are they’re all bottled in some sort of plastic container. liquid soaps take a lot of energy to transport and manufacture (5x more energy for raw material production and almost 20x more for packaging production than bar soaps). liquid soaps are also often made from ingredients that are too harsh for our skin (e.g. parabens, sulfates, silicones).

make the switch to soap bars! you can start out with the Dove body soap bars (you can get them at Valu$ shops) which are cheaper but doesn’t have the best ingredient list. iHerb also sells bar soaps for both face and body - for some products, they are cheaper when you buy in larger quantities. (consider sharing with your friends and family - you save money and reduce carbon emissions when you collate your purchases for shipping!) if you can afford to splurge a little more, oasis:skin is a homegrown clean beauty brand and sells facial, shampoo and conditioner bars.

they’re also perfect for travellers because you don’t have to worry about liquid limits at the airport, or spillages because the solid soaps can just be placed in a container or pouch and they are good to go!

5. eat in!

takeaway culture is pretty prominent in Singapore - dabaoing food to our offices, back home or to our study areas is probably something we all do at least once a week. and while it would be great if we could all bring our own containers, I know there are some reasons deterring people from BYOing. “it’s troublesome to wash the container”, “how do I know what size I need the container to be?” well then, try eating in as much as possible! use the reusable plates and cutlery provided by the dining establishment instead of creating the waste of a plastic container/styrofoam box, disposable utensils, a plastic bag to hold those items and extras like chili packets. no need to bring a container, no need to wash the container, just opt to eat in.

if you aren’t already doing these 5 things, try it this week! make the switch. small changes can make a big difference. :)

#singapore #sustainability #eco #environment #zero waste #low waste

[dorysuperhappyfunearth]

some nifty thrifting tips

hello world! i had a lil thrifting adventure today and i bought a beautiful embroidered romper for $3! hehe. i also wanted to share my experience and some tips and tricks for y’all out there, so let’s all celebrate the birth of this baby post! HERE WE GO.

WHY THRIFT?

thrifting is a great and more affordable + sustainable alternative to fast fashion (click to watch a really informative and interesting video on fast fashion made by a singaporean environmentalist that i follow and admire!). thrifting secondhand = not consuming new materials producing the new clothes that we get. prices can be as low as $1 and for some shops, the proceeds go to social causes (like the scwo new2u thrift shop).

so really, satisfying our ~unending need to consume~ AND doing a good deed? what could beat that?

BEFORE YOU GO

i’m not gonna lie - thrifting can definitely be rather time consuming. i can spend 1-2 hours at a place and leave with only 1 piece of clothing or even none! while this can be unavoidable at times, it’s good to be prepared so you can save some time and love your purchases.

have an idea of what you are looking for. for example, I love whites, lightweight fabrics and summery pieces. so i kept those preferences in mind and looked out for them while going through the racks - which helped narrow the pile and made it much easier to find something that suited my tastes. you can ask yourself a few questions: what colours am i looking for? what materials do i like? what flatters me and what doesn’t? what events/activities do i need clothes for?

know your size. i saw a few pieces that i liked but were not in my size and 1) i definitely couldn’t fake it till i made it and 2) i didn’t know how to alter to be a good fit. i used to just buy clothes that didn’t fit me and say “i’ll just try to alter them at home!” but it never really happened so... unless you are sure that you are going to do something about it, don’t buy it.

dress appropriately! wear something easy to get on and off so that it’s easier to change in the dressing room. maybe even something that you wear often or represents your wardrobe well, so you can see if something will match with the rest of your clothes. and definitely something comfy because you’re gonna sweat, especially in this singapore weather.

bring cash. some thrift shops accept cashless payments, some don’t - so to be on the safe side, just have cash on hand.

ask a friend along! it is so good to have a friend with you who can help you with your decisions and give you their opinion (if that’s what you need). PLUS, it’s a great activity to spend more time with your friends and bring them over to the *sustainable side*!

and don’t forget to bring your own bag to put your purchases, because we love a sustainable sister who doesn’t need plastic bags!

WHILE THRIFTING

“what do you think about this?” “EH it’s quite nice leh!”

it’s honestly pretty easy to get carried away by the low prices and the fact that there’s (usually) only one of any item. having been a victim of the “okay I’m just gonna get it” and regret combo, I’ll probably take some of my own advice.

ask yourself these questions before you decide to buy something: do i really need it? where/what would i wear it to? how often will i wear it? what would i wear it with? do i like it? how would i look in it? i think it’s really important to be sure of what you’re getting because *CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM*! plus, don’t waste your money on something you’ll barely even wear/that will just be sitting around!

try the clothes on - especially the ones you’re unsure of! if you’re not sure of how it’ll fit, try it on. if you’ve never worn something like that before, try it on! i was about to buy a pair of shorts that i really liked the pattern of and it seemed like it would look nice - but after trying it on, i realised that it really wasn’t for me and that was that. back on the rack it went.

keep an open mind. thrifting is a great way to explore new styles because there are so many different and unique pieces! so don’t be afraid to switch it up a lil.

look out for parts that need fixing and ask yourself if you can fix them. for example, a missing button. a broken strap. stains or holes on the fabric. some things a simple thread and needle can fix, but some things may require more advanced skills (which i unfortunately lack). are you okay with them? and if you’re not, are you able to fix them?

practise patience and perseverance. hey look! another benefit: the qualities that thrifting instills in you! ok but seriously, you have to be prepared to flip through the racks. at one look, some racks may seem uninteresting but you really have to flip through them and you might find some hidden gems. you might not always find what you want that day but try again another day! another place! another time! thrift shops are constantly having their items updated so you never know what you’re gonna get.

AFTER

happy with your purchases? YOU GO GIRL. but don’t forget the following:

wash wash wash. remember to wash all the clothing that you’ve gotten! they can be rather dusty so get ‘em clean.

get fixing! get sewing, get washing. some items can be fixed up really easily, like I’ve sewn on a button (just google for a tutorial) or shortened some straps to make things good as new and fit me even better. and it’s perfect!

and that is all I have for y’all today! I hope it helped and happy thrifting! :)

#thrifting #fast fashion #singapore #sustainability