Green Living 2016 : How Sustainable Living Should Look Like

Green Living is perhaps one of the largest eco-lifestyle lifestyle events that happen every year in Singapore. Last year, there were exhibits of green businesses showcasing their green projects and ideas but this year, it was more of like a marketplace, comprising more of young local green enterprises selling their green products to the public. It is pretty interesting too and I think I spent like 5 hours at the exhibit itself, making connections with those who believe in sustainable living too. Mind you, we are not exactly tree huggers but just like-minded individuals who believe in living more consciously to make this world a better place for both us and our environment. 

This 3-day exhibit which takes place from  9 to 11 September 2016 is held at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre. It is free to the public and there were a series of workshops and seminars for all to take part.

My mum believes in green living and her love for plants have brought her to this event with me. And the first thing we did is to exchange our old batteries for new rechargeable batteries by GP batteries. It’s awesome that such enterprises are stepping up to educate and encourage the public to go green by using rechargeable batteries to reduce waste.

Then we headed for IKEA Singapore booth where they unveil their out-of-store home showcase to demonstrate simple steps homeowners can take to live a more sustainable everyday life at home. It did make me want to purchase IKEA furniture for my new future home after learning how IKEA promotes sustainability as well. You can still live in a beautiful and modern home with affordable furnishings and at the same time, playing a part to keep this earth a healthier place to live in.

IKEA got this rechargeable box that can charge so many batteries at the same time! How cool is that! If we could all switch to rechargeable batteries, we can save so much money and reduce waste at the same time. And if we switch to LED lights, turn off appliances (instead of leaving them in standby mode) and turn up air-con temperatures by a degree, you can save up to $355 per year. Isn’t it more  cost-effective to live more sustainably and eco-consciously? That is why I believe that everyone should be taking small steps to eventually lead a greener to live together!

I guess one of the biggest issues which our government is facing right now is how to reduce the amount of food wastage. Every year, we can dispose of food waste that amounts up to 700, 000 over tonnes. Yes, we are getting more affluent but that doesn’t mean we can waste food. We just need to be a little smarter when it comes to the purchasing of food. My mum always tells me to buy just exactly what I need – don’t buy food in bulk just because it’s cheap and end up expired as you can’t finish eating them. Try to pack lunches from leftover food which can be stored in the fridge. When it comes to fresh produce, buy what you only need because fruits and vegetables turn bad easily. Or perhaps try growing your own fresh herbs and vegetables organically at home because it’s not only cheaper but also healthier for your family. With the current green technologies, you can now do up a vertical garden at home to grow your own vegetables. 

And if your kitchen is clean, tidy and beautiful, you would want to spend more time there making magic. I would love to own a kitchen of my own someday and perhaps one day, I can turn my kitchen into my very own office. 

We could all start small by sorting out our rubbish by separating recyclable materials from non-recyclable stuff.

Food can be stored in air-tight containers so that it can be kept fresh for a longer period of time.

Moving on to the children’s room where IKEA showed us how we can make use of our small living space to create a nice environment for our little ones. The bed frames below are adjustable so as your child grows in height, you can adjust accordingly to lengthen the bed frame.

You know how small BTO master bedrooms in HDB flats are right? But even with the tiny narrow space, IKEA has shown us how we can still spruce up the small room into something really chic and cosy. Even my mum was impressed with the layout and design of the bedroom.

In the bathroom where most of the water consumption would take place, we can also do our part by reducing our shower time by 5 minutes and using a cup to contain water for rinsing during brushing. 

After the tour, we treated ourselves with IKEA’s signature veggie meatballs and other treats from IKEA. IKEA also sources their food from sustainable sources too! 

After the IKEA tour, we explore other booths that piqued our interests.

Check that out! A name card holder made from a juice carton! This is where creativity means eco-friendliness. 

I got to know about Black Paint for their natural black soap that is very gentle for the skin. This time, they are showcasing their aroma oils that are blended according to the principles of the Chakra system. Black Paint’s INTO series Aroma oil are blended with 100% pure essential oil and base oils. It is suitable for massage use and the scents are lovely!

Ecorganics is a green concept hair and beauty salon here in Singapore and it is located along Upper Thomson Road. They offer face therapies using organic skincare products and also hair treatments and services too. 

This green brand formulates its products with natural and organic ingredients and certified essential oils. They offer a range of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face wash and face scrub. They even have shampoos for your pets too! 

It is really a haven of natural soap bars made with 100% goat’s milk soap. They are also selling PremaTouch Soaps which are made by Nepalese women who have been rescued from trafficking in Kolkata, India. Each bar is handmade from saponified coconut oil, organic palm oil, sunflower oil, castor oil and soyabean oil. By purchasing PremaTouch soaps, you are helping to create a sustainable income for these women who have been set free from slavery. 

With the current terrarium craze, you might want to check out Ecoponics. They are also offering this food waste hydrator called Smart Cara that converts food waste into the dry matter which can be used as fertilizers. 

It actually looks like a small tub and it can dry any sort of food waste even animal bones too.

It happens that there were 2 vacancies left so we were able to attend the workshop just in time before it started. We made candles using soy which can burn 50% longer than the paraffin candle. I love using soy candles because they are non-toxic and releases no known carcinogens when burning. 

The instructor helped us to melt the wax while we prepare our candle holders. When you are melting the wax, the temperature of the wax should not go above 85 degree celsius for a low-melting point soy wax. 

The natural essential oil will be added once the temperature of the wax drops between 60 to 65-degree celsius. The candle itself requires about 24 hours for it to cool and solidify fully. 

There’s also this corner where innovative recycled bins made by students are displayed at the event itself. These schools have taken part in the Recycling Bin Design competition 2016 which is organized by Singapore Environment Council and visitors there can drop a vote for them,

Other than all these stores, there’s this booth that allows you to exchange your plastic bottles and cups for a mystery gift.

I threw my mineral bottle into the bin and out comes out a small bottle of the kitchen cleaner by Bio-home!

DOO WORX is a brand that sells liquid soil supplement that is produced from organic dairy cow manure. Think this stuff smells like cow poo? It’s actually not that pungent at all. 

We also had a chance to hop onto these Ecoriders for a ride. It’s so much easier than driving a car actually! I would rather drive my Ecorider around Singapore than a car which consumes petrol.

That pretty much sums up my visit at Green Living 2016 and I hope that more businesses can take part in this exhibit next year! It would be awesome if there are more events like to this to showcase how sustainable living could be easily attained.