When someone says “sustainability,” your brain probably jumps straight to those serious TED Talks or your one friend who won’t stop posting about their homemade compost. And while saving the planet is important (because hello, we kind of live here), it doesn’t have to be some joyless, guilt-ridden mission. If you’re trying to be a little greener without major life changes, I have good news! There are plenty of ways to do it without quitting bubble tea, giving up your car, or living off the grid in Cameron Highlands. I present you: Easy Ways to Be Sustainable!
Ways to Be Sustainable Include Your Food Habits
Malaysians love food. From nasi lemak to roti canai, it’s practically a national pastime. An alarming fact, though, is that our food waste game is embarrassingly strong.
We waste over 16,000 tonnes of food daily, and 45% of that is still edible. All this food waste will end up in the landfill to slowly decompose, releasing harmful substances into the soil and methane into the atmosphere. So trust and believe, that will come back to bite us and future generations in the butt.
Instead of binning leftovers, level up your basi rice game with fried rice (the OG sustainability hack). Got extra food? Apps like What A Waste let you share it with people who need it. And if you’re feeling lazy? Just pack it up for later instead of letting it turn into a science experiment in your fridge.
Save Money and the Planet in One Go
Sustainability isn’t just about the Earth, it’s also about keeping your wallet happy. Start with simple ways to be sustainable like these:
- Switch off the aircon when you’re not home (your TNB bill will thank you).
- Ditch single-use plastics. So many cafes and stores in Malaysia now charge extra for plastic bags and straws anyway, so tapau with your mom’s Tupperware.
- Take shorter showers. You don’t need that 30-minute concert to shampoo your hair (I get it though, I really do).
You can also start embracing public transport if you haven’t already. The MRT, LRT, and Monorail are decent alternatives to sitting in a jam for two hours just to move 5km. Plus, you’ll save petrol money and avoid the trauma of finding parking at Pavilion. If you must drive, carpool because traffic is more tolerable when you’re roasting it with friends.
Here’s another thing you hear a lot about but might not actually be doing: start recycling. Look, I know Malaysia’s recycling system isn’t the best. But if you separate your trash (plastics, cans, paper) and drop it off at places like iCYCLE bins or KITARecycle, you’re already ahead of most people. Some recycling centres even pay you for recyclables, so it’s a win-win.
Quit Hoarding
I’m writing this section mainly for MYSELF. Okay, this one hurts, but it’s one of the easiest ways to be sustainable. Let’s all come clean and ask ourselves how many random Shopee buys are still sitting in their packaging. Thought so. Before you add to cart, ask yourself, “Do I actually need this, or am I just bored?” If it’s the latter, close the app. Your bank account will be grateful.
Hoarding isn’t just bad for your space, it’s a one-way ticket to landfill chaos. The more random stuff you pile up (half-dead chargers, ancient receipts, impulse buys from double digit sales), the more waste you eventually toss. If you can’t even find your bed under the clutter, chances are you’re not sorting recyclables either. All that junk? Straight to the landfill, where it takes forever to break down, messing up the planet and wasting precious resources. So maybe… let’s chill on the unnecessary hoarding, yeah?
TLDR: Sustainability Doesn’t Have to Be a Chore
Going green doesn’t mean giving up fun. Small, easy swaps like wasting less food, cutting down plastic, and using public transport when possible are some ways to be sustainable. Every effort counts! Because if we don’t start now, we’ll be explaining to our future kids why KL is underwater.
READ >>Greenwashing: How Do I Know What’s Really Good for Mother Earth?
