We’ve all heard about global warming. With so much scientific evidence and photos about the effects of climate change out in the open, it’s long been a legitimate problem that future generations will likely have to deal with, and is what the people of today are now fighting for.
You’ve probably seen it on your school campuses; activists and environmental groups spreading the word to ‘go green’, and to do our part to save the world. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, not quite, especially when the time comes for you to do adulting.
Priorities change, your free time becomes infinitely more precious and you’re less willing to compromise on things. This is where most tend to give up on a green lifestyle as an adult, but that doesn’t have to be the case if you know how to strike that delicate balance.
Sustainable adulting
Even if you started out strong, you might’ve faced some roadblocks when attempting to live a sustainable lifestyle, which can be enough to turn most people away. The first one that comes to mind is comfort, which can become significantly more important as a job-going adult.
Working, especially if this is your first full-time job, can be very stressful, and making your lifestyle comfortable goes a long way in helping you to manage these challenges. For some, this could mean blasting your air conditioner to cool off or taking long, relaxing showers, while others might opt to bury their stress under a pile of clothes from Shein; all of which aren’t the most eco-friendly things to do.
The second obstacle is convenience. As a jobholder, free time becomes more precious than ever, to the point that 24 hours in a day doesn’t feel like it's enough to get things done. As a result, time-saving tactics like booking Grabs to get around faster or opting for a petrol car instead of an electric one so that they wouldn’t need to wait an hour for it to charge.
The last deterrent is cost. Learning the value of money inherently makes people less likely to spend on things that they deem unworthy. The trouble is that most eco-friendly products are often more expensive, which can burn a hole in your wallet over time. This is particularly true for those who have lower incomes or struggle with their finances.
It's clear that whatever way we choose to go in the sustainable route must not have a major impact on our lifestyle and pockets, as well as integrate nicely into your existing life.
It might sound like it's easier said than done, but it doesn’t have to be.
Reduce
Yes, we’re starting off with the first of the three legendary ‘R’s that is synonymous with green living. When it comes to reducing your carbon footprint, or anything related to eco-living, the key idea is to be able to sustain (pun intended) your efforts over a long period of time. This requires a conscious effort and a touch of creativity. In this case, it's about finding ways to reduce or minimise the amount of resources you consume.
For example, instead of taking a Grab to that nearby mall even if you aren’t pressed for time, why not take public transportation instead and save the Grab rides for more time pressing situations? By virtue of doing so, you’re reducing your carbon footprint and saving some of your hard earned money.
Other ways to reduce your carbon output include repurposing used water or buying your orders in bulk. For example, you can use water left over from hand-washing your laundry. You can use that water to flush your toilets instead of letting it go to waste, or you could use that water to wash your car and get a nice workout in at the same time.
Reuse
The next ‘R’ is reuse, and this is arguably one of the easiest steps in the cycle. As its name suggests, the main point is to essentially extend the lifespan of products that are either designed for single-use or unwanted.
It can be as simple as washing and keeping plastic takeaway boxes for future use, or using scrap paper to write down notes or drafts instead of throwing them away. Another example is opting to use the free bottle that your company gave you for its 10th anniversary instead of splurging on that $60 Owala you had your eye on (IYKYK).
For those who enjoy handiwork, you can even take this chance to exercise your creativity and try DIY hacks like cutting the top half off your shampoo bottles and using them as pen holders, or taking an old drawer and turning it into a makeshift planter box.
The best part is that there are a ton of different sites, like Pinterest or YouTube, that offer free instructionals and ideas on how to do this if you’re artistically inclined or struggling to get some inspiration.
Recycle
The final ‘R’ is recycling. Now you might be wondering how this is different from reusing items, and the answer is that the difference lies in the processes. Reusing items usually keeps the items mostly intact, changes its purpose or extends its lifespan, recycling on the other hand, breaks down an item into its raw materials and either creates something new or repurposes those materials to be used elsewhere.
A good example is how items in Singapore are collected by recycling trucks and sent to a Materials Recovery Facility that is designed to sort solid waste of different materials. The materials are then sent to manufacturers who use them to create products like paper bags and biodegradable cutlery.
On an individual level, you can play your part by sorting your waste at home. There are many different categories but you can adopt the basic model of separating metals, plastics, papers and glass into different bags, and placing them into a big blue recycling bin that is present in most neighbourhoods.
You could also consider composting, which is a natural process of recycling organic matter to enrich soil for plants, and the perfect way to make use of food waste instead of throwing it away. This practice not only saves you the need to purchase more soil, but also helps reduce food waste at landfills that contribute to methane emissions.
Sustainable living for adults
See, I told you there wasn’t a need to make drastic changes in your lifestyle. In fact, incorporating eco-friendly practices into your adult life can not only help save you money, but also helps reduce your carbon footprint as an individual.
Now there will definitely be times when you’ll question if your actions are making any sort of impact, or you might ask yourself if it’s even worth it to keep doing this. But remember that every effort counts, and it's the little steps that we take that will eventually lead to a larger, more positive change.
Just keep in mind that going green is not about overhauling your way of life; it's more about the progress you can make as an individual and the deliberate decision to be mindful of your actions. By successfully integrating such practices into your life, you not only contribute to a more sustainable future, but also show others that they can do the same as well. So don’t be afraid to take the plunge and embrace green living as you take your first steps into the world of adulting.
