3 easy ways YOU can be environmentally conscious
Some days saving the environment can be hard - here are three easy ways to put in that little extra effort to do your part.
1. Localize your Life
One of the easiest and best ways to be environmentally conscious in a city like Hong Kong is to localize your consumption! Start by buying more at your local market, bringing your own bag to go with that. The excess packaging and preservatives that go into meats and veggies from abroad will not only harm your body, but the environment as well. The fuel and excess energy that was wasted to transport your corn straight from Mexico adds up, especially when buying from supermarkets.
Do your part by heading to any wet market in Hong Kong - you’ll find the vegetables fresher, tastier, and with MUCH less packaging. Bring your own reusable bag and the amount you will cut down in plastic will be apparent compared to buying at the grocery store!
Local wet markets in Hong Kong are plentiful, whether you’re on Hong Kong or Kowloon side. Though often pungent in smell, and slippery all over, they’re filled with the freshest and juiciest produce - check out some of Hong Kong’s favorites here. If you're looking for a more upscale wet market, check this website out!
2. Fast Fashion, F*** That!
With the rise of brands like SheIn and FashionNova, it’s easy to fall into the traps of cheap, low-quality apparel. The goods are often made through sweatshop labour, with the cheap materials unsustainably sourced, contributing massively to the carbon footprint of those who buy it.
Though the websites are well-used, switching to more sustainably sourced fashion is an easy way to be a bit more eco-friendly in your life, whilst making sure that these pieces will last you a lifetime. At Rii Swim, we take sustainability seriously and use the regenerated nylon fabric Econyl, which is then craftily turned into luxurious Italian Vita Carvico fabric. The high-quality of fabric and love put into the materials is why products from our line will last you a lifetime, and look gorgeous on your body!
An easy way to check the sustainability and ethicality of clothing brands and sites is by searching them up. Look at their values, missions, and what they’re made of to see whether they’re sourced sustainably. If you’re looking for a simpler way to do this, use apps like Good On You, available on the App Store and Google Play Store. Simply type the brand you want into the search bar, and look through their sustainability ratings to make your decision!
3. Riiduce, Riiuse, Riicycle
We’ve all heard about the three R’s - reduce, reuse, and recycle. While the phrase might seem childish and almost redundant to put into action, consistently putting it into action is what matters the most, so here are easy ways to do each.
Riiduce: Turning our consumption down a notch can be tough, especially in Hong Kong. Every street has a plethora of eye-catching neon lights, crazy sales, and inviting signs tempting us to buy something, anything. The best way to reduce your consumption is going shopping with a purpose - do you REALLY need that new shirt? The more you catch yourself whilst shopping, the more you'll see what you actually need vs. something you'll buy, use once, and never see again!
Riiuse: If consumption is hard to change, then the next best thing is to reuse as much as you can. When it comes to fashion, outfit repeat as much as your heart desires! When clothes see their dying days, find a way to repurpose it, whether it means turning old t-shirts into rags or restyling them a different way.
Riicycle: Repurposing might not be everyone’s cup of tea, so if that isn’t your style, donate the clothes through bins for the Salvation Army Family Store, Zara (now being used for Redressed), and H&M. While these are convenient places to donate, try to reach out to orphanages and other small NGOs to donate to the underprivileged in Hong Kong.
