Every year on World Earth Day, the world makes collective efforts to protect the planet on which we live in and to promote greater global awareness of environmental issues.

The day was launched on 22 April, almost forty years ago, through a massive environmental movement in the United States when more than 20 million Americans took to the streets spontaneously calling for a healthy and sustainable environment.

Fast forward to 2008 and, without doubt, the world is far more environmentally aware – Singapore included. Our first step of commitment to protecting Earth can be observed by the Singapore Green Plan 2012, which lays out Singapore’s environmental efforts such as building island wide park connectors and increasing the overall recycling rate from 40% in year 2000 to 49% in year 2005. The plan will be revised again in 2012. Singapore is also member to a number of multilateral environmental agreements on issues such as zone layer protection, mitigation of climate change, control of hazardous chemicals and wastes, and the preservation of plant and animal life.

Eco-friendly Social Enterprises – A great way to start

On a daily basis, individuals can make environmentally conscious efforts, big and small, to reduce the damage done by others and themselves. These individual contributions not only have an accumulative impact but also raise awareness in people around them.

If you have yet to begin the LOHAS lifestyle of living green, the small and simple step of consciously purchasing products from eco-friendly social enterprises is a great way to start.

Live Green

The protection of our planet and its sustainability is a matter of grave concern for everyone living here and should be made a daily effort and a lifelong attitude, not simply an one-day event of a year on World Day. And the lifestyle of health and sustainability (LOHAS) is one such an attitude.

LOHAS is a term, originally coined by academic Paul H. Ray in his 1999 book “Cultural Creatives”, to define a market segment demographic. “Lohasians” are characterized by their common belief in a world made sustainable by living green. They focus on personal health, natural lifestyle, green building, alternative energy and transport, and eco-travel.

“Earth Day is just action for a day but LOHAS is an attitude for life,” says Jennifer Kelsey, 29, an active LOHAS forum participant. “Every bit makes a difference and I want to dedicate my life to making as many small steps as I can for an eventually significant difference.”

Simple measures such as bringing your own carry bags (no plastic) to the supermarket, turning off taps and light switches when they are not in use are important, simple ways of going “green”.

Outside home, green social enterprises, such as Ground-Up Initiative, Kampung Senang and ECO Challenge, allows us to live green by making the conscious choice of consuming and purchasing environmental friendly products, in a bid to protect the world we live in.

For example, founder of Ground-Up Initiative, Tay Lai Hock hopes to get people together and reconnect them to earth by engaging volunteers in farming activities so that they may better understand the importance of preserving earth and hence, make the greener choice. The group also sells healthier ‘Candy with a Heart’ sweets to provide work opportunities for the socially disadvantaged people such as single mothers and the physically disabled.

Eat Green

For some time, Lohasian Joyce Chen, 48, has been getting curious stares and puzzled looks by fellow housewives when she shops at supermarkets here and in Shanghai where she previously lived.

She scurries around Pasar Organic, the organic section of the supermarket, and closely scrutinizes onions on shelves, for example, searching through the white, certification-labeled and shrink-wrapped vegetables for the night’s dinner.

Chen belongs to the group of Lohasians who eat organically grown food or food farmed by sustainable methods of agriculture. They are against the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides and are in favor of eco-friendly crop rotation, feeding farm animals a natural diet and the like.

When one curious brave soul quizzed her on why she chose organic despite the higher cost, the mother of two smiles and says: “It’s healthier for my family and more environment-friendly for my home.”

She is at least half right. While academic experts say that there is no significant health benefits other than higher levels of vitamin C in organically produced vegetables, a concern for the environment, better nutrition and safer food products are important reasons to consume organic foods – they are grown without the use of conventional pesticides and artificial fertilizers which often hurts the soil.

Despite the growing popularity of organic food in Singapore, organic food certification has yet to be regulated by authorities. Still, there are a number of organic stores, such as Sky Organic, and the occasional organic café, such as Food #03, Cedele and Bollywood Veggies, you can rely on without the seal of approval.

NTUC Fairprice, however, has developed in-house certification with its NTUC FairPrice Organic Assurance Programme (NOAP), and engaged independent third party, Agrifood Technologies to ensure organic standards. Imported and overseas-certified organic products are also available at major supermarkets like Cold Storage.

Wear Green

Famous American writer Mark Twain once wrote: “Clothes make the man.” Besides eating green, Lohasians stay true to their cause by choosing organic wear.

Cotton is one of the most widely used and chemically intensive commodities in the world. But conventional cotton farming takes its toll on Earth and can have health repercussions for those who farm it. Organic cotton, on the other hand, considers both environmental and human repercussions, and is comparatively more breathable and safe for most people suffering from skin conditions.

Bamboo fabric is also another form of organic wear. As one of the fastest growing plants in the world, bamboo is sustainable: The plant grows naturally without the need of chemical help. Other than being softer than organic cotton, bamboo fabric is also naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic.

Besides being eco-friendly, some social enterprises like Riverkids Project buy from eco-friendly suppliers before selling them for a profit to help stop child trafficking in Cambodia. So, you can find yourself at peace buying that much-needed new dress.

Know of any other LOHAS-related social enterprises we could include? We would love to hear from you. Please write in to elaine@seforum.sg

Related posts:

1. LOHAS: The Next Consumer Swarm?
2. Cafe with a Green Heart
3. Securing the Future of Asia’s Food

OUR SPECIALTY

‘Xin’ is an organic, healthy choice of candy with no artificial colouring or flavouring. Each of the heart-shaped candy also comes in an environmentally friendly packaging. Each pack of 18 sells for sgd$3 and an one kilogram pack costs SGD $48. Bulk orders are welcomed.

THE INNOVATION

‘Xin’ was created as a means to provide work opportunities for socially disadvantaged people as well as to bring a healthier choice of candy to the market.

The production of the candy such as packing and selling the sweets provides work opportunities for the socially disadvantaged such as single mothers and the physically disabled. The ‘Xin’ team works with special needs groups such as the Simei Care Centre, to pack ‘Xin’ candies. Profits are invested back to the social enterprise and/or used for activities and financial funding.

Since lack of work opportunities is the one greatest challenge posed for the socially disadvantaged, purchasing the candy is one way to help them through empowering them economically rather than giving one-off donations. The ‘Xin’ team also hopes to persuade elderly who sell packs of tissue paper in hawker centres to sell the candy too. This way, it earns the elderly an income, helps the disadvantaged and saves the environment all at the same time.

BRIEF BACKGROUND

Ground Up Initiative is a group of young people who want to make a difference to the world they live it. They started out as a flood relief team to Malaysia and never stopped since then. Other than producing Xin candy, the group has since focused on a weekly farming activity aptly named Balik Kampung at Kranji to reconnect youths to earth – understand the value and importance of preserving our environment – through working on it. The latest addition to the group’s activities, in April 2009, is the Sustainable Urban Farms (SURF), an initiative to bring educate and empower city dwellers to for community gardens starting at Bottle Tree Park.

Action

Find out more about how you can get involved in Ground Up Initiative’s Balik Kampung and SURF programmes.

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1. Food#03
2. Gift and Take
3. Gingko House