Environment Day, Every Day
A fun fact that you may not be aware of — Dec 4 is Thai Environment Day and it has been for about 27 years. The Ministry of Science and Technology proposed that the date should observe the importance of the environment and natural resources to people’s present and future, and raise awareness on conservation. The Cabinet approved it on Nov 12, 1991. However, what originally inspired the day was a speech by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Dec 4, 1989, in which he showed a great concern for the environment in Thailand.
There are many ways you can commemorate the day through your own actions and here are a few of my suggestions.
On Dec 4, major malls, convenience stores and supermarkets nationwide will stop offering you plastic bags. The participating places include The Mall, EmQuartier, Emporium, Market Place, Fresh Mart, 7-Eleven, Big C, Tesco Lotus, Foodland, Makro (which normally doesn’t provide plastic bags), Future Park, Central, Robinson, Super Sports, Zen, Tops, Central Food Hall, CMG, Power Buy, Homeworks, Thai Watsadu and B2S. I’m pretty sure that remembering all these names is more difficult than just bringing your own bag when you shop on the day. Better yet, consider bringing you own bag when you shop on any day.
If you’re going to a 7-Eleven with a cafe counter, bring your own tumbler and ask them to fill it instead of their plastic cup (it works, I tried). While you’re at it, refuse an individually-wrapped spoon and fork when you buy a microwaveable meal (the staff seem to automatically give them to you). They also give you 10 points when you pay via its 7 Value Card and refuse plastic bags. A special thank you note will appear in your receipt, too.
Donate cloth bags you no longer use at a donation box in Bangkruai-Sai Noi branch of Tesco Lotus. These bags will be forwarded to state-run hospitals so patients can carry their prescriptions home in them instead of in plastic bags. This initiative will be rolled out to other branches in the future. The major retailer will also replace plastic bags with paper bags made of recycled cardboard boxes at its 2,000 locations on Dec 4. Moreover, Thai-Japanese artist Yuree Kensaku has designed a special cloth bag for the retailer available for B99. It comes with a special bar code, which will give you one baht discount every time you shop.
Consider refusing a receipt when you withdraw cash from an ATM machine for personal use. Why do you need a paper to show your bank statement when you can check all transactions online?
Bring a bottle and refill it with personal care products (body wash, shampoo, lotion), as well as detergent and dishwash liquid at Better Moon Cafe
(fb.com/bettermoonshop) in Sukhumvit 77/1. The other venues that have a refill station organised by Refill Station (fb. com/refillstationbkk) include OC Organ
ic Shop (bit.ly/2E1lLfx) in Nichadathani, Urbie Social Space (fb.com/URBIE.TU) in Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus, InCeeMonDee (fb.com/inceemondee) organic store and cafe in Nak Niwat Soi 2, Lat Phrao, and It’s Going Green (fb.com/itsgoing) in BACC.
Join trash-picking activities with Trash Hero Thailand (fb.com/trashherothailand). They have chapters in different locations across Thailand, which hold trash-collecting activities regularly, so you can start with cleaning a community near you first.