EDITOR’S NOTE
I’ll be the first to admit I’m no eco-warrior. I make weekly coffee runs (disposable cups), buy glitter gift wrapping paper, print singlesided sheets for documents at work, and have way too many dresses in my wardrobe (sorry, Marie Kondo). Multiply this amount of carbon emissions by 5.8 million and you can imagine the level of waste that a small country like Singapore can generate – 7.7 million tonnes last year, to be exact.
There’s nothing quite like motherhood to jolt one out of complacency and into effecting a behavioural change. What kind of earth will my two young daughters inherit in future? A world with access to clean water and safeguards from extreme weather phenomena? Helping our fragile planet may not be on most people’s to-do lists this festive season, but it’s really an opportune time to reflect on our environmental impact. After all, the holidays are when we produce the most amount of waste. Think of the never-ending flurry of gifts for colleagues, friends and family members, and numerous festive gatherings that require multiple grocery shopping lists. There is always a tendency to prepare too much food for fear that there won’t be enough to go around for our guests.
This Christmas, I’m doing my part to reduce my carbon footprint: reduce the use of plastic cutlery, buy recyclable brown paper and use dried flowers to wrap Christmas presents, and donate pre-loved clothing and unused gifts to The Salvation Army. Our team has several suggestions on how to pull off a more mindful celebration (page 10). For a conscious feast, Intercontinental Singapore shares five festive recipes featuring local or sustainable ingredients (Page 56). Don’t miss our annual gift guide which focuses on feelgood gifts (page 86). Choose from a list of products crafted through sustainable means, or gems like timeless watches. How do you intend to make your Christmas a greener one this year? Share your plans with us.
Enjoy a low-waste Christmas!