Living by example
ELENA Almeida, a 30-year-old economics and low carbon energy project manager, is a passionate advocate of the zero-waste movement. Almeida started practising zero or low waste last March after reading a book on decluttering.
“I was left with so many plastic bags of things I did not need and felt guilty about throwing so many things away. I then started researching about how to live a life with less waste,” shares Almeida, who credits Lauren Singer, a popular zero-waste influencer, and Bea Johnson’s book, Zero Waste Home, as key to helping her understand the benefits of living a low-waste lifestyle.
She also learnt that practising zero waste should go beyond reducing physical trash.
“Zero waste should consider invisible waste too, including our personal carbon emissions. Both are important for environmental protection,” she emphasises.
When Almeida first started her minimal-waste lifestyle, she found it difficult to find alternatives to certain items like shampoo, dishwashing liquid and snacks.
To tackle that, she turned to DIY activities, which she shares on Instagram (@zerowastemy).
Almeida has garnered over 3,000 followers to date. Some of the
things she makes include “unpaper roll” (the cloth alternative to disposable kitchen rolls) and rewashable facial cotton pads.
How does she see the zero-waste lifestyle evolving over the next five years?
“I don’t know. I constantly worry that environmental activism is a trending issue and will go out of style. I can only hope that the awareness grows, and together with it, citizen climate action.
“I’m hopeful about the younger generation who are more aware and more importantly, willing to make behavioural changes.”
Since she started her new lifestyle, Almeida has been invited to give community talks on zerowaste living and is also working on a children’s book on pollution.
“My mum and I have been working on writing (my mum) and illustrating (me) a children’s book that aims to raise awareness on plastic pollution, while incorporating local story-telling methodology,” she says.
As a whole, Almeida hopes to encourage people to have a wider view when it comes to going zero or minimal waste.
“My hope for those who are practising a low-waste lifestyle, or starting to do so, is that we don’t focus too narrowly on physical trash.
“We must also understand that other lifestyle choices have similar or worse negative impacts on the environment, like frequent flying, overconsumption of meat and addiction to fast fashion,” she shares.
“My final message is, don’t be intimidated with the achievements of other ‘zero wasters’ and the trash jars. I personally don’t believe in trash jars as a measure of success, but I know that for some, it helps in monitoring progress. First, do what you can. Then do better,” she advises.