One-stop centre
THE video of a sea turtle with a straw stuck up its nose a few years back made a huge impact on Cheryl Low, a former advertising and media executive.
“That really affected me because I am a scuba diver. To see that video was really heart-breaking,” remembers Low, 40.
Since then, her interest in the environment grew and she started researching and talking to friends.
“I found that it’s not just straws; it’s stuff made of plastic and how we consume and throw stuff, and how we need to start producing less waste,” she adds.
As time went by, she felt that there was a gap between the need to educate people and giving them easy access to practising zero waste.
“What was happening was we were going to different places to buy stuff. So we thought it was really good to have a one-stop shop with affordable prices,” says Low, who then pitched the idea to her friend and ex-colleague Wilson Chin, 34.
“Practising zero waste shouldn’t burn a hole in your pocket. We want everybody to practise it so when we source for products, we ensure that they are of good quality and affordable,” she adds.
Low and Chin set up a bulk store in Petaling Jaya called Nude The Zero Waste Store on Aug 31 last year.
As much as possible, they source for local products and also ensure a wide variety of items are available.
Looking around the spacious store, one will see Indian spices, red dates, soy sauce and fermented soy bean paste, coffee powder, dried herbs, flour, rice and noodles.
The store also sells pet food, household detergents and natural insect repellents, in addition to beauty and makeup products, and other lifestyle items.
Since they opened for business, their clientele has grown, even seeing customers from Melaka, Penang and Johor.
“It’s so encouraging because it shows that people realise that their consumption habits are wasteful and they want to do something about it,” Low says.
For Malaysia Day, she hopes Malaysians will be more conscious about their consumption and what they buy.
“A lot of resources, energy and effort goes into creating something as simple as a glass jar, for example. Be more mindful of the packaging, and energy and water we use. Just use what is needed, and don’t waste,” she says.