Quick tips for sustainable CNY celebrations
Chinese New Year is the time when we go all out in the name of abundance and prosperity — feasting on food, spending on new clothes, festive celebrations with friends and families. But this could also lead to excessive waste if we are not careful. Therefore, we have put together some simple tips to help you celebrate Chinese New Year sustainably and responsibly.
Green up your red packets
It’s not Chinese New Year without red packets or angbao. But do you know that more than 16,000 trees are used annually to make red packets? We can and should do something about this.
Have you considered switching to e-angbao or digital red packets? Most major banks in Singapore support this initiative, and as long as the recipients use PayNow / PayLah, you are covered. Some banks — such as UOB or DBS — even have a special CNY background to amp up the festivities.
However, if you still prefer the idea of handing out physical red packets, you can still be eco-friendly. For example, you can reuse last year’s red packets to prevent them from going to the landfill. Or, you can use red packets made from recycled paper or FSC-certified paper, which is sourced sustainably. However, these might not be easy to come by in Singapore.
Also, you can opt for used notes that are still in good condition rather than brand-new notes. MAS reports that a large proportion of the brand new notes are returned after Chinese New Year and destroyed as it exceeds circulation demand, producing a large amount of carbon emission. Sounds pretty wasteful, right?
Feast without the waste
Chinese New Year is not complete without all the food, but we tend to overlook the food waste that comes along with it. We can feast more responsibly by being more mindful of how much we order and eat. Consider donating surplus food to charities, such as Food Bank, Food From The Heart, Willing Hearts and many more. Or you can use sharing apps such as OLIO to give away excess food to nearby neighbours.
Responsible spring cleaning
Spring cleaning is quintessential preparation leading up to the Chinese New Year. Sweeping away the bad luck and welcoming the new year with a clean house, we’re all for it. But before all those clutters goes to the bin, you could consider donating items that are still in good condition. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and we can’t agree more.
However, we need to be very conscious of what we donate. Salvation Army was overwhelmed with donations during last year’s festive period, but most are deemed unusable. The rule of thumb is only to donate things that you will still use yourself. After all, you are giving them away to someone, not throwing them out as trash.
Wondering where to donate? Many charities will gladly accept your pre-loved items, such as The Salvation Army, Minds Shop, Pass It On, It’sRainingRaincoats, and more. You can also sell it on online platforms such as Carousell or Facebook Marketplace.
Dressing up sustainably
Wearing new clothes symbolizes a fresh start, and it is one of the oldest Chinese New Year traditions. But we all know that fashion is the second most polluting industry, right behind oil. So why not try renting clothes or buying pre-loved clothes? You can save the earth and save money at the same time. Our friends at Green is the new Black has compiled a handy list on dressing sustainably, which seems like a no-brainer to us.
If you still insist on having your very own new clothes, buy less. You can also purchase from fashion labels that source and produce their items sustainably and responsibly. Find some ideas here.
We hope that these tips will help you start your new year sustainably and responsibly.
