Avoid Cleaning Too Much

We feel that it’s not necessary to be clean and spotless at all times. It’s ok to be slightly “dirty”, and help save water and energy, reduce the use of chemicals, and avoid over-exposure to chemicals.

You may not agree with us but we think cleanliness can be overlooked occasionally. We think it’s ok to:

1) Wear the same clothes for a few days if there’s no stain or smell; just hang them out under the sun and wear them the next day.

2) Sweep your floor using a broom instead of using the vacuum cleaner; there’s no need to suck up every little bit of dust.

3) Mop your floor once a week and not daily; just remember to wash your feet immediately when you reach home.

4) Clean the kitchen and toilet once a week or fortnightly and use less chemicals; there’s no need to see the kitchen and toilet spotless and sparkling like in commercials.

5) Collect rainwater and use it for flushing the toilet, watering the plants, and washing the car; there’s no need to use clean potable water.

6) Wash your car using only water; there’s no need to use chemicals and polish it to look brand new.

7) Take a quick shower within 15 minutes, and not spend hours making yourself spotless.

Image: Plastic Cans and Brush by vierdrie via stock.xchng

Choose Products with Less Packaging

Some products come with unnecessary plastic or paper packaging for aesthetic and advertising purposes, and the packaging usually end up as waste. As consumers, you can try to choose products with less or no packaging.

As more companies compete to advertise and promote their brands, they use all forms of media and excessive packaging. These unnecessary advertising and wasteful packaging are used to attract consumers to buy and use more. As Daniel Imhoff quotes in his book, Paper or Plastic: Read more

Buy and Use Only What You Need

In modern society, overconsumption and wastage of resources seem to be a norm. We buy more than what is necessary, use and waste more material, water and electricity than needed, and throw away more waste.

We tend to change our material belongings constantly to suit the current fashion and trend, leaving behind a trail of “old-fashioned” waste. These “old” waste are thrown away although some could still be in good condition.

The Idea of Sufficiency

It is time to ask ourselves whether we should practise “sufficiency” in our consumption. Sufficiency means that as we do more and more of an activity, there will be a state when we feel a sense of enough and too much, and we know it’s time to stop. Read more