1.Bring your own bag.
In Penang, there is a charge of RM0.20 cent for every bag you request for. The reason for the charge is because Penang is slowly carrying out more green policies in the state to help Penang become a greener state. Both tourists & locals are encouraged to bring their own bag whenever they go for groceries shopping or even buying take-away food.
This is because most of us know that it takes 100 years for plastic to breakdown and some even more. So let’s do our part to ensure waste are reduce too because if there is no more land for the landfill, where are we going to throw the rubbish next?
Photo credits to : sfenvironment.org
Pix by LIM BENG TATT / THE STAR
Pix by ZHAFARAN NASIB / THE STAR
2. Bring your own container
Did you know during the MCO period, there were tons of plastic that were produced during delivery? Are you one of them? If yes, did you recall how many times have you ordered for food delivery? If it isn’t you, what about others? There are some people who did minimize their order for food delivery by going out once in awhile to restock their groceries. Some of them as well do buy take-away food by providing their own containers to the food stalls to prepare in it. In this way, it is much more green to grab your meal because you have saved at least 2-3 plastic in the process. Your action may somehow inspire others around you to come to a sense that they too should do it next round. Let's become an icon for others to change to adopt green habits.
Oh yeah, not to forget you can always opt to return the plastic bag or even ask for no plastic cutlery in your delivery too so we can reduce one plastic. There are some also that are willing to accept the containers you have accumulated or perhaps you can channel it to NGOs such as Tzu Chi where they will either repurpose or recycle for the benefits of the environment.
3. Take public transport with Google Maps
The new way to travel in style is to travel on public transport. It is cheap and also with the latest Google Maps update that has been synchronized with Rapid Bus in Malaysia, it will show the ETA of the next bust. It is 80% accurate based on Calvin's experience.
Sometimes, at most it will just delay at most 12 mins from the original ETA. Is not that bad . Afterall, it trains you to plan your day ahead and leave early to travel to another place. Let’s encourage more people to take public transport whenever we can because it does help us to reduce our carbon footprint and also the demand for petrol.
A screenshot taken from Google Maps. Try it to plan your time too :D and let’s do our part to encourage more people to use public transport.
4. Rescue Food
There is a food distribution by a NGO known as Kechara Soup Kitchen on every Monday night. To participate in the food aid distribution, please do drop them a FB message or call them one week ahead before you attend their food distribution so they can plan a good experience for you.
Moreover, there is also another way as well as to rescue food by buying it at their Happy Hour through Green Hero before the F&B discards them to the landfill. So if you are up for supper sushi or super cheap breakfast with good taste too, buns are the good options with Green Hero.
Photo was taken by : Penang Kechara Soup Kitchen
5) Restock & Refill at Zero Waste Store
Everywhere we go, plastic can be seen. There is packaging in almost everything and that’s for hygiene purpose but can we avoid it? Yes, we can! We just need to visit OWL-Zero Waste Bulk Store and also Na.Ked farm that has a plastic-free solution for your household needs.
In Nake.d farm is more to detergent and soaps whereas for OWL it is more to ingredients and also an to help you switch your current short term products to a much more long term and sustainable.
What do we mean by that? Bamboo toothbrush, handkerchief, stainless steel shavers, and much more that can be found in the OWL, PENANG ZERO WASTE BULK STORE.
The Two photos taken above were from : https://www.facebook.com/nakedfarmPG/
and the bottom is from OWL: PENANG ZERO WASTE BULK STORE
6) Don’t smoke in Georgetown.
Did you know you can be fined up to RM10k or jail up to 2 years of smoking in a world heritage site? Georgetown has become a smoke-free zone to help improve the air quality in the city. This is also another policy that Penang has implemented to help Penang become a much more greener state in Malaysia.
Photo Credits to The Star.
Photo credits to: Brighton.
7) Waste Segregation
In Penang, waste segregation has become a law in 2017 that if you were to break it, you can be fined up to RM250 for a single offense. This is also another policy that Penang has set up to show its commitment to become a green state in Malaysia. Each household in Penang is required to segregate their waste to recyclable & non-recyclable waste so that we can reduce unnecessary waste from going to the landfill and channel those that can be recycled to recycling plants.
Photo credits to : Law Suun Ting
8) Join Buy Nothing Program groups
A group where people buy nothing but exchange with one another in the group to reduce the making of new product that produces carbon emission.
This is the link to the Penang FB: group :
9) Buy Pre-Loved clothing or join clothes swapping event.
Fast Fashion is damaging the water source of many in the 3rd world country such as Bangladesh because clothes need to be bleached after they were made.
Moreover, trees and forests were also cleared to make way for the cotton plantation so that the supply can keep up with the demand. This is not good for the environment if this continues to grow on a larger scale because pollution simply kills off the longevity of the planet with humans.
WCC VALUE SHOP: https://www.facebook.com/WCCValueShop/
Also, we have a piece of good news for you. It is a Penang Charitable clothing event that will take place in Island Plaza on the 12th & 13th of September 2020 .
You can sing up via this link : https://bit.ly/PGCSGH
Thank you and share with us your email to get monthly updates with Green Hero so we can keep in touch with you on the progress we make.
Together let's become the Green Hero that Malaysia needs.