OKAY. Time to give back to Bangkok. It's been awhile since this city is home and now that I am more comfortable with the Bangkokian label, I am also more driven to help nudge Bangkok towards a more progressive and sustainable direction. Bangkok has undeniably come so far when it comes to its development but we must admit, it has a long way to go when it comes to improving the quality of life of its people (not just the moneyed) and protecting its heritage and natural environment. Less building and more conserving Bangkok!
And without further ado, below is a mini guide on sustainable living in Bangkok.
Don't throw away everything to start with a clean slate. Out of sight out of mind isn't a sustainability motto. What you throw away that you don't use is still going to be trash so if you no longer want to use them, give them away instead. Second Chance Bangkok is a good place to donate unwanted items. Unwanted toiletries can also be passed down to Couchsurfers and guests who have a backpacking route.
| The Buyerarchy of Needs says it all: use what you have |
The ideal way to attempt going zero waste (although I find it impossible here in Bangkok) is to empty all the items before replacing them with sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. If that sounds all to jargon-y for you below are easier beginner tips:
REPLACE
The sad truth is, if you purchase items in the supermarket regardless of how sustainable their packaging is, it is already too late and your conscious choice of going sustainable doesn't really create much of an impact. The more feasible way of helping the environment is going organic and going local and replacing your everyday used items with something that creates no/less waste.
Go Organic - There are quite a number of gourmet and high end farmers markets in Bangkok but going organic doesn't necessarily need to be expensive so check out your local markers or head to Lemon Farm if you can. Have no time for any of that? Check out organic online groceries that deliver: Radiance Whole Foods, Nature Home Asia, Passion Delivery, Paleo Robbie.
Go Local - Empower local communities by patronizing their products
Make your own stuff - Workshops and DIY classes are becoming huge in Bangkok. You can easily sign up for classes on how to make your own ceramics, scarves, art, and toiletries (Bangkok Soap Opera)
Swap your items:
- liquid soaps with bar soaps - Chatuchak is overflowing with unwrapped soap bars. Lush too.
- tooth paste tubes with tooth powder - available in Lush Siam
- disposable razors with replaceable blade razors -
- Plastic toothbrush with bamboo toothbrush
- paper towels with washable hand towels
- air fresheners with incense or aromatherapy oils
- coffee capsules with coffee beans/ ground coffee
- water PET bottles with water delivery services or water dispensing machines
- Plastic toothbrush with bamboo toothbrush
- paper towels with washable hand towels
- air fresheners with incense or aromatherapy oils
- coffee capsules with coffee beans/ ground coffee
- water PET bottles with water delivery services or water dispensing machines
| SO happy LUSH is in BKK now |
REFUSE
This could easily be part of reducing consumption and trash but since this is Bangkok, the plastic epidemic is contagious and needs a separate R unique to the city: REFUSE PLASTIC.
- Avoid using plastic bags by bringing reusable bags - not only is this convenient since you can sling it around your shoulders, but it also helps curb the plastic epidemic (fact: Thailand is one of the countries where the most plastic found in the oceans come from).
Helpful Thai sentences:
MAI SAI TUNG - don't put in plastic (you can say this just when they are reaching out for plastic bags to pack your goods)
- Avoid using plastic cups/papers cups by bringing your own reusable cup - Use your goddamn Starbucks tumblers FFS. I kid you not all of my friends have reusable tumblers and canteens that do not get to see the light of day! Put them in your bag when you feel you would be needing a caffeine-fix and use that tumbler for its real purpose!! And if you think opting for paper cups would help ease your guilt, it has been proven that paper cups are just as bad as styrofoam cups as what this video explains.
- Avoid using straws - straws are ridiculous. It take more time to produce a straw than to actually use one and it sucks that it seems to be protocol in the whole Kingdom for vendors/cashiers to automatically hand you a plastic straw when you buy a drink. And if you really really piss-in-your-pants need to use a straw for some reason (idk what that would be), stainless steel straws can be bought online but since this is South East Asia, bamboo straws are soo much cooler like this one from Bambu Thailand.
Helpful Thai sentence:
MAI AO LAWD/ LOHD - no straw (say this when paying for a drink in a store or when ordering a drink at a bar)
- Avoid using plastic and Styrofoam by bringing your own tupperware - Yes, I am talking about take away and street food that uses copious amounts of plastic, styrofoam containers and rubberbands, it drives me crazy! Most Bangkok apartments do not have kitchens which encourages people to buy prepared/cooked food outside. Imagine the waste this kind of system produces if everything is just single-use. QUE. HORROR. As a patron of street food myself and in support of the local livelihoods a vibrant food industry fosters, I would not advocate for imposing sustainable but pricier packaging to be shouldered by the vendors but as a consumer, I can bring my own containers instead so no single-use plastic will be used and thrown away. Note that anything that has food residue in it cannot be recycled so don't console yourself that at some point in the plastic's life cycle, something good will happen.
SAI KLONG/GLONG NEE – put in this box/case (say this when paying for a drink in a store or when ordering a drink at a bar)
Helpful Thai sentence:
- Avoid using plastic cutlery - Because it's a shit invention. You're welcome.
REUSE
REUSE
- Buy second-hand when you can - In the world where foreign worker contracts and visa life spans are becoming shorter and shorter, buying new furniture, appliances and even decor can be stupid. It actually is. most of what I own now are second-hand and it doesn't diminish the value or sense of excitement I get when I get to buy something. It even makes the sales transaction more personal tbh. Great online platforms for buying second-hand are:
BANGKOK CRAIGSLISTS
BANGKOK EXPATS
BUY-SELL-GIVEAWAY
ITEMS FOR SALE BANGKOK
Now some may argue that some things are cheaper to buy new (Daiso, B20 stores, Chatuchak) since this is Bangkok anyway and while it is true, you might be unaware that you are supporting slave and child labor. If you really want things new because the thought of using hand-me-downs disempower you, do baby steps and BUY LOCAL. Supporting those pedal peddlers who sell household items in bicycles and the wicker men who sell baskets are good ways to support small-timers.
| http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-market/rot-fai-market.htm |
REPAIR
Another underrated aspect of Bangkok is its local artisans. Don't throw away your broken watches, shoes and furniture just yet. Watch and shoe repairers, tailors, carpenters and plumbers are scattered in the sidewalks of Bangkok. Some have kiosks and some are on bicycles blasting recorded announcements in their megaphones.
Electronics-related repairs can be easily fixed by folks in Fortune IT Mall and Pantip Plaza. I personally go to ProCorner in Fortune IT Mall because they speak English AND they do not rip you off (brought a coffee soaked net book, they were initially able to fix it but it died eventually – they didn’t charge me a thing!)
RECYCLE
Here is another sad sad truth. As much as you make an effort to segregate your trash like I do, chances are they'll all end up in a landfill. Bangkok doesn't have incinerators and a well established waste management system. But there is a glimmer of hope. While most things go to the landfill, card boards, glasses, cans and plastic bottles are easily recyclable. If you are too shy to bring them to a recycle shop, there is an easier way that can even help other people while you save the planet.
Behold, the kuad ma khay
| from URBANGREENSCENE |
These people make their living by recycling and they normally scour through trash to look for the mentioned recyclables hours before the garbage collector comes. To spare them the hassle as they're already the unsung heroes of this city, thoroughly rinse the recyclable items, place them in a card board box that they might also need and place the box outside where your trash is collected. They will thank you for it. To give you a visual, here is what you can recycle.
If you work in an office, I am sure they have some recycling arrangements when it comes to office paper. So try not to fold your papers and bring them to the office scratch paper pile. Have plenty of bottles and you live in downtown Sukhumvit? Take them to Rescued Glass and you can even buy stuff from their collections.
And of course, when you can, COMPOST.
REFORM
Habits that is. Having a green attitude is good start but all of these boil down to you having green habits. Going zero-waste, minimalist or whatever hip branding you want to call sustainability is a conscious choice. I studied sustainability and it took me piles and piles of academic journals to finally convince myself that this is the right thing to do NOW and I found out that it doesn't take 21 days to make a habit related to changing the world. It takes more than that especially when you’re counter-flowing from the mainstream lifestyle that seems to be more convenient and hassle-free.
But it is possible especially if you start slow but go steady:
- Eat everything on your plate and try not creating uncompostable food waste at home.
- Go vegetarian but since this is quite difficult in Bangkok, go what I call, CONSCIOUS VEGETARIANwhich is buying and choosing vegetable-based food items for personal consumption but eating meat-based products when offered by other people or the community to avoid wastage.
- Choose to support the small mom and pop shops over convenience stores no matter how convenient the latter is. Sustainability is not just about the environment, it's also about people and making sure that development is for errybody.
- Go to parks often - I'm sure you've heard of the news that real estate developers are annoyed that there are a number of unused parks and that the land should be developed instead.
- Use the bidet spray/bum gun and lessen your tissue paper usage
- More public transportation, less Uber - save on them ga-a-as.
- If you need to take an Uber, take Grab Taxi instead – driving is a livelihood for cab drivers and let’s not threaten their main source of income by patronizing similar services that only make the moneyed richer.
- Unplug chargers that are not in use
- Print on both sides of the paper
RESOURCES
Still interested in going green in Bangkok? Here are some useful links:
TIPSME Learning Centre
The Urban Green Scene
Bangkok Greenie
Patom
The Sustainable Self Blog
LET'S GO GREEN!
#weare2030
The Urban Green Scene
Bangkok Greenie
Patom
The Sustainable Self Blog
LET'S GO GREEN!
#weare2030
