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SMART CHOICES
Making Smart Choices
by Portfolio Magazine
11 May 2023
11 May 2023
The message is clear – sustainability is now more than just a buzzword, but the norm. Whether it’s big hospitality industry names stamping out single-use plastics or restaurants opting for ethically-sourced products and ensuring that the waste they produce is as close to zero as possible, the global movement is out to change the way we live. But instead of always looking at corporations and the powers that be, perhaps it’s time for a little introspection and ask: What can I do? Here are three homegrown companies that can help on your journey.
- OPT FOR GREEN AND SMART TECHNOLOGIES AT HOME
- MANAGE E-WASTE THE RIGHT WAY
- LOOK GOOD WHILE DOING GOOD
City Energy – Singapore’s sole piped town gas provider and leading green energy solutions provider – recently opened Life by City Energy at Plaza Singapura, a lifestyle concept retail store that aids in transforming Singapore homes into eco-havens. How? By making green and smart technology choices easily accessible to homeowners.
According to Perry Ong, CEO, City Energy, “With growing awareness of climate change and with price inflation, homeowners, property developers and owners of food and beverage businesses are increasingly looking for more sustainable and affordable solutions which town gas and low-carbon gas-powered appliances can help achieve. Life by City Energy is designed for customers to build the low-carbon homes and kitchens of the future. This store aims to be the first-stop destination for homeowners wanting to get it right at the start of their new home journey.”
At Life by City Energy, expect an experiential shopping adventure with tech-immersive experiences that not only educate customers on energy savings, low-carbon solutions, and IoT, but also provide hands-on engaging experiences through a total of nine zones.
From learning about City Energy’s solution-centric ecosystem as soon as guests arrive (zone 1) and discovering more about EV charging options (zone 2) to experiencing a smart home setup firsthand (zone 5) and picking out the best smart kitchen solutions (zones 6 and 7), Life by City Energy is paving the way for a new standard of living.
Visit Life by City Energy at Plaza Singapura, #03-77/78 and online at cityenergylife.com.sg
- OPT FOR GREEN AND SMART TECHNOLOGIES AT HOME
- MANAGE E-WASTE THE RIGHT WAY
- LOOK GOOD WHILE DOING GOOD
MANAGE E-WASTE THE RIGHT WAY
At the rate we’re consuming technology and hardware, e-waste has become a serious concern. With a vision to promote sustainable practices within the tech industry, as well as champion a culture that carves a healthy cycle of electronic consumerism, myhalo was launched and has embarked on a quest to achieve zero e-waste.
myhalo promotes learning, as well as changing the way we view our mobile device lifespans, highlighting a circular economy and the impacts of e-waste on the environment through a physical and online space. To find out more about the company's mission and the impact of e-waste, we spoke to myhalo's founder, Tan Ching Hwee.
(Related: The Future is Steel)
How much of a concern is e-waste at the moment?
In my opinion, we’re already at a critical stage. Ownership of electronics has reached saturation stages in developed countries. In developing countries, the numbers are growing exponentially. However, solutions in the market to solve e-waste are still relatively superficial.
As consumers, what role can we play in minimising e-waste?
It’s not about finding a place to dispose of e-waste as there are e-waste disposal bins at convenient and strategic locations around Singapore. I think the main problem lies in the fact that there are no established processes or services on the market to properly determine whether devices are e-waste. Thus, to most consumers, without the resources to determine whether a device is e-waste, the most typical decision would be to hoard it at home.
At myhalo, we encourage consumers to join our community so that we can better share best practices to “decommission” their devices. At the same time, we also provide avenues to participate in a circular economy by upcycling or donating their devices to us, rescuing and extending the lifespan of their devices through proper maintenance or minor repairs, and buying an in-circulation or pre-circulation device from us when they need to use it and trade it back in once the need ceases.
Why choose myhalo?
At myhalo, we provide a single point of contact that helps consumers deal with unwanted electronics conveniently, safely, and responsibly. Our services aid and resolve consumers’ concerns with data, trade-in price, and more, before returning their devices back into the circular economy through our proprietary business process.
We hope to build communities and spread awareness of what a zero e-waste lifestyle is. Only with communities of a critical mass is it possible for us to reach our vision of a zero e-waste world. Through initiatives like further research to determine just how much carbon footprint a device can reduce simply by extending its life, myhalo is taking steps towards substantial e-waste reduction.
- OPT FOR GREEN AND SMART TECHNOLOGIES AT HOME
- MANAGE E-WASTE THE RIGHT WAY
- LOOK GOOD WHILE DOING GOOD
LOOK GOOD WHILE DOING GOOD
“The decision to create Smthgood came after we saw that consumer buying behavior continues to evolve and shift away from a purely transactional experience, and move towards one that is led by purpose, discovery, inspiration, and personalization. Through user generated Lookbooks that are supported by our rewards system, we want to provide a gamified experience in discovering conscious fashion,” shares Tony K Tan, Smthgood’s Founding Director. He adds, “As a specialized marketplace, we also want to celebrate small- to medium-sized brands from across Asia Pacific focused on doing good.”
In a nutshell, the profit-for-purpose, self-funded social commerce platform combines a virtual styling Lookbook tool with conscious fashion brands, offering users the opportunity to shop consciously, gain style inspiration, and create shoppable Lookbooks that allows them to earn cashbacks and rewards.
Smthgood users will have access to a sizable number of brands from across Asia-Pacific focused on doing good. These include Thamon from Thailand, which uses fallen leaves instead of leather to make bags, while Outfyt from Singapore creates activewear from fishnets and fabric scraps. Then there is RŪPAHAUS from Australia, which was created by three sisters that amalgamate sustainable fashion with their Indonesian heritage.
Brands on the platform have also been carefully created to align with Smthgood’s values based on three factors: What the item is made of, how the item is made, and the impact of the finished item on the environment.
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