BY THE PINK TARHA
Living sustainably is a life-long commitment but it has a long way to go before everyone gets on board. We share the small steps that we can all take for a more mindful lifestyle that will benefit our future.
If you’ve been following our website and social media accounts, you’ll probably doubt our credibility when it comes to living a sustainable lifestyle. However, we are attempting to reduce our carbon footprint through out own little ways.Reducing our environmental footprint can be a daunting task, but if we break it down to easy steps or small changes here and there in our everyday lives, we realize that we can do more to consume mindfully and live sustainably in Saudi Arabia.
Here are some of our tips:
1. When shopping for groceries, use reusable eco bags. Easier said than done here in KSA especially when hypermarket staff insist on using their plastic bags and eye your eco bag curiously. But you can always insist on using your eco bags too. There are times though that you fill up your carts when shopping and eco bags won’t fit all of your purchases. When using plastic bags can’t be avoided, try to use as few as possible. Hypermarkets here are notoriously known for using A LOT of plastic bags to separate several types of products. Fill one up! Once at home, reuse the plastic bags and get as much use of it as possible.
2. Reduce household energy. In Saudi Arabia, we are enjoying lower electricity bills compared to other countries and so we usually don’t mind using a lot of appliances and gadgets. Hello air-conditioner 24/7! We feel that’s justified because of the heat, yes? But time to conserve energy! Turn off lights and appliances that are not in use. Unplug charges and gadgets that are not going to be used overnight. Get energy-efficient appliances when you’re replacing an old one. Use LED lights that can last longer.
3. Recycle. We’ve known the 3Rs for so long: reduce, reuse, recycle. These are ways to eliminate waste and care for our environment better. For electronic waste, check out Holoul Electronic Recycling Treatment Company (www.holoulrecycling.com) that evaluates your e-waste and gives you a quote. They accept phones, hard disk drives, tapes, USB drives, and more. For used clothing and accessories, you can donate them to bins that you will usually see near mosques. You can also contact charities like Al Birr National Society (albr.org/) or Bunyan Charity (bunyan.org.sa – for branded clothes and bags) to donate.
4. Reduce carbon footprint. Times are changing and gasoline prices aren’t what they used to be in Saudi Arabia anymore. It’s no longer practical to have more than one vehicle for the average household and while we understand that the heat in this country implores us to use cars instead of walking, carpooling and/or using bicycles (especially within the DQ) to reach nearby destinations will be a conscientious choice. Bikes & Hobbies store along Olaya has bikes for beginners and advanced riders. That or we wait for the Riyadh Metro to finish.
5. Try going vegan/vegetarian. It‘s a very drastic lifestyle shift but it’s a known fact that cutting out meat/poultry decreases the need for farmed animals, which consumes a lot of resources (i.e. land degradation, water shortage) and accounts for a majority of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. There are so many other healthy reasons to support vegetarianism and the science supports it. But in terms of sustainability, imagine if one person a day can commit to becoming a vegetarian, it can really make a difference in the long run.
6. Buy local products and support eco-minded businesses. When we buy locally, we help lessen the fuel needed to transport or import goods. The products are also fresher and you can purchase them with less packaging (when direct from farms). It also won’t hurt to educate yourself on companies and their businesses’ corporate social responsibility/sustainability development programs. Are they ethical? How do they support the environment? Do they test on animals? Things like these should matter to the conscious consumer so that one can rightfully support businesses who care about the world we live in.
ABOUT THE PINK TARHA
Janelle Vales-Yasay and Reina Tejano-Berina are the power duo behind the successful multi-awarded blog “The Pink Tarha”, an online lifestyle guide in Saudi Arabia. They started their blog in 2009 and since then have inspired many people by showcasing the fun and interesting side of living in KSA. What started out as a hobby for the girls has gained so much positive attention and appreciation in the process winning them the Saudi Excellence in Tourism Award.
Facebook/Instagram: @thepinktarha
Website: www.thepinktarha.com
