For most Singaporeans, concerns about the rising cost of living mean that it would be difficult to prioritise saving the planet over saving money.
What if there were ways to do both, with added benefits?
1. Eat less meat, particularly red meat
Many of us have been conditioned to expect that meals will always be served with some sort of meat or seafood, but there are ways to get a nutritious meal that also costs less — both for you and the planet.
Take for example this caifan meal:
This serving of rice comes with one portion each of meat, vegetable, and tofu. It cost S$4.50.
Or, depending on your nutritional needs, you could also get an identical meal with egg instead of meat — and save S$0.50.
Your exact order might be different, but opting for non-meat dishes generally costs less while being friendlier to the environment.
And, you’ll save on calories too:
Red meat’s environmental impact
Yes, a meatless diet isn’t for everyone, and it may not be feasible all the time.
One can still have meat while opting for non-red meat options, which are more planet-friendly. It is another way to reduce one’s environmental impact.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has said that “meat production is one of the most destructive ways in which we leave our footprint on the planet.”
It highlighted the environmental footprint of beef production, including its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption, and has recommended replacing red meat with chicken instead.
2. Buy (and sell) second-hand items
This one’s easy. By buying (and selling) items second hand, one reduces the chance that the item would be thrown away before the end of its useful life.
It’s also common for the item to be significantly discounted from its original price.
One should of course exercise caution when buying second-hand items though. If you purchase something that’s not in line with your expectations of quality or longevity, it might mean that you’ll need to replace the item sooner.
To avoid that, take time to carefully check the items you are buying for defects or damage, and ask sellers to let you test them out so you can make sure they work as described.
3. Energy-efficient appliances
When the time comes to purchase new appliances or replace the ones that have reached the end of their lifespans, consider appliances that are more efficient.
A recently-announced S$300 voucher for all HDB households will help to further tip the scales in favour of an energy-efficient option.
This could net you cost savings in the long run.
Take for example, this pair of two-door Hitachi fridges.
Both have an identical capacity of 330L, with their freezer section at the bottom.
On the Hitachi Singapore website, one costs S$869 while the other costs S$1,039.
One of the key differences between the two models is their energy efficiency.
The S$869 model has two ticks, while the more expensive S$1,039 model has three.
If you’re furnishing a new home on a budget, the S$869 option works out to be S$170 cheaper and may seem like the obvious choice.
However, one should also factor in the energy cost to run the fridge 24/7 for its entire lifespan.
In other words, the purchase price is the cost to own the appliance, while the energy cost is what you’ll pay to run it.
You can get a good estimate of the energy cost from NEA’s website here, where you can search for particular appliances and calculate their annual energy cost.
The S$869 model is estimated to consume 358kWh in a year, while the S$1,039 model consumes 318kWh in a year.
Based on a S$0.32 electricity tariff, that makes for an annual energy cost of S$115 and S$102 respectively.
We can also factor in the S$300 voucher, as the eligible products include refrigerators that have either 3 or 4 ticks.
What this means is that the more expensive S$1,039 3-tick fridge actually has a lower overall cost than the S$869 2-tick fridge, assuming a 10-year period.
Here’s the math:
2-tick fridge: S$869 + (10*S$115) = S$2,019
3-tick fridge: S$1,039 + (10*S$102) - S$300 = S$1,759
There you have it.
Of course, it won’t always be so easy to compare between different models, as there may be other features that differentiate them from one another besides energy efficiency.
Appliances’ annual consumption also depends on other factors, like how they are used, how often they are used, and so on.
It should also be pointed out that a more expensive, but more efficient appliance pays off if it’s used for longer periods.
However, accurate calculations will make for a more informed decision.
4. Recycle
While recycling discarded items doesn’t save you money, it certainly won’t cost extra.
One way to recycle more is to start with a clear idea of what can and can’t be recycled, so you can collect those items before bringing them to one of the ubiquitous blue recycling bins around Singapore.
It’d also be helpful to have a designated recycling container to collect recyclable items:
Besides the paper, metal, plastic, and glass items that go into the blue bins, one can also recycle textiles:
Geneco’s Power Eco Add-on
Those interested to do even more to reduce their impact on the environment can consider opting in to Geneco’s Power Eco Add-on.
Geneco is now offering free Power Eco Add-on for the first 6 months to all customers.
The electricity retailer says it is Singapore’s “first and only” customisable green add-on for an electricity plan.
You can select between Carbon Credits (CC) or Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) to add on any plan with Geneco.
You can then opt to scale your level of contribution according to your preference — with options for 25 per cent, 50 per cent, 75 per cent, and 100 per cent.
Geneco offers the lowest electricity rates at an attractive 29.53 cents/kWh, under their most popular plan: Get It Fixed 24 (24-month plan), which comes with a “Price Match Guarantee”.
One can also enjoy the following rebates and vouchers, worth S$166 in total:
- S$65 bill rebate and S$26 eCapitaVoucher with the promo code 24FANTAS6 (for the first 1,600 online sign-ups).
- Up to S$45 bill rebate with credit card offers from Maybank, Citibank, HSBC, UOB, and POSB.
- An additional S$30 bill rebate for Mothership readers who use the exclusive referral code MS30.
Find out more on Geneco’s website here.
This sponsored article by Geneco had the author rethinking his unconscious meal habits.
Top photo by Nigel Chua and Foo Chan Seng
