2019 is on track to become one of the hottest years for Singapore and it was predicted to be so as early as March. Not only is the island baking, Earth is experiencing heatwaves sweeping across the planet too.

Singapore’s climate all year round can be so warm that we may just forget there are four seasons in a year. All we get is summer on this sunny island and while people in colder countries fly south for the winter, Singaporeans fly north to cool off. However, flying to a country with cooler climates is no cheap affair, and there is only so many vacation days you and your family can take.

We have compiled a list of wallet-friendly, fun-filled and relationship-building things you can do to keep yourselves cool without burning through your bank account:

1. All hail Netflix

Someone please nominate Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph for a Nobel Prize already, for bestowing upon mankind the power to watch (and binge-watch) our favourite shows and movie titles all in the comforts of our crib. Bonus points to you if you have got a high definition TV and surround sound to turn your home into a theatre.

A starter kit to some of the popular shows and genres:

• Educational documentary: Chasing Coral
• Childhood favourites relived: The Magic School Bus Rides Again
• Mind-blowing science fiction: Black Mirror
• Sci-fi with a little scare: Stranger Things
• Political thriller: Designated Survivor

Pssst…..An average 42″ high-definition TV uses around 80 Watts of electricity per hour, which translates into just 1 cent on our Get It Fixed 24 plan!

2. Board games to keep boredom at bay

If there is any credit to the heat, it is that it incentivises people to stay home. So, please do not let it go to waste by not seizing the opportunity to have your loved ones come around and enjoy some competitive fun!

If you have lost touch with your younger days where your clique would book a table at The Minds Café or Settlers Café, here are some board and card games ideas fun for all in the family:

• Nothing gives you constant mood swings (the fun kind) between adrenaline rush and the relief quite like Jenga. Pit your concentration skills and dexterity against one another and celebrate your opponent’s downfall.
• An all-time classic, Uno is the ultimate card game for endless fun fuelled by vengeance. In some kind of twisted way, you and your family members can build bonds by ‘sabo-ing’ each other with Draw-Two and Draw-Four cards and form temporary alliances against each other before ending them in betrayal.
• The Singaporean Dream is the perfect conversation starter and excuse of a game to ask awkward questions about one’s ambition. With character cards that depict stereotypical caricatures of different occupations assigned to players, each player must overcome other players’ political games and amass ‘dreams’ to win the game. Great way to motivate your kids to think about their dreams and talk about them!

3. Cook and bake together

Nothing unites Singaporeans more than our love for food and nothing tastes as good as home-cooked food. When everyone has a hand in preparing tonight’s dinner (literally), it gets even better.

Cooking together as a family is one of the ways family members build working relationships with one another. Go shopping for groceries together, discover and educate ingredients together, delegate roles in the kitchen and enjoy the fruits of everyone’s labour together.

Tip: It’s now possible to eat healthy and be kind to the environment, by buying organic, homegrown herbs and vegetables grown right here on the rooftops of Singapore’s high-rises. Watch our Changemakers video on ComCrop, and learn about how they are doing the planet a whole lot of good, the fresh, tasty way.

4. Spin the globe, virtually

Ok, so physically leaving the country may not be possible at this juncture, but you can still discover the world in your own home thanks to the Google Earth’s camera men.

‘Visit’ your favourite destination at a click of the finger and take ‘snapshots’ of the sights and scenery. Discover new places and things in the countries that are not on your immediate to-go list but are still worth checking out.

Just a bonus for you to kickstart your curiosity, type in 35.70407437075822, 139.5577317304603 in the Google Earth search bar and select street view.

5. Nurture the inner Picasso

While the heat is not painting a very good picture for the climate, you and your loved ones can paint masterpieces together! Revisit old favourites like Art Attack or learn a trick or two from Bob Ross on how to create artistic pieces. Let the kids explore every inch of their creative brains and unleash the Da Vinci in them.

Just a word of advice: if your kids are using paint brushes for the first time, go for watercolour – they are easier to clean in case of unbridled artistic mayhem.

Keep Cool With Our Cool Plans

While you and your family hole up at home with the AC on, your smart TV playing your favourite shows and the kitchen at full capacity for a dinner feast, we’ve got your electricity bill covered with some of the most competitive plans.

Staying home and staying cool has never been this fun and fruitful. Whether you are looking for the best plan to suit your energy needs or enjoy your home’s comforts without contributing to climate change, we are here to #powerthechange.

Every Singaporean knows that this little island of a little more than 720km² has no natural resource on its own and relies almost entirely on imported energy like coal, oil, petroleum and natural gas.

Since the world outside of our borders is fraught with challenges that can dim our energy-driven future, Singapore must increasingly turn to clean and sustainable energy as part of our strategy to safeguard our prosperity.

These questions are therefore crucial:

• What happens when finite resources run out?
• How do we keep energy costs low in times of expensive oil and gas prices?
• Relying on sea lanes, what if our imports cannot get to us?
• What if our sources are not able or willing to export energy to us?

Becoming short-sighted, complacent in our energy generation and unprepared for future challenges and changes can make us vulnerable to forces that threaten our economy, social fabric, security and individual livelihoods.

Solar Energy A Bright Idea

Singapore is quite an energy-thirsty city. According to statistics by the Energy Market Authority, we consume 49,643.7 GWh of electricity in 2018. In the same year, only 0.8% of all electricity generated came from solar energy.

A study by the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS) states that as much as 25% of Singapore’s energy needs can be met by solar energy by 2025. However, to achieve this, solar energy generation would have to grow twofold biannually, from generating 140 megawatt-peak today to 2 gigawatt-peak in 2025.

Such growth in solar energy adoption is only possible if Singapore is able to deploy solar energy technologies more innovatively and efficiently, overcoming the challenges presented by our limited landmass and solar intermittency (amount of sunlight that hit Singapore can vary over the day due to fluctuating solar output, clouds, haze, pollution etc.).

Despite the challenges of utilising solar energy, Singapore still sees a bright future with photovoltaics, taking advantage of our tropical climate, position near the equator and technological advancements in solar photovoltaic engineering. In fact, the government will be launching floating solar panel systems within our reservoirs to capitalise on any viable and available surface where solar farms can be housed at.

Contributing to Singapore’s growing energy independence, our parent company YTL PowerSeraya has been tapping into solar energy with solar photovoltaic panels installed at our Jurong Island plant. To further enable our customers to do their bit for the climate and pledge their support for Singapore’s renewable energy initiatives, our Get Sunny energy plan provides 100% clean energy.

Wind Energy Generation Is No Breeze, But Promising

While all over the island experience abundant sunshine all year round, sufficient wind speeds and an army of wind turbines to make wind energy generation to help power the nation is still some ways away.

But it is not taking the wind out of the sail when it comes to testing its feasibility.

In 2017, a 14-storey high long-span wind turbine was erected over Semakau Landfill where it generates enough energy to power 45 four-room HDB flats a year. With its three 10.5 metre rotor blades, the turbine is sensitive enough to generate power with wind speeds as low as 3 metres per second.

Technology has yet to catch up in such ways that we will see a mass-adoption of wind energy generation to add to the national grid but the Semakau wind turbine keeps that possibility alive.

Putting The Smarts Into Smart Energy

Consistent with our Smart Nation initiative, energy companies here in Singapore are now deploying increasingly intelligent remote sensors, data analytics to predict demand and drawing closer to their customers through value-added applications in their bid to improve overall performance. These initiatives form part of Singapore’s investments in and harnessing of technology and innovations to meet energy demands and yet do so sustainably, for the present and the future.

The government has also set aside S$375 million for research, development and deployments in energy, with solar, energy storage, smart grids and environmentally friendly buildings as key focuses.

Beyond engineering science, Singapore is also leveraging on business science to encourage competition among energy companies so to spur innovation and efficiency.

Over the decades, competition in our liberalised energy generation sector has resulted in companies switching from fuel oil plants to the more efficient and cleaner natural gas plants (while gas is a finite resource, it is at the moment abundant in supply with more gas wells yet to be discovered). The liberalisation of the retail electricity market further energises the innovation and sustainability agenda as electricity retailers offer competitive price plans and green-packages to cater to consumers’ needs, preferences and stance on climate change.

Energy Security In A Changing World

Our growing thirst for energy will determine how our energy landscape transforms and how it transforms will translate to how we progress as a nation.

We have already witnessed how the global energy landscape experienced significant changes in the past decade, driven by advances in technology, geopolitical shifts and a worldwide paradigm shift in sustainability. In the same way how fuel oil plants made coal plants obsolete, improvements in fracking technology have heralded a golden age for natural gas over petroleum and renewable energy with its planet-hugging image is rapidly taking over the world.

These changes can present challenges as well as opportunities. To ensure Singapore’s energy future stay secure, we ought to actively turn shortcomings and threats into advantages and opportunities that work for us, albeit sometimes uniquely, in ways that are competitive, reliable and sustainable.

In ways similar to how we achieve water security by diversifying our sources, i.e. import, rainfall catchment, desalination and NEWater, turning our sights on renewable energy could just be the answer to achieving energy security.

Start your sustainable journey with Geneco’s Get Sunny plan today.

Any Singaporean should be well-informed on the island-state’s original 5 pillars of defence, with the sixth added recently by Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen, that has essentially not only guaranteed our security as a nation but also our continued success.

As we take this National Day season to commemorate the Singapore Bicentennial, a look-back into our 700-year journey from a fishing village to the global city today, we ought to think about what we Singaporeans can do to ensure our prosperity can continue.

THE SIX PILLARS OF TOTAL DEFENCE

Celebrated yearly on 15 February, Total Defence traditionally comprises of Military Defence, Civil Defence, Economic Defence, Social Defence and Psychological Defence. The strategy is based on the understanding that hostile forces can attack us not just militarily, but also compromise our economic systems, social fabric and national morale. It also addresses the need to always be ready for mass casualty scenarios, whether man-made or natural. In 2019, a sixth pillar, Digital Defence, was added to address the new reality where future threats can and will come from the digital domain.

While we have robust assets in place to safeguard our sovereignty, what about the resources that power, quench and feed the country?

Defending Our Resources: Understanding Our Resources Are Not Finite

Anyone who has studied economics should know what scarcity means. It refers to the gap between limited resources such as food, water and certain energy sources and mankind’s limitless wants. Scarcity requires us to decide how to allocate available resources efficiently so to satisfy needs and as many wants as possible.

Sustaining any economy – and Singapore is an advanced one – requires large amounts of resources to upkeep the economic machinery and prepare for the future. Being feckless and squandering away precious resources can make Singapore vulnerable to an uncertain future and forces beyond our control.

Hence, resource defence will require us to adopt a responsible mindset to cherish the resources we have and not be wasteful.

Do Your Part For Resource Defence

Water
Water has always been one of the most, if not the most, important resource – and Singaporeans understand that.

California’s water crisis, Flint’s water contamination and Manila’s water shortage are some reminders that we cannot rest on our laurels. Weather, environmental and geopolitical causes will continue to present themselves as possible threats to our water security. Therefore, Singapore places great emphasis on water security by securing favourable agreements with our neighbours to ensure supply, maximising rainfall catchment, developing new technologies to generate freshwater, regulations on water usage and public education.

To help Singaporeans understand the importance of saving water, the Public Utilities Board details how you can save every little drop and achieve sustainability.

How you can save water:

• Turning off the tap when not in use, even if it’s for a few seconds, goes a long way towards saving water and your bills. Imagine how much you can save over a year! Fixing a leaky tap can also save you what could be 60 litres a week.
• Keep your showers short and opt for an efficient showerhead to maximise your time in the bath.
• Only wash a full load of laundry!
• Get a dual-flush toilet where you can choose to use less water to do minor flushing.

Electricity

Necessary to power any country’s infrastructure – from streetlamps to transportation to homes, the resources and technology that generate electricity such as natural gas, oil, and renewable sources like water, wind and solar needs protection too. Besides, when we use electricity responsibly, we help to use our sources efficiently, keep the costs of generation low and reduce pollution and other environmentally harmful emissions.

Over the years, Singapore has been exploring adopting renewable energy technology to do its bit for the environment as well as tap into infinite ‘free’ energy like solar and wind. However, as they can incur high costs to develop and deploy, responsible consumption is still needed to keep renewable energy sustainable.

Saving electricity can be easy and less disruptive to your comfortable lifestyle. Read our article here on how you can adopt some of our Green Tips!

Food

Unlike countries with larger landmass, agriculture in Singapore cannot feed the population sufficiently and so we import most of our food. With climate change that threaten our food sources, rising food costs and the dependence on economic and social stability in countries from whom we import from, we need to adopt and maintain a responsible mindset for food as well.

Food waste has become a global crisis and Singapore’s food waste account for more than 20% of our annual total waste – and the number is growing. Not only does it strain the environment as we demand more from the land, but we also cause economic and social strain when food costs go up and people struggle to afford basic meals.

Eat what you need, shop smart, save what leftovers you can and repurpose discards into compost and you can not only keep your costs low but also do your bit for the environment!

Start your sustainable journey with Geneco’s Get it Green plan today.

With all 5.6 million inhabitants celebrating the island’s 700-year transformation at the Singapore Bicentennial and the SG50 party still fresh in our memories, we think we ought to be proud of our energy evolution over the years since independence, the forward thinking that powers it, and how we are punching above our weight in the climate change fight.

From a time where St. James Power Station was the sole coal-fired power plant to the Pasir Panjang Power Station fuelling Singapore’s post-war industrialisation, and eventually to today’s 14 plants that power our advanced economy, the little red dot has come a long way in energy security and sustainability.

Our Solid Improvements For Cleaner Energy Generation

The history of our energy sector, while remarkable, was dark and “sooty”.

Not only were there frequent outages that plunged the island into darkness in what was said to be “Singapore’s greatest civic problem” in the pre-60s, coal-fired plants were inefficient, polluting and environmentally unsustainable. Although the more efficient oil-fired plants were subsequently added into the grid, pollution was still an issue.

Before St James Power Station became a nightlife spot, it was Singapore’s only power plant from 1926 to 1952.

While the grid stabilised over the succeeding years, Singapore needed a cleaner and more efficient option.

In 1991, Singapore began adopting natural gas solutions to power a new phase of electricity generation, in what was then the beginning of a gradual weaning of the more-polluting coal and oil.

Natural gas outshone traditional coal and oil in many ways:

• It produces much less soot than other fossil fuels since its by-products are gaseous and it burns cleaner than coal (45% less CO₂), gasoline and diesel (30% less CO₂).
• It is abundant in supply and more sources are yet to be discovered. However, it is nonetheless not infinite.
• It is cheaper since natural gas boasts of superior energy efficiency, from its price to the technology involved in using it.
• Transportation is easier as it can be transported via ships, tankers and pipes. Its lighter weight meant transportation is easier and generate less carbon footprint. Liquefying natural gas meant vessels can transport up to 600 times more in volume than its gaseous state, boosting efficiency.

Today, Singapore’s power generation consists of a mix of sources, dominated by natural gas and followed by others such as cogeneration, desalination, oil, diesel and waste-to-energy.

Carbon-neutral Energy: The New Phase Of Singapore’s Energy Consumption

The liberalisation of our energy sector as part of Singapore’s evolution as a country not only brought cheaper options for the population, but it also made net-zero emission possible for the environmentally-conscious individual. Being a citizen of Singapore, the global city, meant that it is also our responsibility to care for the environment, the climate and the planet.

Contrary to popular belief, carbon-neutral energy (CNE) is not synonymous with green or renewable energy. As various generators in Singapore produce electricity to the grid, retailers like us cannot channel 100% renewable energy to homes and businesses.

However, as CNE involves purchasing carbon offset credits that fund anti-climate change efforts around the world, you can use electricity without contributing more carbon into the atmosphere. Instead, we can purchase carbon offset units that are equal to the amount of carbon emitted by the energy produced for consumption. Read more about what CNE is here.

Funds from selling carbon offset units support carbon-tackling efforts around the world, such as reforestation.)

Why Carbon-neutral Energy?

By using CNE, you will not be contributing more carbon into the atmosphere and may even achieve negative carbon emission in which your offset units support highly effective projects that help remove more carbon than is generated.

The future of our climate is not just for governments and businesses to defend nor should it be delegated to some green champion; every individual needs to take up the stewardship by accounting for our carbon emissions and take steps to reduce them.

Purchasing CNE helps to power your lifestyle without adding to climate change.

While you may be recycling every single paper receipt and composting every grain of uneaten rice, it is practically impossible to achieve absolute zero carbon emission if the electricity that keeps your lights on is not neutral. Subscribing to CNE is a practical and affordable way to ensure you have all your environmental bases covered.

Start your sustainable journey with Geneco’s Get it Green plan today.

Did you know there are 4 fuss-free ways to pay your Geneco bill?

1. Credit or Debit Cards

One of the best things about the Open Electricity Market is you can now choose to pay your electricity bills by credit card or debit card. It’s not only convenient, you also earn cash rebates or air miles, boosting your savings even further

And if you set up a recurring payment,you don’t just have to worry about paying your bills on time, you can also take advantage of the various credit card promotions being offered by participating banks. Head over to our ongoing promotions find out more.

2. Recurring payment via GIRO

You can continue using GIRO too. Set up your GIRO payment on our Self-Service Portal.

If your bank of choice for GIRO payment isn’t listed on our Self-Service Portal, download a form here and send it to us with the details required. We’ll sort it out for you!

3. Payment via AXS

Geneco bills can also be paid at all AXS machines. Just use your phone to scan the bar-code on the bill – Just make sure that you zoom to the bar-code on the bill.

Or use the eAXS web portal on your desktop or mobile devices.

The benefit of AXS? You can pay all your utility bills in one go!

4. GrabPay

GrabPay is our latest and exclusive payment option in our Self-Service portal. Head over to the One Time Payment page on the Self-Service portal and you will be directed to Grab’s dedicated page to make your payment!

Wonder why your electricity consumption seems higher? Find out 3 reasons why your consumption might be higher.

Researchers are warning of an impending crisis that could see global food waste rising by approximately 30% by 2030, bringing the total amount to more than 2 billion tons of discarded scraps. The crisis, described as ‘staggering’, is seen to be exacerbated by a worldwide population boom, rising incomes, changes in lifestyle habits and a growing disassociation from the food supply chain.

Although the United Nations has taken the first step by targeting to halve the number by 2030, a study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) revealed that the food waste mountain is only going to reach new heights if nothing more is done to address the current situation.

The report predicts that global food waste will reach 2.1 billion tons – worth US$1.5 trillion – every year, presenting serious economic, social and environmental issues, with the implications to grow in magnitude as the trajectory goes unchallenged.

Food supply chains feel the heat as the need for better food management is demanded.

Burgeoning Waistlines, Populations And A Climate Crisis

As we fight food waste, we are also addressing hunger, poverty and climate change.

Every year, we discard about 1.6 billion tons of food worth approximately US$1.2 trillion and the numbers are not going down. To feed today’s world inhabited by more than 7 billion people, about 6 billion tons of food is being produced every year. According to the UN’s Population Division, the world’s population is projected to reach up to 9.7 billion people by 2050, and food demand will put even more pressure on the supply chain. And we have not yet factored in changes in people’s diets.

As population grows, global appetite grows as well, fuelled by the rise in incomes.

With a burgeoning human population set to top 11.9 billion people by 2050, with the greatest rise among the developing nations, food producers are under pressure to produce more and put even greater strain on the environment. As consumers from developing nations experience growth in wealth and disposable income, the report expects an uptick in the amount of household waste that will be generated over the years.

Food wastage also squanders precious resources such as freshwater, land, energy, labour and capital, and produces resultant greenhouse gas emissions that accelerate climate change. As demand for food grows, converting forests and woodlands into farms threaten to reduce carbon stores that keep global warming at bay.

Food For Thought On Food Waste

• About one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year
• Food losses and waste costs the world about US$1.2 trillion
• Both industrialised and developing nations dissipate about the same amount of food at 670 and 630 million tons, respectively (basically, it refers to developed countries like USA, Germany, France etc. collectively consume and waste just as much as food as the total amount by developing countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, Afghanistan etc.)
• Plant-derived food items experience the highest wastage rates
• Annually, consumers in wealthy nations waste as much food as the amount sub-Saharan Africa produces
• Large quantities of food are discarded simply because of the over-emphasis on appearance

Moving The Food Waste Mountain Starts With The First Rock

Fighting the food waste crisis will require all segments of society to pitch their commitment, talent and technology together, from national policies to corporate social initiatives to the everyday actions and mindsets individuals like us can adopt.

One such mindset is to see the beauty that is beyond skin-deep.

UglyFood, a local business founded in 2017, “rescues “ugly” or unsold fresh produce” to give these about-to-be discarded food items a new lease of shelf-life by procuring such items to make juices, sorbets and teas. Through months of research, the founders discovered that fresh produce that is not as visually appealing tend to be perceived as undesirable by shoppers. Rather than let these otherwise just as good quality produce go to waste, the social enterprise buys them over and repackage them into higher-value products.

At home, you can adopt their ideas by juicing your browned bananas and bruised apples, make soup and sauces with vegetable trimmings, and broths with unwanted meat trimmings like tendon, sinews and bones.

Another enterprise that makes food rescue its mission is The Food Bank Singapore.

Food companies often toss food for trivial reasons, such as fast-approaching best-before dates, labelling errors on packaged foods, surplus harvests or purchases and over-production.

The Food Bank Singapore invites companies looking to remove such products to donate them to its storehouses instead so that the food can be “distributed to food aid agencies which could be private or public, religious or secular.”

Find out more about how everyone, from government agencies to enterprises to home cooks can adopt food-saving practices here!

Start your sustainable journey with Geneco’s Get it Green plan today.

Coffee – the office worker’s best friend, the freshmen’s newfound religion, the medium for the occasional meetup and an essential conversation topic any self-professed hipster must be able to carry.

Regardless of how we relate to the black, aromatic liquid, coffee is all around us and its impact on modern society is profound. However, beyond being the invisible lubricant in our economic machinery, ensuring our diligent workforce can stay hyper on the proverbial hamster wheel, coffee has also found its place in the sustainability movement.

Paying heed to our food waste problem, we have the world’s favourite beverage in our sights.

According to research, only 6% of the entire cherry is used to make a single cuppa. The rest? Discarded.

The Darker Shade Of Your Long Black

Around the world, we gulp down about 10 million tons of coffee a year. To put it into perspective, that would make 1 trillion cups of coffee (assuming all coffees are drunk as espressos with each shot using 10 grams of coffee beans).

While your morning cappuccino can help you see the bright side of life for the day, such statistics also carry with it the dark side of the story – any kind of production causes ecological impact; consuming 1 trillion cups of coffee can and will generate a lot of food waste.

According to research by Colombian coffee logistics firm Almacafé, only 6% of the original coffee cherry is used to make a cup of coffee; only the seed is used, while the flesh and skin are simply discarded and will serve no other purpose in the coffee trading cycle.

Turning Black Into The New Green

Not all of it is doom and gloom, though. Such gargantuan scale of consumption also represents environmental opportunities of equal, if not greater, value. In recent decades, used coffee grounds have been included in the growing list of items to fuel the 21^st century circular economy.

In an article published by CNA Lifestyle, homegrown vertical farm Sky Greens partnered Nespresso to recycle used coffee pods into fertilisers and organic compost. In an article published earlier this year by TODAY, scientists at Nanyang Polytechnic turned the world’s favourite drink into the world’s favourite material – plastic. A biodegradable kind, at that.

However, recycling used coffee grounds need not be reserved for geeky scientists, Nobel Prize laureates nor farmers from the future. There are many ways we coffee lovers can do our part to help keep the coffee industry’s waste footprint at a minimum.

Initiatives From The Ground Up

The advent of sustainable living and mindful eating lifestyles have made us pay more attention to where our food comes from and how they are produced.

Buying coffee that is Fairtrade-certified not only ensures farmers are fairly compensated for their noble work in upkeeping our unashamed dependence on caffeine, but we are also ensuring the coffee we buy are grown with sustainable and eco-friendly practices. Other such labels include “UTZ Certified”, “Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C)”, “Rainforest Alliance” and others. Certain coffee brands like Starbucks and Nespresso have their own internal certifications as well.

Getting your coffee beans from Fairtrade-certified sources is only half the battle won; the waste created from consumption still needs to be addressed by the end consumer.

The next time you brew yourself a cuppa, do not hurry to chuck the used grounds into the bin just yet; they can be repurposed in various ways:

As compost
Plants are coffee-guzzlers like us. Used coffee grounds can add nitrogen, potassium and magnesium to the soil, making it a good. The rough consistency of the grounds is also useful for keeping the soil loose, helping to promote soil aeration.

Used coffee grounds add various nutrients to the soil, and its consistency promotes soil aeration.

As pest repellent
Garden pests like ants, snails, and slugs dislike coffee since compounds such as caffeine and diterpenes in coffee are toxic to them. Coffee grounds are also useful for warding off mosquitoes, fruit flies and beetles. Stir together coffee grounds, dried orange peels and/or rosemary for a pleasant-smelling pest-buster kit.

As portable deodorants
Thanks to its nitrogen compounds, coffee is adept at absorbing odours. Spread out and dry the grounds in the oven, pack it in new tea paper filters as handy deodorants for old socks, refrigerator, shoes and bags.

Start your sustainable journey with Geneco’s Get it Green plan today.

When you were still a little kid, you might have been warned by Mom that unfinished food will cause you and/or your future spouse to develop some unwanted “physical characteristics”.

All grown-up and now a little smarter, we know it to be bollocks, nothing but old wives’ tales to scare us into licking our plates clean.

However, the real consequences of unchecked food wastage are more serious than blemishes on the face.

Local Food Waste Trend Unsavoury

We are all at some point guilty of consciously tossing food into the trash. Whether it is buying a 2kg birthday cake for 5 people, ordering a 5-course dinner to impress a date despite being half-full with kaya toast from tea-time, picking out the carbs to maintain weight goals, or even buying a large variety of dishes from the hawker centre just to taste a little of everything, we are very much capable of trivialising the impact of our wastage.

According to the UN, about 1.3 billion tons of food produced around the world is wasted every year.

In Singapore, food waste generates one of the largest amounts of waste with no downward trend in sight, according to a National Environment Agency report.

Over the past decade, our food waste has risen 30% from 568,000 tons to more than 739,000 tons in 2018, accounting for 20% of total waste generated. Only 16% of all food waste gets recycled.

F&B establishment face increasing pressures to compete, often on portion value

Countering Food Waste

Over the years, community and national partners have sprung into action to turn what was once a man’s trash into another’s treasure.

Since 2014, local supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice created a framework that involves the community and partners to enhance internal processes, educate the public and form waste reduction partnerships.

Some food establishments, such as two food centres in Ang Mo Kio and Tiong Bahru, have designed a food waste recycling system that turns discarded food into compost for gardening.

Some shopping malls, such as Jem and Parkway Parade, have adopted systems that convert food waste into compost using anaerobic biodigesters for landscaping or non-potable water usage.

Other commercial and industrial premises like hotels, schools and municipal buildings have acknowledged the need to respond to food wastage; many of them have now adopted on-site food waste practices and management solutions in a bid to reduce their footprint.

Good Solutions, But No Panacea

When it comes to wastage, while noble solutions can turn the tide, addressing the problem after the waste has been created is no permanent remedy. The issue of overconsumption, not just on food but also other resources such as electricity and clean water, needs to be addressed from the ground up.

We need to step up on educating the public to adopt a zero-waste mindset, be mindful of our resource consumption and maintain a sensible rationing mentality. For this, we have as a collective started to create awareness about sustainable living and draw people into our green camp, beginning with homes, workplaces, schools, and food establishments.

Ultimately, to become an advanced and resource-efficient nation, all hands will need to be on deck – government, businesses and down to the individual consumer – to embark on a concerted effort towards maximising our resources, extending the utility of our excesses and repurposing our wastes.

Converting food waste into compost is one way of repurposing what would have ended up in a landfill

How We Can Do Our Part

At Geneco, we believe combating big issues like wastes, environmental conservation, social responsibility and climate change involves every single man on the ground.

Here are four simple ways you can adopt to make the change and help reduce food wastage:

1. Shop smart and realistically
Simple, but all things start with the basics. When you go grocery shopping, make sure you don’t buy too much food. Think carefully and write a list of what you really need for tonight’s dinner, down to the portions and recipe. Head to the store and buy only what you have written.

2. Don’t over-serve food
Yes, we know you are generous, but serving too much food does no one justice either. If you are unsure how much food to serve, you can try applying recommended diet guidelines into your recipes. Using smaller plates can also help. Over time, you will get better at it.

3. Save and eat leftovers
You do not have to feel shame eating leftover food (not spoilt ones, of course). After all, some ‘leftover’ food like cheeses, yoghurts and even tofu become known as delicacies. Save uneaten dinner for breakfast tomorrow or ‘tapao’ if you eat out. Refrigerate or freeze when appropriate.

4. Try composting, but only as the final measure
Turn your discards into compost! But do this as the final measure, since combating food wastage should start as early up the line as possible, and it is just a neat safety net to keep food away from the bin and do something good with them.

Start your sustainable journey with Geneco’s Get it Green plan today.

The average monthly household electricity consumption of a 4-room public housing unit was 363 kWh in the month of  May 2019 (statistics: SP Group). But sometimes, these monthly bills can go up – seemingly for no reason.

Here are 3 reasons why you could be seeing an increase in your electricity consumption.

Reason #1: You are on an estimated bill

Did You Know?

SP Services undertakes all metering services and meter data management in Singapore.

All household and business electrical meters are read by SP Services once every two months. Which means that your meter readings on the alternate months are on an estimated basis.

If your consumption has been under-estimated and therefore under-billed in one month, you may see a higher consumption on your following bill. Or vice-versa if an estimated bill has been over-billed in the previous month.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has a video illustration explaining how this happens.

If you would like to avoid this situation, you can submit your meter readings to SP through this methods.

• Online: Open Electricity Market’s E-services page (For first time user, please register for an e-services account)
• App: You can download the “SP Utilities” App and submit your meter readings once you have register for an e-services account.

Or you can use an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Meter. These meters, available at $42.80 (GST Inclusive), allow you to monitor your consumption on a half-hourly basis. Write to us at our contact us page if you would like to have the AMI Meter installed for your household.

Reason #2: Increase usage during school holidays or warmer climate during the billing period

Singapore households tend to use more electricity during certain months of the year

The months of May to July and November to December usually see a surge in household electricity consumption. Do you know why? Two reasons — dry spells and school holidays.

The heat makes people switch on more fans or run air conditioners for much longer. While the holidays may mean TVs, computers and even washing machines running much more frequently, as families relax at home or get more active.

One way to avoid an increase in your electricity bill is to use your electrical appliances more efficiently. Set a timer on your air-conditioner so that it runs long enough to cool down the room. Then use a fan to stay comfortable. Run washing machines only on a full load. Use ovens and microwaves less, and choose more raw foods and salads instead. Both you and your electricity bill will be a lot healthier!

Reason #3: You have a new appliance

Buy appliances with an Energy Label and a high rating of Energy Efficiency to enjoy more cost-savings

Adding a new electrical appliance to your household can also make your electricity bill go up.

Perhaps you bought a bigger capacity washing machine to meet your family’s growing needs? Or a more powerful air conditioner or microwave? Or simply a new, higher-spec TV? It may be just one item, but it can impact your consumption.

Be smart when you buy. Look out for appliances that carry the Energy Label, or a higher Energy Efficiency rating. These give you the performance you need, without adding too many dollars to your bill.

Since you have found out on the reasons on why your electricity bill sometimes is higher than usual, why not read on more for more home energy saving tips?