Sustainable Christmas Market 2024 focuses on being net zero, raises S$350,000
It aims to promote sustainable living, from the event’s set-up to the selected vendors
THIS year’s Sustainable Christmas Market (SCM) met its target amount, having raised S$350,000 as at Sunday (Nov 17) afternoon.
The money will go towards Singapore Red Cross’ Young Hearts programme, which benefits underprivileged children and youths living in public rental housing. The programme provides academic support, enrichment activities and mentorship in hopes of lifting them out of intergenerational poverty.
The third edition of SCM, organised by not-for-profit organisation Peace of Art, ran over the weekend at South Beach. It featured a green marketplace with eco-conscious vendors along with interactive workshops and activities. With a focus on net-zero goals, it aimed to be as sustainable as possible – from the event’s set-up to the selected vendors to the public workshops.
Zero waste
Eunice Yeo, founder of Peace of Art, said she wanted this event to be based on the concept of circularity, which involves reusing and recycling existing materials for as long as possible.
For example, the main stage was made entirely from reused materials. The pallets were used a few times by a pallet supplier, and will be returned after the event. The scaffolding forming the backdrop came from a construction site. The artwork decorating the backdrop comprised scrap textile waste that was pieced together by children from Fashion Parade, an initiative that promotes sustainable and circular fashion.
“All our kampung roofs (for the vendors’ booths) will be stored and reused next year,” Yeo added.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 2 pm
Lifestyle
Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.
The Local Farm gave a live farm-to-table demonstration, showcasing how visitors’ food waste could be composted onsite within six hours. It showed how the compost could nurture vegetables used by the vendors.
The Declutter and Donate Bazaar promoted waste reduction. Myhalo, a sustainability platform that deals with e-waste, showed how small electronic devices such as laptops, tablets and earbuds can be refurbished for another user or donated to underprivileged communities.
Tan Ching Hwee, founder and managing director of Myhalo, said: “We are promoting upcycling, which means we are trying to put as many devices back into the circular economy as much as possible.”
When planning SCM, Yeo worked with sustainability adviser Green is the New Black and consulting firm Climate Asia to “help the entire event be carbon neutral”, she said. The firm received data from every vendor about its carbon emissions – after calculating the total amount, the carbon emissions generated will be offset using recommended carbon services.
Promoting sustainable living
Yeo said SCM’s organising committee was selective in choosing vendors, as it wanted to showcase vendors selling sustainable products that “set an example of how life should be like”.
One vendor was The Green and Purple Movement, an initiative that sets up edible gardens in underutilised spaces. The organic vegetables grown are sold on a subscription basis. It works with charities to provide jobs to persons with disabilities – particularly those aged 18 and older – and the elderly.
Geraldine Tan, founding director of The Green and Purple Movement, said: “It’s a closed-loop system. We work with the neighbourhood, and they bring down all their food scraps, and we make our own compost, and then we grow the vegetables.”
She previously worked in the food and beverage industry where she trained people with special needs in cooking and serving food. However, she realised that most of them were more suited for horticulture, and became involved in this initiative.
Since its inception in 2021, Sustainable Markets has raised more than S$1 million for children in need.
Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.
