Welcome to Green Neko!

Thank you for visiting. I hope you’ll find something that inspires you here!

Green Neko is where I share tips, tricks, recipes and tutorials for living a more sustainable life.

Am I an expert? No. Do I have a qualification in environmental science? No. Do I live a perfectly zero waste and plant-based lifestyle? Far from it.

What I’m trying to say, I think, is that anyone can make an effort, no matter how insignificant, to do something for our earth.

Even if the only thing you do is order a drink without a plastic straw, that is something to be celebrated. You shouldn’t feel like an imposter because you’re not living a zero-impact life, because nobody is.

As many have already noted, living sustainably is something that’s within easier reach of the middle class.

I’ll be the first to admit that it is precisely those who are not forced by necessity to dedicate all their time to work who are in the best position to make more of their own food and products, or even to make better nutritional choices.

And guess what, it is precisely those who are in the best position to make more sustainable choices who should be doing it. If certain things are not within your reach due to a lack of time or money, don’t beat yourself up over it. We all do what we can, within our abilities.

That said, not all zero waste or plant-based solutions are more expensive. In fact, some are actually cheaper, whether in the long-run or at the outset.

When creating my recipes and tutorials, I do my best to consider the cost vis a vis conventional products. However, it goes without saying that you should also do price research in your area. Feel free to share cost comparisons in the comments for other readers’ reference!

Who is Green Neko?

In a nutshell, I’m an overwhelmingly ordinary person with no particular talent to speak of. Due to my Type B personality, posts on this site might be erratic–sorry!

My cat, on the other hand, is exceptional! In spite of a difficult past, he is one of the kindest beings I know. The drawings on this site are inspired by him.

Other than living sustainably, I’m also a proponent of anti-consumerism, simple living and frugality, and am interested in how these philosophies intersect with sustainability. I am against ‘zero waste’ consumerism and greenwashing, so I always encourage people to use what they have or acquire second hand items wherever possible.

Why zero waste?

There are many arguments out there about how trying to reduce waste on an individual level is a waste of time because it’s a drop in the ocean, and corporations blah blah. But I believe that the movement’s value lies not in the actual amount of waste reduced, but the changes that conscious consumption habits can bring about.

When I first moved here, there were only two zero waste stores in the city. Over the years, I have seen the circular economy and packaging-free infrastructure grow by leaps and bounds.

Not only has there been exponential growth in the number of packaging-free stores, many of which stock mainly local and organic products, supermarkets and health food chains have also jumped on the bandwagon with their own bulk bins. A couple of packaging-free cosmetic stores have also popped up in the city centre when just three years ago there were none.

The number and variety of second hand stores have also been growing, even in the midst of a pandemic. There are now second hand stores devoted to spectacles and sunglasses, gardening equipment and plants.

None of this would have been possible without demand from consumers. Because some have been eager to make more eco-conscious buying choices, these businesses have been able to flourish and in turn drive change in the purchasing choices of a larger swathe of the population.

Another big reason I think zero waste is so powerful as a concept is that it’s one of the easiest ways to start reducing one’s impact on the environment. Anyone can take away their lunch in their own container or use a reusable tote bag when doing the groceries. It’s the gateway drug of sustainable living.

The point of zero waste living, by the way, is not to get to zero and fit an entire’s worth of trash into a single jar. Don’t compromise your health or sanity just for the bragging rights. Do what you can, and know that it’s appreciated!

Why plant-based food?

Meat consumption is one of the key causes of climate change, and is also extremely resource intensive. So, it’s not hard to see why consuming less meat can have a positive impact.

The problem, I think, is that most people look at vegetarianism and veganism and think, nah, I could never do that.

My point is, you don’t have to become vegetarian or vegan to reduce the amount of meat in your diet. It’s not an all-or-nothing scenario. In fact, many people who identify as vegetarian or vegan do on occasion have cheat days. Some people are vegan 50% of the time, vegetarian 40% of the time and omnivorous 10% of the time. That doesn’t invalidate their efforts to follow a largely plant-based diet. So, I prefer to ignore the labels.

Your genetic makeup, the state of your health, the culture in which you grew up, where you live, your access to nutritional advice, your cooking skills and the various demands on your time all influence the extent to which you can reduce meat in your diet. That’s okay. Some people can thrive on a vegan diet, but if you can’t or aren’t ready to, don’t get discouraged. If you eat meat almost daily, it’s likely you’re consuming more than is optimal for your health anyway, so it’s okay to focus on reduction rather than elimination.

These days, I follow a primarily plant-based diet, but I do occasionally eat fish and very, very occasionally meat. That might mean that to some people I am not qualified or do not deserve to share plant-based recipes, but whatever. My goal is simply to help my friends and readers find plant-based meal ideas and make it easier for them to enjoy meat-free meals.