What were the steps involved in your decision to use less energy in your home, and who or what influenced these decisions?

My mum has always shown me the way – not to waste food, turn off appliances when not in use, keep the last run of water from the washing machine for cleaning the toilet, etc. This was way before green issues gained traction. Limited family finance was probably the prime motivation. Things are certainly better now and creature comforts have been gradually added over the years. But somehow we never found the need for air-conditioning. There were days when the weather was really warm and the solution was simply to go and take another shower (without using the heater, of course). Several years ago, I came across an article on standby power taking up a significant proportion of the electrical bill. Then I realized many appliances at home were on standby and were not frequently used. Why allow electricity to leak? I decided to turn them off. My mum has always been at it, I was the one who needed reform.

I had a friend who once remarked, “Live simply, and you will simply live.” I also found out years ago that I had a rare eye condition that could have been triggered by stress. Taken together, it got me asking myself: “Could life be made simpler?” So it was more than just trying to be green, it was part of a bigger question of “removing baggage” and being a work-in-progress steward. Some days I succeeded, some days I failed. But I felt I must at least grapple or struggle with it.

How would you describe your lifestyle?

There are still a lot of areas that I am grappling with. I am only learning to be aware of the impact of my actions. My current lifestyle is simple but not spartan. Thankfully, my workplace is near home and so it makes owning a car far less compelling. And that opens up a lot of possibilities to do more significant things. I still do enjoy little pleasures from time to time – traveling is one. The general rule I try to abide by is: Live a little below my means, and then a little more, if I can afford it.

What keeps you motivated when some days you feel like giving up?

Actually there have been some days I simply gave up! Over time, I found that altruism alone does not last very long for me. What seems more motivating is to resolve ironies and generate two or more benefits from them. Several months ago, I had wanted to increase my frequency of physical exercise but just could not find time for it. Then it dawned upon me that I could take the stairs instead of using the lift. So that’s one less demand on a public facility and one more routine for a healthy heart.

Explain the theology behind your beliefs or in other words, how has the Bible informed your worldview?

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (Ps 24:1). Let God not find it in ruins on the day of reckoning. And I suspect it reflects the collective spiritual condition as well. When God put Adam in the Garden the intent was for him to cultivate it and keep it (Gen 2:15). I understand the Hebrew word for “keep,” i.e. “shamar,” has the notion of “keep, watch, preserve.” I take it to mean caring for it in a sustainable way. So by extension, I believe the Greater Eden should similarly be shamar-ed. How do we then shamar the earth? When the Israelites collected the manna, they were instructed to take what they needed. Feedback was immediate for those who tried to push the envelope – in the form of bad food infested with maggots (Ex 16:20). The difference today is that the consequence of our actions is imperceptible and removed from us (both in time and distance). We do not see how our individual actions could collectively bring about unintended consequences. But nature is not keeping silent. I am afraid when it does fight back it might come fast and furious. And then ironically, the land will finally enjoy its Sabbath rest (Lev 26:34, 35).

What are some other things you would like to do but haven’t been able to so far?

Some time ago, I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan and it inspired a thought: I would like to have a small plot to grow my own greens. This is not aimed at self-sufficiency. But I think it would be fun to appreciate the process of converting the sun’s energy into food. I’d like to know what I eat is not an outcome of a transaction but someone has put in effort to bring it to the table. I had a taste of it when I grew my own rice not long ago. By the way, it was not much of a harvest, not even a spoonful, but for me it was deeply satisfying.

How did your family and friends react toward your conservation efforts?

I am mainly experimenting. So I seldom talk about it with friends. Some have expressed surprise that there is such a community that gives things away such as SgFreeCycle. Others have wanted to do something similar but did not know the resource. But at home, this has been a fun conversation topic with my mum.

Share a story with us from your environmental endeavors over the last few years.

When I first signed up with Bookmooch, an online book exchange platform, I was quite skeptical. Even though there were some safeguards built-in, there were still ways to beat the system. And so I thought, “Why would anybody send a book to a stranger halfway round the globe?” “What if the sender shortchanged me?” Quite unexpectedly, it became an instructive exercise that surfaced some deep-seated stereotypes, even faultlines. It’s just books, one may say, don’t take it too hard. But I think better to have them surfaced in little things, rather than big ones. I do not know to what extent did I save the earth, I think being more self-aware is already a big plus.

What are the biggest challenges you think Singapore and the greater global village face?

In the past when societies were organized around agriculture, there was a certain awareness that what sustained us was dependent on natural cycles and the elements. It was encoded in our culture – in the form of harvest celebrations, rituals to ask for rain, etc. Today, especially in the cities, we are less sensitive to these factors. The ability to get what we want is (perceived) to hinge on only how much money we have. Perhaps this has sent us in the wrong direction.

I think a lot of products are not priced correctly. There seems to be no effective way to account for the externalities like pollution and irreversible damages on the place of origin. But many are beginning to be more aware and there are some promising new technologies on the horizon. We will have to encourage more people to make good choices rather than the proverbial cynic who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing (Oscar Wilde).

Tan Chee Leong is a research engineer and worships at Covenant Evangelical Free Church. He enjoys reading, tending to his small collection of herbs, diving, and traveling to rural locations for hikes or walks. His pet peeves include second-hand smoke and the phrase “at the end of the day.”

The New American Standard Bible has been referenced.