The founding father of GreenPush shares how she began a inexperienced neighborhood in Singapore, and what everybody can do to save lots of the planet.
Meet Alya Annabi, a change agent who needs to assist companies implement sustainable practices and have enjoyable doing them. She truly began out by bringing her neighbours collectively through WhatsApp and educating them on decreasing waste and rising sharing alternatives. Alya additionally organised free workshops and held talks on sustainability. Via this, she developed the experience and expertise, main her to start out GreenPush, which helps companies domesticate extra sustainable actions.
Alya’s story is so fascinating, and she or he shares it on Launchpad’s Good Enterprise podcast (hearken to the total episode right here). Her deep dedication to sustainability additionally made her the proper option to be one in all our Sustainability Champions for our first-ever Sustainability Awards. Alya helped us out by deciding on the nominees and giving her strategies.
Need to study extra about this sustainability famous person? Right here’s what you want to learn about Alya Annabi.
5 issues we learnt about Alya Annabi, founding father of GreenPush
#1: Alya constructed a inexperienced neighborhood in Singapore throughout the pandemic by way of WhatsApp.
And that’s not even the total story: she truly began it on account of frustration! Alya typically noticed issues that didn’t belong within the trash being dumped there by her neighbours. To encourage them to donate, she began a WhatsApp group and went door-to-door to let her neighbours learn about it. To this point, there are greater than 130 individuals within the group, they usually’ve managed to save lots of, rescue, borrow, and share over 3,500 objects. Alya repeated the identical steps when she arrived in Bali.
#2: With no mentor, GreenPush in all probability wouldn’t have taken off.
Being an action-oriented particular person, Alya did all the things by herself to unfold consciousness about sustainability to different individuals. Nonetheless, it wasn’t not going in addition to she’d hoped. This led Alya to a programme organised by WWF, the place she was assigned to a mentor for six months. In response to Alya, her mentor challenged her by asking the fitting questions, pushing her to assume extra critically, and stick to at least one path.
#3: She’s not a “objective” type of particular person.
Alya doesn’t imagine in setting targets and goals. That stated, she goals to create as a lot influence as attainable by constructing many communities. She additionally needs to encompass herself with the fitting individuals and drive change in as many companies as attainable.
#4: Alya believes that the federal government, organisations, and people ought to work collectively to fight local weather change.
Her suggestion? Begin with one motion: be part of a neighborhood, have conversations with others, or study one thing on-line. Small steps will slowly compound into an enormous change.
#5: She’s hopeful the local weather problem will get higher within the subsequent 10 years.
Nonetheless, Alya provides that change can’t occur in a single day – it’s a journey. Plus, not each resolution works for everybody, so attempt to make it enjoyable and thrilling for your self. If everybody can change their existence, we are able to scale back greenhouse fuel emissions from 40% to 70% by 2050.
Let’s chat sustainability with Alya Annabi
With our Sustainability Awards in full swing, we requested Alya what it means to her, her targets and tips about staying sustainable in Singapore.
What does sustainability imply to you?
Sustainability is a large umbrella. To me, it’s each a mindset and a each day observe of taking small actions. As people, we now have the ability to decide on higher actions day by day. It’s about understanding the influence of our actions and making knowledgeable selections accordingly, not just for ourselves however for all dwelling species on this planet.
What are some methods to dwell sustainability, particularly in Singapore?
One of many first modifications I made once I started my sustainability journey a number of years in the past was to start out small. Select a easy first step that appears doable and pursuits you primarily based by yourself life-style. Whether or not it’s decreasing your meat consumption, reusing leftovers, or watching a climate-related documentary, taking step one is what issues.
In Singapore, there are a lot of sustainability-related occasions and communities which you can be part of to remain impressed and meet like-minded people. The extra we’re, the higher!
What’s your sustainable objective in 2023?
My greatest objective this yr is to launch the GreenPush Neighborhood Hub! We have now been working exhausting to create an all-in-one Sustainability Hub. It’ll make sustainability straightforward and sensible for everybody.
Who’s your favorite eco-warrior and why?
There are various inspiring people who’re pushing ahead the sustainability agenda. Some examples embrace my expensive good friend Carolin Barr Okay., founding father of susGain; Christine Amour-Levar, founding father of Her Planet Earth and Girls on a Mission; and Jasmine Tuan, founding father of Cloop.
If I had to decide on only one, it might be Stephanie L. Dickson. I’ve been in awe of her journey since attending my first Acutely aware Competition in Singapore in 2019. Her mission is actually inspiring, and the leap of religion she took in her profession confirmed me that something is feasible.
For extra tidbits in regards to the inexperienced entrepreneur’s life, hearken to Launchpad’s podcast episode with Alya Annabi.
And don’t neglect to vote in your favorite manufacturers in our Sustainability Awards for an opportunity to win a keep at an eco-resort value $950! (Voting ends on 21 Might 2023)
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