How Tech in Asia folks are going green

Jonathan Chew also contributed to this story.

It’s an undeniable fact: Climate change is real. Sea levels are rising, the weather is getting weirder, and global temperatures have gone up by 0.18ºC every decade since 1981.

Here at Tech in Asia, we firmly believe in doing our part to save the planet we live on. Aside from being carbon neutral, we’ve also worked to raise awareness about how the tech and startup community can address climate change. This includes events such as pitching competitions focused on environmental, social, and governance, known as Startup Arena, at our annual flagship Conference. We’ve also got an Environmental Disclosure Pulse Check and our greentech-focused newsletter The Offset.

For Earth Day 2023, we thought we’d shine the spotlight on the people on the Tech in Asia team who are passionate about reducing their impact on the environment and making a difference through their actions and beliefs.

Let’s hear from them.

Willis Wee, CEO

What are some things that you do to reduce your impact on the environment?

On a personal level, I teach my kids what climate change is and what we can do to help tackle it by reusing, reducing, and recycling. We recycle and reuse as much as possible. For example, the kids’ swimming pool toys are usually containers that we reuse.

We also try to buy and support products, such as alternative protein and food from sustainable sources, that aid in tackling climate change.

At a company level, we’ve made Tech in Asia carbon-neutral by going through carbon accounting (a process I taught myself), reducing our carbon emissions, and offsetting what we can’t reduce.

Why is protecting the environment important to you?

It’s for the next generation. We have used resources in an unsustainable way, and we owe it to the next generation to fix things.

What would you say to encourage someone to make a greater effort at reducing their impact on their environment?

Be in the know and contribute what you can.

Kelyn Koh, Head of Studios

What are some things that you do to reduce your impact on the environment?

Generally speaking, I always switch off electricity points when they’re not in use. With things like the TV, for instance, I’ll make a conscious effort to turn off the main switch.

Apart from that, my kids love playing with water. As a parent, I started teaching them from a young age that it’s not right to waste water and that they have to help conserve and protect the Earth’s limited resources. You have to explain it to them in their language – like singing songs about the importance of saving water.

Food wastage is another thing that I try to cut down on, as my kids will sometimes leave unfinished food. Ultimately, anything within the household that can be changed to reduce our environmental impact, I’ll try to do.

Outside of the house, there are also things like bringing my own mugs and having a reusable shopping bag instead of plastic bags. It sounds basic and common but really takes consistent and diligent effort.

Why is protecting the environment important to you?

As a parent, you think a lot about the future you’re shaping for your children. You don’t want to leave Earth knowing that you could’ve done a better job at building something good for future generations. It’ll be hard for them to get by if we don’t take care of the environment.

I want to ensure that for my kids, there’s a healthy environment for them to grow, and they won’t have to face challenges just to live each day.

What would you say to encourage someone to make a greater effort at reducing their impact on their environment?

Earth Day is not just one day – every day should be treated the same because we live on Earth every day.

Just make sure that you do take the first step. There’s going to be lots of inertia, but once you start it’s not so bad after all. Just step out, try something different, and put in a little effort. It could be just one thing that you change.

Liang Jie Ng, Full Stack Developer

What are some things that you do to reduce your impact on the environment?

I stay conscious and aware of my daily energy consumption by selecting electronic devices with energy-saving features and ensuring that I switch them off when not in use. These include my external monitor, laptops, air conditioning, IoT devices, and a lot of chargers.

Why is protecting the environment important to you?

I understand that my individual contributions may not seem like much, but I believe that the domino effect can have a significant impact. I have a deep love for the Earth and its natural beauty, and I enjoy being surrounded by it. I hope that by taking these small actions, I can raise awareness in my community, and we can work together to protect our environment.

What would you say to encourage someone to make a greater effort at reducing their impact on their environment?

I believe that every contribution counts. It’s not as difficult as we may think; by doing something every day, we can develop positive habits that benefit the environment in the long run.

Susi Susanti, Designer

What are some things that you do to reduce your impact on the environment?

I use my own containers for takeaways and bring my own bag for groceries. At home, I sort my trash broadly into recyclables and non-recyclables, and I try to use the air conditioner less. Even when I do use it when I sleep, it’s usually just set at around 25ºC or higher.

Why is protecting the environment important to you?

I wanted to start doing something about it by myself because I believe that if I don’t change first, it’s hard to convince other people to do it too.

I started doing all those things a few years ago, when I read the news that Indonesia was one of the top contributors to ocean trash. In Indonesia, not many people are conscious about being environmentally friendly, so I want to start small and help set an example – I don’t know if I’ll make an impact, but at least I’m trying to do something.

What would you say to encourage someone to make a greater effort at reducing their impact on their environment?

Starting small is fine. Even if you only bring reusable bags for takeaways, that’s fine too. Or it could even be something as simple as not asking for straws or using your own when buying bubble tea.

I don’t think people need to be very ambitious. Even for me, after years of inculcating these habits, I know that it’s not always very practical, and it can be a big challenge on an individual level.

So just start small.

Jessenia Pricillia, Events and Projects Manager

What are some things that you do to reduce your impact on the environment?

For the past three years, I have been sorting my home waste by type – organic waste, paper, plastic, glass, and oil – and delivering it to a nearby waste management facility. I also bring my own bag when I go grocery shopping, try to minimize my use of plastic packaging, and find ways to reuse items instead of throwing them away.

At work, since we’ve recently gone back to doing offline events, we’ve started to separate some waste – mostly paper and plastic – and deliver it to the waste management facility. We’re committed to working more on this, so we can better manage the waste from our events and conferences.

Why is protecting the environment important to you?

As humans, we are responsible for giving back to the Earth by reducing our environmental impact. This not only protects our planet but also improves our well-being. It’s important to realize that our waste can cause problems, such as sea animals being trapped in plastic and dying, pollution of our land leading to bad crops, and food scarcity.

While I’m not perfect when it comes to being environmentally-friendly and I’m only doing a small part, I’m still finding ways to contribute and make an impact so that I can encourage people to do this as well.

What would you say to encourage someone to make a greater effort at reducing their impact on their environment?

Start small and start today. Every individual has the ability to make a positive impact on the environment by making small changes in their daily lives. Together, we can collectively make a big difference in preserving our planet for the future.

Tech in Asia is committed to remaining carbon-neutral and driving greater sustainability and equity in the Asian tech and startup community.

If you believe in this mission too, work with us on our upcoming SYNC: Climate Tech summit.