How to have a green summer (in a pandemic)

The rainy season is just getting started here in India with cooler weather coming around in Singapore too, and that combined with COVID-19 precautions still in effect in a number of ways, it feels like this summer has been a pretty sluggish one so far. But that won’t stop us from at least trying to enjoy the season as much as we can while also being conscious. A green summer is all about keeping to your values and participating in activities that help benefit the health of our planet and we have a few fun suggestions on how you can do just that!

Although it may seem like not much can be done while being stuck indoors, there are plenty green things you can do to brighten up your summer, some practical, others just for the fun of it, but all in the name of making the best of this season.

1. Make the most of your usual daily routine. It may not seem like much but making sure to do things around the house that you usually do while having others join you always lifts the mood. If you’re working from home, create a workspace where you and a family member/roommate can sit and encourage each other through it.

2. Get planting! We’re sure you have heard us encourage this many times but our Sui team is a bunch of enthusiastic green thumbs and has always found joy in watching their plants grow and flourish. 

Here are a few plants you can pick up from a nearby nursery/plant yourself that are great for first-time planters:

Succulents - we’re sure you may have heard of these. With very little need for much maintenance, these plants are a nice little addition to your workspace.

Aloe - Again, needs little maintenance just keep it somewhere warm with plenty of light.

Peace lilies - if you tend to overwater, this plant is the one for you, these lilies will thrive nonetheless.

Pothos - Thrives in low light so you can keep it in your darker rooms.

Herbs! - why not grow something that you can also use to cook your meals? Most herbs are easily maintained (and smell beautifully fragrant which helps), just keep them on your window sill and water every other day.

3. If you have got empty jars, glass or even plastic bottles, reimagine them to be reused for a number of other uses. You could very much just reuse glass bottles for water or use them as flower vases - try out repainting it to give it a new look too! 

Empty jars can, again, be used again to store other food items or you could put a string of battery powered fairy lights in it and you’ve made yourself a new decorative piece for your room.

4. Sometimes, we get a little tired of our wardrobes and want to revive it in some way. There are a number of little ways you can DIY or upcycle some of your pieces.

For one, you can crop old t-shirts by simply cutting off however much fabric you want from the bottom, this may also keep you a little cooler in the summer heat. Or instead, if you’re looking for a little bit more of a challenge and know the basics of a sewing machine, you can try out ruching it - check out this tutorial.

You could also turn that shirt into a bag! - check out the ways you can do it here.

If you still want a new look but don’t want to necessarily deconstruct your clothes, we’d also suggest you have a go at herbal dyeing any of you lighter pieces. If you've been following us on Instagram, every now and then we show you some ways you can use produce you have at home to dye your clothes, from onion skins to walnut shells. However, you can also check out these herbal dye kits that are provided by Turtone Ink (our own ethical partners) who dye our Sui pieces.

5. Find a spot in the sunshine. Don’t underestimate taking a moment for yourself because taking care of your mind is as important as your physical health. We find that 5 to 10 minutes spent outdoors (whether alone or with family/a friend) just soaking in your surroundings can help you center yourself for the day or calm down from it before you go to bed. And, as restrictions have eased a bit, why not get a change of scenery every now and then to do so. Meditate in your favourite park, take a little picnic with you, give yourself some time to fully enjoy the moment itself.

It’s been a very different kind of summer than we all had planned but we hope these little tips can help make it special in some way. We hope it brightens your day and, as always, stay green!