The metropolitan dream offers the exhilaration and buzz that only vibrant city centres possess, and whilst these may charm city lovers alike, these attributes may not be beneficial to the planet that we reside in. In fact, according to a United Nation’s report, cities consume a whopping 78 per cent of the world’s energy and produce more than 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions – this coming from cities that only account for 2 per cent of the Earth’s surface!
Unfortunately, Singapore being a sovereign city-state means that the country, and by extension, her inhabitants, are contributing to these numbers. But that doesn’t mean that there’s little we can do to lessen our contribution to climate change and mitigate its effects. This time, let’s dive into ways coliving can be part of the green solution.
Touted as a hot millennial trend, coliving is a modern form of communal living for like-minded people to live, work and play together in one housing area. An increased housing density ultimately means that these coliving accommodations are taking up less land area, which would have otherwise been cleared for many individual houses, effectively causing deforestation and land degradation.
The bedrock of sustainable coliving is the sharing of assets. The central concept that drives the coliving movement is the building of an ecosystem that promotes community building, support and connection. With such an ecosystem, all sorts of resources are shared, borrowed and swapped. Apart from reducing energy consumption, this communal support system encourages guests to create and incorporate more sustainable routines in their daily lifestyles, such as carpooling, buying bulk foods and the like. Over time, these efforts will accumulate and will effectively reduce waste and consumption.
Of course, intersectional environmentalism and sustainable efforts need to include other sectors so that they can truly bring about a significant impact. Most of the time, to partake in environmentalism means to practise habits that cover other aspects such as humanitarian rights, animal rights and more. With those taken into consideration, supporting all these areas can quickly become an expensive venture. Those who have been in the environmental and sustainable game would know how costly it can to be green. Simply look at eco-friendly clothing and compare its cost with fast fashion. Pursuing sustainable living when you don’t have the financial means and accessibility can be very challenging.
Fortunately, this is where coliving excels. One of its many tangible benefits is how it encourages the adoption of a sustainable lifestyle through affordable costs. Instead of haggling with your roommate over bills and shared expenses, coliving facilities empower you to pay an affordable, fixed rate with all the key amenities being factored in the monthly rent. Transparency through billings and invoices helps maintain visibility on facilities and amenities being charged for and utilised as well. Not only will you be able to save more for your individual environmental efforts, but the transparent billing also helps you to develop a stronger environmental consciousness, further empowering your environmental efforts.
With all the aforementioned benefits, it’s no wonder why communal living has been touted as a solution for several global issues, including environmental ones! Apart from immersing in communities where you can socialise, connect, learn and flourish, you’ll also inadvertently be doing your part for the environment simply by subscribing to the coliving movement.
If you wish to engage in an eco-friendly coliving venture, we can help! Here at Coliwoo, we offer over 566 rooms with well-equipped amenities and spacious, shared living spaces that accommodate cosmopolitan communities. If you’re interested in finding out more, simply drop us a message!