Eco-friendly Lifestyle (I) - Shopping
One’s lifestyle is the way that he/she lives, and that includes everything from how he/she gets around and interacts with people to the way that the person shops and consumes food. It requires knowledge about the environment and how to sustain it, as well as a desire to change one’s old habits and attitudes, to live a healthy eco-friendly lifestyle. In this quiz, we focus on shopping in an environmentally-conscious way so that you will shop armed not only with a conscience but also with the facts to act according to it.
- 1.You are at the supermarket doing the weekly grocery shopping. As fresh local produce is limited in supply in land-scarce Singapore, which is the most eco-friendly option of buying fruits and vegetables in terms of the energy used to grow and transport them?
- A.
Nonlocal fresh produce, which consume fossil fuels as they are trucked down from Malaysia
- B.
Frozen vegetables, which use fossil fuels for freezing, packaging, transportation and storage
- C.
Canned vegetables which use fossil fuels for cooking, canning and transportation
- 2.You notice that products “made with organic ingredients” are more expensive but your mum is prepared to pay the extra cost because she knows that these products contain :
- A.
10% organic ingredients
- B.
50% organic ingredients
- C.
70% organic ingredients
- D.
100% organic ingredients
- 3.True or False? Purchasing larger size products can be beneficial to the environment.
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 4.You are feeling guilty for not bringing along reusable shopping bags. When asked by the cashier whether you prefer plastic or paper bags for your shopping, you want to make good by choosing the more environmentally-friendly choice. What would that be?
- A.
Plastic bags. They can be reused at home as garbage liners.
- B.
Paper bags. They are biodegradable, unlike plastics.
- C.
Neither. Both pose their own set of environmental problems.
- 5.The Great Singapore Sale 2009 is coming up and you are thinking of picking up some bargains. When buying consumer goods, what should an environmentally-conscious consumer look out for? (i) Packaging (ii) Price (iii) Technology (iv) Aesthetics
- A.
All of the above
- B.
(i), (ii) and (iii) only
- C.
(ii) and (iii) only
- D.
(i) and (iii) only
- 6.You are shopping for a new computer. Which would be the more eco-friendly choice?
- A.
A laptop
- B.
A desktop
- 7.Your friend recommends you to a book he has just read. Which is the most environmentally friendly way to buy the book if you intend to own it?
- A.
Order a used book online from Amazon.com
- B.
Walk, cycle or take the public transport to the bookstore to buy a new book
- C.
Drive to the bookstore to buy a used book
- 8.You would like to buy some cosmetics but want to ensure that the cosmetics you buy are produced without cruelty to animals. Which label should you be looking for?
- A.
“Not tested on Animals” label
- B.
“Cruelty-free” label
- C.
"Leaping Bunny” logo
- 9.The home refrigerator is still functioning well. Mum is however requesting Dad to buy her a new fridge as a Mother’s Day present. Should Dad buy it?
- A.
Yes. Make Mum happy; after all it's a Mother's Day request.
- B.
No. We should tighten our belt given the economic recession.
- C.
Depends. Dad should do a cost-benefit analysis before making a decision.
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