Celebrated worldwide every April 22nd, Earth Day was established 42 years ago to create awareness and appreciation of our precious – and increasingly fragile – planet. With over a billion participants around the world, individuals from every walk of life, businesses, schools and governments work together and commemorate what has been achieved and discuss what has to be done to protect Earth. In this special issue of BabyTalk, we met up with Celia Teoh, Founder and Managing Director of Econat Resources Sdn Bhd and got her to share with us her perspective on what treating the earth with respect should mean to all of us.
Q: What does being kind to the earth mean to you?
A: First of all, being kind to the earth is an attitude that we need from inside out. It is a value that we need to have or nurture ourselves to treasure what Mother Nature has provided for us, mankind. To me, it also means being mindful of how we live our daily life, with the care needed to preserve nature as it is. Do not take things for granted, and avoid affecting other ecological systems that share this planet with us. I also strongly urge that we Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (the 3 Rs), plus encourage sustainability.
Q: What can you comment on the irony of the fact that to go back to a natural way of living might actually cost more these days than carrying on with conventional ways of life?
A: If one is really an eco advocate, going back to nature does not necessarily need to cost more. I say this because, essentially, using a fan, for example, consumes less energy than using air conditioner. So you’re actually saving on your electricity bill!
On the other hand, I hate to say this, but the reason why going natural is being perceived as more costly is probably because of the pricing of organics or natural products available in the market. Fortunately, to care for the earth does not mean that we must wear, use and eat organic.
It can also mean making a conscious choice to use our resources more wisely and not at the expense of burdening Mother Nature which affects the Natural Eco System of bio diversity. It can also mean that choosing a more natural way of living, with less chemicals, which means less toxic waste flowing back to the earth. We can do this by empowering ourselves with knowledge, so that we can do our part.
From my business context, it will be learning to read product labels. Consumers must know what is in that bottle of product they buy and not just look out for “Organic” logo. You’ll definitely end up paying more if you’re only interested in those logos!
Q: How does your company and the products you create reflect your policy of being earth-friendly?
A: We make a conscious choice on the ingredients that we use in our products. In order to make sure our finished products are earth friendly, we send our product to independent labs to test for:
1: Bio biodegradability
2: Toxicology test base on OECD standards.
We also source for certified organic plant-base ingredients to stay eco-responsible to our consumers. Babyorganix is not just earth friendly, we are people friendly and pet friendly too as we try our best to source for food grade and plant-based content.
Our company’s direction is to nurture our consumers into being eco-responsible for the choices they make. This mission can be accomplished by providing the correct information to all and encourage everyone to plant their seed and reap what they sow. Ultimately, we want to be a force for good and reach out more to share the joy of this positive energy through consistent sharing of information.
