Defenders Of The Earth

A new wave of celebrities are lending their voices to causes close to their heart, all in the name of making the world a better place. To commemorate Earth Day on April 22, we ask stars how they are helping Planet Earth - and humanity.

- Natalya Molok

When she’s not on-air keeping listeners entertained every weekday from 1 to 4 pm, Charmaine is pursuing her other passion: Keeping the planet green and clean! “Saving the planet is important because we’ve got to look after our next generation. I would like my kids to enjoy the same travel locations that I’m travelling to right now, and taking care of Planet Earth is just one of the many ways I can do my part in making that a reality,” says Charmaine.

“My thing is using less plastic and Styrofoam. So, I play my part in lessening my impact on the environment by bringing my own Tupperware to work so I can ta bao (take away) my lunch from the canteen. I also love my metal straws. I stash a few at home and at the office so I’m never without one.”

The fitness enthusiast also uses technology to her advantage, saying that she eschews printing things on paper these days and instead, opts to bring her laptop or iPad to meetings or presentations. If she absolutely can’t do without paper, she tries to use both sides.

“Sustainability is important for long-term change. Changing your daily habits to be eco-friendly doesn’t have to be a 180-degree transformation. It comes from making small adjustments that can realistically fit into your lifestyle,” she explains. “Once things become a habit, being eco-friendly simply becomes part of everyday life.”

Charmaine adds that while having a voice on the radio to share her views is great fun, it’s also a privilege, “I have daily conversations on The Afternoon Scoop with our listeners and if sharing the topic could make at least one person say ‘Hey, switching to a metal straw instead of using a plastic one isn’t that hard’, then I’ve added to the big change in a small way.”