BambooStrawGirl's Fight to Promote Zero Waste Living
Local entrepreneur Melissa Lam recounts how her passion project turned business has thrived and discusses zero waste practices
Written by: Fatin Qurratu’ aini | Photo Courtesy: Melissa Lam
Back in 2014, when sipping on drinks with plastic straws alongside our meals was still considered socially acceptable, “Bamboo Straw Girl” was birthed. Bamboo Straw Girl is an online store set up by Melissa Lam that started off selling only bamboo straws. What was first thought to be a passion project soon blew up into a thriving business with orders coming in from every corner of the world. Europe, Australia and Alaska, to name a few.
Starting out
When Melissa’s business just started, she was getting little traction from a disinterested local market. She eventually managed to change that through social media.
“Since the last quarter of 2017, Bamboo Straw Girl has progressively garnered a following of environmentally conscious individuals everywhere around the globe with 7, 698 followers on her Instagram to date."
Melissa recalls how local orders were so few and far between that she would have a mini celebration each time she saw a local address pop up in the system.
“I started off this business from nothing, and it was a series of events that led me to make all the right connections and relationships that we are so grateful for today,” she said.
She goes on to share: “My inspiration to create bamboo straws first came to me while I was in Japan where I saw a bamboo craftsman with a tonne of thin bamboo sticks. I remember joking with my sister about turning the bamboo sticks into bamboo straws. And so, I did!”
“I mean, duh, it’s hollow,” she continued.
The bamboo straws are evidently now a success with over 15 products ranging from bamboo straws to cutlery and even menstrual cups! They have since replaced approximately 1, 995, 000 plastic straws to date.
The Zero waste lifestyle
Apart from manning Bamboo Straw Girl, Melissa also does her part as an environmental advocate to encourage the zero/reduced waste lifestyle to the masses.
Melissa has gone to schools to share her personal zero-waste journey and emphasise to these students how they can and should make more conscious choices in their day-to-day life.
She added: “After all, our little contributions can add up, so why not make them positive ones?”
Zero-waste practices have caught on in Singapore lately, Melissa recalls her personal journey and how she experienced nature first-hand.
“Recently, a friend invited me to stay in a hut within the mountains to have a “clearer” view on the impact we have on our environment. I found myself unable to simply bury my plastic waste and instead, had to travel all the down the mountain to dispose of them properly,” she recounted.
With Bamboo Straw Girl, she aims to educate buyers regarding the negatives of plastic straws and spread the message of how zero-waste practices could affect the environment positively. She would like to think that her little ripples have contributed in some way to the big waves of conversation we are having in Singapore today.
“Five years ago, I would never have imagined the momentum that the zero-waste movement has gained and the scale of work we have all achieved,” she proudly shared.
Will this be another trend that’ll fizzle out in time?
With every year comes a new trend. When asked of her personal take on this, Melissa confidently went on to say that she makes it a point to tell her buyers the story behind her products. She, in turn, makes people appreciate their purchase and understand the laborious work that has been put into them to be brought into existence.
“The thing is, we aren’t selling products, we’re selling a lifestyle and change of mindset. This can’t fizzle out. We hope that people are inspired to make larger changes and more meaningful lifestyle choices,” she shared.
