"It's ok to be an imperfect environmentalist": Woo Qiyun takes a pragmatic approach to activism

In the first of this four-part Earth Day series, we speak to Woo Qiyun, a sustainability content creator and consultant, on what it means to be an "imperfect" climate and environmental activist.

“Being known as a climate activist means that people have a perception of what I’m like and what I stand for,” says 26-year-old Woo Qiyun. “When I go out to eat with a new group of friends, they want to know if I’m a vegan – I’m not, but I’m trying to be. People also ask me why I still use plastics sometimes, or why I still support certain brands.”

Qiyun, who holds a day job as a sustainability consultant at a decarbonisation company, takes a pragmatic approach towards these detractors. Through her Instagram account (@theweirdandwild), she
shows the reality of being an environmentalist.

“I started sharing experiences, such as having to take a plastic bag from the grocery store because I forgot to bring a reusable bag, or about how I struggle to find vegetarian food I enjoy because my body doesn’t process soy very well,” says Qiyun. “Through these posts, I hope to show that there is more than one way to be a climate activist, and you don’t have to be a purist to fight for environmental protection.”

Beyond offering an unfiltered view of life as a climate activist, The Weird and Wild – which was set up in 2018 – also serves as a repository for content related to sustainability and environmentalism.

Qiyun says that her intention is to build climate literacy in Singapore, and to contextualise global events for a local audience. For example, one of her most popular posts is about a topic close to many Singaporeans’ hearts: bubble tea. “Many people are aware of the need to cut down on single-use plastic, but there’s a lot of confusion about how to go about doing it,” she says. “I did my research and created a post on the different types of cup sizes and how to BYO (bring your own) cup, and got a lot of positive response to that post,” she shares.

In addition to her Instagram account, she also makes use of different communication platforms to bring her message of climate justice to a wider audience. There is an e-mail newsletter (also called “The Weird and Wild”), a podcast (Climate Cheesecake) that she started with three friends from the environmental sector, as well as a web-based resource (Climate Commons), which presents complex climate issues in a fun and interactive format.

Through all her work, Qiyun has a singular aim of equipping people with the right knowledge and resources about sustainability, so that they can take action in their own lives.

And while The Weird and Wild has worked with big names such as Carousell and Standard Chartered Bank, Qiyun says the most gratifying part of doing what she does is hearing from people about how her content has impacted them.

“Whenever I get messages from people asking me about a particular issue I raised, or when friends or relatives tell me they’ve decided to try out a certain environmentally conscious brand or cafe that I recommended, it gives me a sense of fulfilment, that what I’m doing is making a difference,” she shares.

Reflecting on the role climate activists play in a stressful and fast-paced society like Singapore, Woo says she’s not immune to inflation and the rising cost of living either.

“I understand if people are worried about these things – how do you think about sustainability if you’re in peril?” she muses. “However, even if we don’t think about it, climate change is going on in the background. As climate activists, our job is to raise awareness about the need to reduce excessive consumption and live more intentionally, which ties in with frugality.”

She adds: “My hope is that, over time, our aspirations will shift from chasing relentless growth to something that is more harmonious with our natural environment.”

PHOTOGRAPHY Nur Athirah Annissa
ART DIRECTION & STYLING Adeline Eng
HAIR & MAKEUP Aung Apichai, using Tom Ford Beauty & Kevin Murphy