Having lived and promoted "Zero Waste" for five years, 26-year-old Aok Sochenda has started her business, Zerow Station, aiming to provide people with the tools to live an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

“Many people ask me if they want to live like this, how can they do it? Also, where can they find or buy all this stuff? That is the reason I opened Zerow Station,” Sochenda said.

People can find many eco-friendly products and art at Zerow Station. In addition, there is also soap for people to refill. “They can bring their bottle and refill at our place. Also, if they forget to bring it, we also have it for them,” she said.

Zerow Station opened in February as a part of Chnai Market.

dynamic_detail_1

Sochenda, graduated from Hungry majoring in Business Administration. Before launching Zerow Station, she was a content creator at Zerow, a project designed to inform and inspire people to become zero-wasters.

She was inspired to live a waste-free lifestyle in late 2018 after traveling and getting involved in social activities.

“While I lived and shared the tip of living without waste, I began to have more interest in zero waste,” the business owner from Tboung Khmum said.

Turn to Green Business for the Environment

Sochenda said that Zerow Station positively contributes to the environment. However, individuals must work together to increase awareness and take more action.

“In Europe, they have turned to a green economy, both companies and consumers. Be conscious, consumers and producers,” she said. “So, we turn to that as well, but slightly later than they have.”

dynamic_detail_2

However, she noticed that Cambodians are becoming more conscious of their impact on the environment. They are aware of the effects of plastic since there are numerous campaigns and social media promotions. However, they do not know what to do.

“People are starting to be aware, but they haven’t taken action,” she said.

As the nation is one of those most vulnerable countries to climate change, Sochenda believes there will be more action in the future. She has also noticed that the nation is hotter than previously, and there is sporadic rain.

Besides that, she requests that people take responsibility for themselves.

“Plastic and waste are a small part of all those issues, but I think it’s our mindset. We can be responsible consumers and use our resources wisely,” she said. “When we use things, we should consider all of its resources, so it is our responsibility to consume and combat climate change.”

She said that as the economy will also be impacted by climate change, it is time to take action. Climate change will also impact agriculture, which is an important sector of the nation’s economy. “Therefore, we have to take action,” she urged.

Challenges Selling Eco-Products

As eco-friendly products are more expensive, locals have not fully embraced them yet. However, Sochenda observed that when Cambodians began to value locally-produced handcrafted goods, their support also grew.

"For producers in the community, we want to give them a reasonable price. So, it makes the eco product cost higher than mass produce.”

Since foreigners are more aware of eco-friendly items and have become used to living with them for a long time, they tend to support her business more than locals.

“They know why they should buy and support this product. Mostly, they are aware of its impact, so this is why they support our products more,” she said. “Our product is also aligned with the concept that they need.”

Meanwhile, local people need more awareness of eco-products, Sochenda added.

Eco-friendly Products Can Save Costs

Even if eco-products are more expensive, Sochenda said that doing things contributes to the environment and utilizing eco-products does not have to cost a lot of money.

“Sometimes a product is pricey, but it lasts a very long period. While certain things are inexpensive, we can only use them temporarily,” she said. “Also, we can use products that are secondhand and benefit the environment.”

She added that while the concept of zero-waste is to refuse, reuse, reduce, recycle, and root, occasionally it may also help individuals save money.

Besides that, she said that even as a business owner and seller, she doesn't want her consumers to buy too many products or unnecessary items. She said that she wants her customers to buy only what they need on a daily basis.

“It is also a zero-waste concept and a cornerstone of life. If it's not required, then they don't have to purchase it,” she said.

On August 24, Sochenda was given the 2nd ASEAN Youth Eco-Champions Award in Laos, in recognition of her efforts and significant contribution to realizing a clean and green environment.

Moreover, Sochenda encouraged everyone to participate in preserving the environment.

"They can start by raising their own awareness and then taking action, such as reducing waste, planting trees, or cleaning. Also, they can support people working on promoting the environment,” she said. “We can start together.”