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Zoey Zhang

A young woman in eastern China has been living an ultra frugal lifestyle for seven years, using only second-hand items, including towels, soap and lipstick.
Su Yige, 26, from Shanghai, believes that resource conservation brings her greater happiness.
She told the mainland media outlet Yit that both her parents are highly resource conscious.
“They do not waste water in the bathhouse and never accept unnecessary freebies at the supermarket,” she said.

From clothes, furniture and plants to tableware and lipstick, Su always opts for second-hand items.
She uses a reusable menstrual cup instead of pads and replaces make-up cotton with washable cloth.
Su also composts kitchen waste to fertilise her plants.
Initially, she found second-hand towels “disgusting”, but gradually became comfortable with them.
Su spent her secondary school years in Canada, a country she described as “close to nature”.
During her time there, she became more conscious of the environment.
“I always think about animals hurt in documentaries and how my own actions might harm nature,” she said.

Su recalled how her host family would always cut the rings off soft drinks cans to prevent them from falling off and harming animals during transport.
In Canada, she also developed the habit of buying second-hand, as charity shops there offer just about everything she needs.
During a visit to a farm, Su picked up a freshly laid, warm egg, which led her to stop eating them and go vegetarian.
“When I held the egg, I suddenly realised the last time I held a hot egg, it was from my own pot after cooking,” she said.
Su added that she felt a deep empathy for hens, who are often killed once they no longer produce eggs.
Both Su and her boyfriend are vegetarians. They avoid takeaway food, buying unpackaged fruit and vegetables directly from farms and cooking at home.
“Fresh, seasonal, preservative-free, and minimally packaged food from farms is healthier, tastier, and has the least environmental impact,” Su said.
She spends no more than 2,000 yuan (US$280) a month on food.
Su describes herself as an “environmental hedonist” who balances environmental protection with personal happiness.
“Unlike the strict zero-waste and ascetic lifestyle of the past, I believe if my way of living makes me happy and healthy, more people will want to try it,” she said.

As an animal welfare activist, Su uses her influence on social media to raise awareness about animal-friendly farming practices.
Her lifestyle has caught the attention of people on mainland social media.
One critic called her “too extreme”, saying: “I cannot accept using second-hand towels and lipstick, things that directly touch personal parts. It is very unhygienic.”
But one supporter called her “brave, kind, and determined”, praising her efforts to make the world a better place.
“True environmentalism is about using what we have wisely. Su shows that ordinary people can do great things,” said one of her fans.


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People & Culture

Environment

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