Kate Yeo

it’s finally happening… as the year comes to a close, I’ve decided to close my advocacy Instagram account @byobottlesg. this is a decision I have been mulling over since as early as 2020. in truth, I’ve known for a while now that quitting Instagram is the right decision for me, but it took me this long to muster the courage because so much of my identity has become tied to my platform over the years! as I reevaluate my priorities this season though, I think it’s finally time to let go. bear with me as I attempt to articulate my messy thoughts…

I love creating content. a single post takes me anywhere from a day to weeks; I would sit at a café for hours on end poring through news articles, policy documents, scientific journals, and more. I LOVE the process of learning new things and going down rabbit holes and helping others to learn with me. unfortunately social media has also often been unhealthy for me. it shortened my attention span, fuelled comparison, and encouraged an unhealthy focus on numbers. at times it even turned environmental activism into a competition which is completely antithetical to the principles of climate justice. I stopped doing sponsored posts last year after feeling like I was promoting consumerism and greenwashing.

while there may be healthy ways to use Instagram, the algorithm clearly favours those who use it regularly. and when your platform’s goal is to reach out to as many people as possible about the environment… it’s honestly hard not to care at all about the numbers.

some of this pressure is self-imposed – once I commit to something I always want to give my 100 percent – but much of it is also rooted in the nature of social media. these platforms are literally designed to exploit insecurities and encourage addiction! like Matt Haig said, “Happiness isn’t very good for the economy … To be comfortable with our messy, human selves, would not be good for business.”

it’s not that I no longer believe in BYOB or activism anymore – on the contrary, there are simply too many things I want to do and I can’t do it all🥲 as we head into 2023, I want to dedicate my time to Singapore Youth for Climate Action and the Energy Justice Clinic and school and classes without having to think about the next “trendy” topic to post about. I want to spend time with my friends and bake vegan desserts and read books for hours without stressing over the next thing on my to-do list. in short, I’m finally making space in my life for the things that matter the most to me – and Instagram isn’t one of them. climate activism 100% still is though, and I’m excited to continue building community and doing outreach with SYCA! 💛

when I first started my account I was just a clueless 16-year-old trying to get people to stop using disposable cups…. my environmental journey has grown so much since then, way beyond anything I ever expected. I could not be more grateful for all the doors the platform has opened for me and for all the incredible people I’ve met there🤍

I won’t be deleting my account in case people still find some old content helpful, but I won’t be posting anything new either. this also formally marks the closure of the BYO Bottle SG campaign – we have been working with drink stores since 2018 and doing outreach in hawker centres since August 2020. I still want to see a disposables-free Singapore one day (!!!) and will be continuing that work in other capacities!

this scares me so much but I know it’s the right decision!! this is my way of kicking capitalism in the face hehe. here is a gentle reminder that your self-worth is tied to who you are, not what you do or have. thank you for sticking around and sending so much love! ❤️