This
is not your average Korean apartment. One resident is in her forties, one is
just on the verge of thirty, two have yet to turn twenty, and nobody is related
to anyone else. None of the old, weathered, donated appliances bear that glossy
flower pattern. Posted next to the door of each bedroom is description of its
inhabitant, complete with a Polaroid photo. The calendar is marked with days on
which trash has been disposed of: exactly once so far in 2012. There are two
boxes of worms on the living room floor. Welcome to Green Home 2012, or as I
like to call it, the GreenHouse.
Used appliances, all donated by friends and supporters
The GreenHouse is a community living
project loosely associated with the Daegu Green Consumers Network. The four
residents – Myeong-hee, Gyeong-won, Da-mo, and Do-yeon – spend their workdays trying
to make Daegu a greener place in their own way, but also wanted to incorporate
their values into their lives at a fundamental level; they decided to do so by
pooling their energy and resources and moving in together. I recently had the
chance to interview Gyeong-won and Do-yeon about the project. Here’s what they
had to say:
How is the green house different from
other houses?
Gyeong-won: Before moving into the GreenHouse,
people agree to follow three rules:
1)
Avoid
eating all animal products
2)
Reduce
non-recyclable trash to zero.
3)
Not
watch TV.
Do-yeon: In other houses, people are related by blood, but here, four strangers have come together to form a community under the banner of “Eco-friendly City Living.”
Vegan Bibimbap Buffet line at the housewarming party
And on the plate
What aspects of living in the GreenHouse
have you been enjoying? Is there
anything that’s tough or unpleasant?
Gyeong-won: I like being able to live my own life. Living with my parents was comfortable, but you always have to try to read their mind. On the other hand, we’re living as a group, so I can’t just eat what I want when I want. Instead, we all stick to a certain time and eat together, cooking when it’s your turn. Of course, you don’t have to eat then, you can eat on your own if you’d like.
Gyeong-won: I like being able to live my own life. Living with my parents was comfortable, but you always have to try to read their mind. On the other hand, we’re living as a group, so I can’t just eat what I want when I want. Instead, we all stick to a certain time and eat together, cooking when it’s your turn. Of course, you don’t have to eat then, you can eat on your own if you’d like.
Do-yeon:
It’s fun trying to conserve as much as possible and
reduce our negative influences, and I like living inside an experiment. The
city’s dreary, I like enjoying myself with people, eating and cleaning and
doing the laundry together. Surprisingly enough, there’s nothing I don’t like
about the project.
How to have fun without a TV
Are there similar projects elsewhere in Korea?
Do-yeon: There are many forms of eco-friendly living. If you go looking, you’ll find tons of communities, groups, and schools doing it!
What can others learn
from the Greenhouse? Do you think you
can help others to make their houses greener?
Gyeong-won:
I hope we give people the confidence to realize that they can live this
way, too. It’s hard to do on your own, but I hope that some people will be able
to find the courage after seeing us.
Do-yeon:
That would be great. Even if it’s just minor things like unplugging
electronics, reducing trash, walking, and wearing long underwear, I hope we can
have some sort of influence.
Coordinating
I’d
also like to live a little greener. What should I do? Where should I start?
Gyeong-won:
I think it’s best to start by reducing your meat consumption. If you’re
interested in talking about the effects eating meat has on the environment and
on your health, stop by the DGCN.
Do-yeon: [Answers with a proverb:] The oil lamp doesn’t shine under its own base. Don’t go looking for something far away, start with stuff in your own life.
Do-yeon: [Answers with a proverb:] The oil lamp doesn’t shine under its own base. Don’t go looking for something far away, start with stuff in your own life.
Home vermiculture!
Have
you thought about the future of the GreenHouse?
Gyeong-won: I hope that a few other people go ahead and make another GreenHouse somewhere else in the city. I plan to keep on living here in the original one.
Do-yeon: I hope that it stays experimental. Not just stick to one way, but to try this and that, always with the goal of being eco-friendly.
Gyeong-won: I hope that a few other people go ahead and make another GreenHouse somewhere else in the city. I plan to keep on living here in the original one.
Do-yeon: I hope that it stays experimental. Not just stick to one way, but to try this and that, always with the goal of being eco-friendly.
Vermiculture closeup! For an even more detailed shot, email me.
Can
you give me three word that describe the Green House?
Gyeong-won: Simple, Candid, Fun
Gyeong-won: Simple, Candid, Fun
Do-yeon: (In English) Amazing, fantastic,
unbelievable, revolution.
Clockwise from 12o'clock: Lucy (Myeong-hee), Do-yeon, Damo, and Ryan (Gyeong-won)
*This article will appear in an upcoming issue of Daegu Compass
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