Ecotopia is a region or ideal ecological form of society, usually this area is only seen as a fantasy. The word ecotopia comes from a combination of ‘ecological’ and ‘utopia’.
The term appeared in 1975 on the title of the novel by Ernest Callenbach which indicates the Pacific coast of the United States. Today, the term ecotopia is also used in an area within a mall in Bangkok, Thailand.
Bangkok is the capital city of the country as well as the most populous city in the kingdom of Thailand. Its total area is about 1,568.7 km2 in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has a population of over 8 million people, or about 12.6 percent of the country’s population. The city is the economic center of Thailand and is at the heart of the country’s investment and development.
The largest sector in this white elephant country’s economy is wholesale and retail, the tourism industry is also a significant contributor to Bangkok’s economy.
No wonder if there are many places to shop in various levels during a visit to this country. Not long ago one of the shopping places in Bangkok made itself as a new eco destination.
One of Bangkok’s most favorite shopping centers, Siam Discovery, has re-launched its fourth floor of the building as an eco-friendly zone called Ecotopia.
They dedicate all areas on the fourth floor to the best eco-friendly products in Bangkok with over 100 brands and 3,000 products. There are a variety of products marketed in the zone, from fashion, accessories, food, beauty products, home appliances and decor, to environmentally friendly gadgets and stationery.
This eco-friendly zone provides all sorts of products that truly cover every part of your eco-friendly life. This area is filled with locally made products and from natural ingredients. Organic clothes and cosmetics can be found in various brands, such as Ritimian, Buhkram, Artwork, Taktai, Banh, and many more.
Healthy food connoisseurs can also find superfood ‘nutrient-rich foods’ provided by renowned health product brand named Baimiang. This brand produces foods made from natural and organic ingredients.
In addition to food, this brand also sells healthy soaps, healthy shampoo, healthy lotions, and so on. The fresh and dried organic fruits produced by Doi Kham can also be found in Ecotopia, where there is a corner for visitors to make their own smoothie recipes.
Doi Kham is a brand founded in 1994 by the Crown Property Bureau (CPB) at the request of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The products provided come from royal farm projects that are rich in various types of flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables cultivated by local farmers. All the products they produce do not contain preservatives or artificial flavorings.
In addition to providing eco-friendly products from within the country, there are several international brands that are also available there, such as Basicteeory, Least Studio, Labrador, House of Marley, Superbee, Kudos, and so forth.
Although the area is much smaller than the environmentally friendly malls in Sweden, but enough to prove that this mall is also concerned about the environment.
It does not matter how big the size is, the most important is the willingness to start because ‘little by little will be a hill’. More people are increasingly aware of the need for environmentally friendly action and hopefully more and more people who will realize ecotopia not in their imagination anymore.
