The way Food can be more Green

Food and Agricultural systems account for up to 30% of every human induced global warming. Here's tips to ameliorate it!

1. Do your homework: food and drink choices to be more environmentally friendly and of course healthy! And most importantly, know what food you need to buy by listing down on a paper to prevent buying unnecessities even if it's "buy-one-get-one free". This can help to prevent overloading of your fridge and (3).

2. Eat local: You can check out how your food is produced and see how much effort they are putting in to reduce emissions. It's even smarter to buy directly from the producer! Wastes as a result of loss due to processing, storage and transportation can be reduced! Transportation via air or shipping also contribute to greenhouse gas emission accounting for 2% and 5% respectively.

3. Eat Fresh: Produce fresh and ripe contain more nutrients as compared to produce which is stored in your fridge for weeks. Storage can deteriorate quality of foods too.

4. Organic foods: depending on the way it's grown, it may be more nutritious (vitamins, minerals e.g. zinc and iron), contain pheolics (thought to help prevent diseases), lesser CO2 emission of about 26% reduction (no use of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.

5. Water is precious: world uses 200 million litres water per second to grow its food. In fact, agriculture uses 70% world's water and wastes 60% of water every year! Read the WWF's report on 'Thirsty Crops' @ www.wwf.org.uk

6. Biodynamic agriculture: a sustainable way as it is self sufficient--in compost, manures and animal feeds. a higher biodiversity than convention and organic farmed soil.

7. Online Shopping: able to track your buys and how much you buy. It saves on the emission by cars or transportation to shop for foods, though walking is also reasonably great as it exercises your body.

8. Reduce the plastic bags: 400-1000yrs to break down a bag, and what about paper bags? 4 to 6 times energy to produce them. That's why use REUSABLE fairtrade or organic cotton bag. (wash it if it's dirty), and even baskets, trolley, etc.

9. Go Unpackaged!: Stores in UK-Unpackaged-has been selling hundreds of loose products! Herbs, spices, eggs, biscuits, bread, etc--you can bring your own container then. Remember local wet market also have loose products =D

10. Create a compost: around 30% of household waste could be composted and avoided in the landfill. Around 6 months' time, natural fertilisers, mulch and soil conditioner can be obtained. Tips @ www.recyclenow.com or www.howtocompost.org

Hope you have a have a more vivid mind for selection of foods. Let's stay e-c-o.

60 Earth Hours 2009

A symbolic iniative to fight against climate change, The Earth Hour is back this year. Till then, already 2712 cities, towns and municipalies in 83 countries have committed to support this iniative.

The objective of the Earth Hour is to reduce carbon (dioxide)emissions. And the most basic way was thought to be switching off the lights and appliances to lower consumption of electricity which in turn reduce the carbon emissions.

In real life, it's more than electricity alone. One can reduce their carbon footprints by doing alot. For instance, if everyone saves themselves from smoking cigarettes in a day, that would mean alot. What else? Share your opinion in the comment field!

The Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, from 8.30pm to 9.30pm (+8 hr NST). Make an effort to refrain from 'negative' things you are usually doing. Think awhile before you decide on doing certain especially during Earth Hour. Ultimately, you may not know the outcome but at least you know you have done your best!

For more information --> http://www.earthhour.org/home/

"IT" 's a Litter Chaos

IT fair 2009 at Suntec City Convention Hall had finally come to an end.  As anticipated, there was large crowd and many people squeezing their way through the entrance and the inside was chaos...

The issue was not about the crowd. It's the littering! Wherever I walked in the confines of the IT show, there was way too much promotional leaflets and brochures littered on the floor. While paper is a very precious thing on earth, it was taken too lightly during the show.

Blame it on the advertisers and participating brands who were selling their products there. Marketing department of the companies could have done better than this. Not only was it a waste of money to print the leaflets and brochures and hiring part-time staff to distribute, the contribution of unnecessary waste to the environment was unforgivable.

Some suggestions to make the event a more successful one is to incorporate green initiatives. Examples include having recycle bins for papers around the event hall, and to set up a reception counter at the entrance where all the leaflets are placed neatly for truly interested customers to pick them up. This would reduce the waste of prints that go to any visitor who is there just to join the crowd for fun. Less is more. Thus, let's get started on a greener IT Show!