Green Living Resolution

Towards greener living lifestyle, I share this article for an early awareness. As with any resolution, the key is to choose something feasible. A change you can make without major stress or strife is most likely to become permanent. If you don’t have one in mind yet, here are some great “green” resolution ideas to make your living more eco-friendly than now.

Convert to cloth tissues

Single-use, disposable facial tissues create a lot of unnecessary waste. Reusable tissues are easy to make out of old shirts or other soft fabrics. Wash them with your regular laundry and you have created no waste, and used no extra water (because your laundry has to be washed anyway!). Check out our post on cloth tissues for some extra insight.

Ban paper towels 

Make your house a paper towel-free zone by converting to reusable rags for cleaning and cloth napkins for dining. It’s an easy habit to pick up, and you’ll cut down enormously on non-recyclable paper waste!

“Meatless Mondays”

By choosing not to eat meat one day per week, you’ll reduce your average meat consumption by about 14 percent. Doing so will lower your carbon footprint and may even improve your health!

Start a compost pile

Another incredible way to cut down on household waste that your garden (if you have one) will thank you for! See our posts on urban composting and composting in Austin for some helpful tips to get you started.

Bike to work or school one day a week 

Or take public transportation, or walk, or build a boat from old limbs and float down your local creek. Whatever you choose, it’s always good to set a specific goal that’s manageable for you. Weekly goals are good because they are easy to keep track of, and not overwhelming.

Start a garden

Spend less money at the store *and* eat healthy, fresh food. Wuhuu! If you live in a village or rural area, you got an advantages!

Share something

The simple act of sharing can save money and resources while fostering kindness in communities. You could share something you own, for example: a set of power tools or perhaps a skill you have like, for example, bicycle repair. Sharing’s contagious too, so you’re likely to start a trend with your friends and neighbors that’ll be beneficial to you as well!

The right to make a copy for personal use is part of most existing publishing agreements. This right is recognised as an important right for the author. Because the right is attached to the author and in most cases well defined, personal use won’t harm the publisher.

What is Micro Adventure?

Micro adventure as a post Trans 1Malaysia ride

The idea of a ‘micro-adventure’ strikes a very relevant chord in this post-ride phase after completed my Trans 1Malaysia journey from Johor Bahru to Kangar, Perlis. City life isn’t really my thing. Noise, pollution and a feeling of enclosure nag at me constantly. The countryside isn’t on my doorstep and my own home town growing bigger each year. Over the last couple of months, I’ve come to the conclusion that these so-called ‘micro-adventures’ might be the tonic to keep me on track while I prepare for next year’s ride - cycling around Peninsular of Malaysia again.

So what’s a micro-adventure? It’s a new name for something that people have always done — just take off, unannounced, and let go of the safety buffer for a while. It’s long been said you can have an adventure in your own backyard — it doesn’t have to take place on the other side of the world.

A cold drinks at white sandy beach during hot sunny day while sea breeze chilling my sweat & tanned body 

What is the value of a spontaneous, unpredictable trip into the unknown? For me, it’s the mind-sharpening effect. No matter what, where or for how long, dealing with a new set of circumstances requires new thought processes and energies, initiative, quick wits, and a positive attitude towards success. Leaving your comfort zone also helps to get the things inside it into perspective.

One of the simplest idea by Alastair Humphreys who are an adventurer, blogger, author, motivational speaker, film maker and photographer was to get on a train to somewhere he’d never been and then walk home. He armed with a bivvy-bag, a pan and a pair of sunglasses. It sounded compact, fun, and probably a little uncomfortable — which is the part that wakes us up. The valuable part.

So what are you doing this weekend? Why not walk, cycle, run, hitch-hike, row, swim or climb a bit further than usual? Or just get on a train or bus and see where you end up? Think of your own micro-adventure, then go and do it.

The right to make a copy for personal use is part of most existing publishing agreements. This right is recognized as an important right for the author. Because the right is attached to the author and in most cases well defined, personal use won’t harm the publisher.

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011

As the day are already at the last day of 2010, I would like to wish a Happy New Year and perhaps this coming 2011 will bring more achievements and glories to myself and all the peeps.

See you in 2011..