GreenMONNCS

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas” – Calvin Coolidge The year 2020 has been very trying to say the least. And for a lot of people, there is really nothing to celebrate or be merry for this Christmas. While I agree that the year has been challenging on various levels, these challenges can be said to be a good thing, in a way. “How can the pandemic and its consequences possibly be a good thing?” One might ask. I will tell you why. For one, it has tested and proven the overwhelming will of humankind to survive. Also, it proved that when the chips are down, we will be willing to sacrifice partially or even completely our most treasured possessions and privileges. In essence, we all want to live, and we will do anything and everything to stay alive and healthy. Well then, if you are reading this… CONGRATULATIONS! You are alive! Count yourself lucky and get in

Deck the halls with boughs of holly fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la...! It's the most wonderful time of the year! Decorations are hung; Carols are sung. Trips booked; Lots of food cooked. Gifts are exchanged; clothes are changed… It is Christmas time!!! The air is filled with the anticipated excitement of the season and if you are like me, you already have an idea of (or already purchased) the gifts to be given to avoid the last-minute rush. These festivities and holidays tend to have a considerable amount of impact on the planet; from the shiny wrapping paper discarded to the unwanted gifts abandoned to collect dust till they are dumped in the trash and most especially, with the environmentally challenging choices in decorative items. Well, if you are here, then this year will be different. It doesn’t matter whether you are new to sustainable living, or just curious, or if you are on a tight budget, there are many eco-friendly decor options to beautify your home while sparing your wall

A win for managing plastic pollution! Cheers to a cleaner environment! The picture above was posted in a LinkedIn group I belong to, and I was so excited that I quickly shared it on all my social media. Going through the comments (I always do that for posts I find interesting enough to seek out other people's reactions), I find that not only is this a tad old (2018 is old school, yes?) but a team of researchers had earlier published findings on another plastic-eating enzyme in 2016! This was news not only to me but also to a significant number of commenters on that post. A quick internet search and all I could think was “I must have been hidden under some type of cloud” because it turns out that for many decades, biologists have known that enzymes that break down PET and nylon exist; from as basic as the esterases that are discarded by microbes and fungi. In a way, Darwin’s laws affirm the fact that microorganisms readily evolve to match the conditions around them, and in this case

At the height of the lockdown, I found this really awesome group of people from all over the world who share ideas and experiences on how individuals and communities can live more sustainably using the resources at their disposal. From the simple DIYs of making your own oat milk to the more complicated business of building houses from shipping containers and eating only what you grow and rear, the group has been a steady source of what I now call “ DIS ” AKA Daily Inspiration in Sustainability! ;) Well in the last week or so, the eternal debate on what is a myth and what is hard fact truth in the race towards sustainability sprung up. One person made a list of over (15) things that they termed ‘myths’ which a large number of the population world over believes as truth.   As can be expected when challenging what is perceived as common knowledge, one of the ‘myths” blew up! It got so huge that it broke off into a stand-alone conversation with arguments and counter-arguments. Care to ha

As the month of October rolls in every year, there is usually a slight but manageable rise in the price of onions in Nigeria. As dramatic as the year 2020 has been, no one was prepared for the extra topping in drama with the astronomical rise in the price of the cooking staple. Trust the ever-adaptable Nigerian spirit to find the fun in the challenging situation and some reactions are truly a national treasure that had to be shared: NO MORE ART WITH ONIONS! PUULEASE! Onions are definitely a designer item! Good things happen to good people, ALWAYS! I am not cheap so address me properly! Onions is a vegetable crop cultivated in Northern Nigeria, primarily in Bauchi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Plateau and Sokoto states. Highly perishable in its ordinary state, it must be consumed speedily or properly preserved to prolong its shelf life. Sellers across the country have attributed the over 300% increase in prices to 3 major factors: 1.    Lockdown procedures implemented since February t

A few weeks ago I stumbled on a video about a Thai entrepreneur who had figured out a great way to turn rice straw into recyclable and bio-degradable plates. And boy was I wow-ed (if that is a real word)! For those who do not know, rice straw is the vegetative part of the rice plant that is left behind after the rice grain has been harvested. For some farmers, this by-product of rice production is viewed as waste which should be burnt on the field but for others, especially those who operate mixed farming systems with livestock; it is a major source of forage/feed additive for the livestock and ever nourishing nutrients for the soil, when ploughed under. Rice straw on the field The short video clip summarises the innovative process from cutting up the straw to boiling for several hours to a couple of other processes and voila! A beautiful and very sustainable version of the "paper plate" or "take away" or "take out plate" is born.  This got me thinking lik

The year 2020 has sure been an eventful one; definitely one for the annals of history. For 216 countries and territories of the world, the star and main feature for the year has been the public health emergency created by COVID-19. What is this disease? And why is it so powerful, with such far-reaching effects that it pressed the pause and reset buttons on the entire world? Here are the essentials: ü    The coronavirus disease-2019 popularly referred to as COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in the city of Wuhan China in December of 2019 and presents itself as a severe acute respiratory syndrome in human beings. ü    Although there are still speculations as to the primary and intermediate origins of the virus and its mode of transfer to humans, one thing is certain, the virus is rapidly transmitted from person-to-person through direct contact with the droplets produced from coughing, sneezing and even talking. ü    The symptoms rang