GreenMONNCS

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