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