Everything Under The Tropical Sun

Calling on all bloggers! Help make a difference by simply adding the 350 challenge badge on your blog. It is called the 350 challenge because their goal is to offset 122,500 lbs. of carbon of the first 350 bloggers to submit on their site. That means, when you post their badge on your blog, they’ll offset 350 lbs. of carbon in your name. Isn’t that just COOL?

Let’s face it, reducing our carbon footprints on our own is somewhat very, VERY challenging. Humans, being creatures of habit, makes it almost impossible to reduce our current carbon footprints if we don’t make a conscious effort now. Even with the dedication and focus, there’s only so much we can reduce. Unless you want to fall off the face of the earth and not use any of our creature comforts like electricity, I commend you for being so supportive of Mother Earth. But seriously, that is not too realistic so every little thing helps. 350 lbs. of carbon is like using your car for two weeks. So, I say, yes, it could really help.

What they don’t make painstakingly clear on their website is that they’ll offset 350 pounds of carbon for THE FIRST 350 people who submit their sites (I had to find this out on the 350.org website). It also doesn’t say how many people have already submitted their blogs but since it’s a relatively new campaign, they can always change the rules at some point. I’m hoping they do.

After a few clicks, what I found was even more rewarding. I learned about 350.org and Brighter Planet. Check them out! Brighter Planet uses credit card points to fund and support renewable energy products while 350 is an organization that is campaigning for awareness. They want the word to spread out that we need to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from 387 ppm (parts per million) to 350 ppm to avoid any more drastic climate changes. Since we currently increase 2 ppm each year, this means we have to stop adding to our carbon footprints now and start reducing it.

Every little thing helps! I may or may not have been able to make the first 350 bloggers to post the badge, but the things I learned because of posting it here is even more invaluable to me. It has spurred me to write and help spread the word. As James Thurber once said: “Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.” So let’s stop laying blame or give up on our future, let’s use the awareness we gather and move forward. Reduce our carbon footprint now.

Do you have a friend that you’ve seen on and off through the years but when you see each other again it was like you just spoke yesterday? That’s how it is with my Teach… our pet names for each other because when we met, he was teaching me all the *uhm…* “ways” of the internet world. While I, on the other hand, taught him how to live life outside the confines of his monitor. Well, not actually taught him… more of reminded him that there’s still life outside the internet. Luckily, he fell in and out of love during the years I’ve known him and at times when I was almost ready to give up on him ever going to have a life outside the internet. Oh, how I praised the heavens!

He’s a character in more ways than one. Always striving towards perfection in every endeavor he chooses to pursue… and brags about it! LOL! He has every right to do so as do anyone who has accomplished so much on their own. He deserves a pat on the back every time he does something commendable because he really does pour his heart out whenever he does something. Like right now, he’s into photography. He’s like a boy with a new toy during Christmas morning. He’s spending every free time he has to honing his photography skills. He has also given me his word that he’ll be my official photographer for this site. He knows I am going to hold him up to his word. I know he won’t disappoint me.

The photo above was taken with Teach’s new toy during his honeymoon in Cambodia by his lovely wife, Lorena Croft. Who, by the way, I believe with all my heart has THE EYE for photography (I’d tease him that she is more talented than him… and he hates it). He’s such an affirmation-whore. LOL! But that is what makes him my Teach.

Despite our friendship, there were times when I wasn’t such a great friend to him. I fell short of being a friend during my “dark phase”. I forgot those who were close to me, those who truly cared and he was one of them. Yet, he never judged, even when he tried to reach out and was shunned by me. He knew me well enough to know that I always considered him one of my best friends and I would reach out to him when I’m ready.

This entry is dedicated to him simply because he has been elemental to this site. He has always encouraged me throughout the years to keep writing and berated me when he found out I stopped. He threw my excuses unto the ground and stomped on them, refusing to accept. Thanks, Teach. Throughout the years, you have remained a true friend. Even through the miles, you still managed to teach me a thing or two. I am eternally grateful to have you as my friend.

Isn’t it great that there are establishments out there that are really thinking and doing things out of the box? The Bronx Zoo, an advocate to wildlife preservation and education has a really cool restroom in their midst. Here’s the video of what they are doing:

New York City has one the biggest per capita water usage in the United States. So, every big or small effort in conserving water can make a huge impact. What they do not say in this video is that the toilet system was installed by Clivus Multrum Inc., a manufacturer of composting toilets and greywater irrigation systems and that it cost US$1.6M to install. I really don’t know if it was billed to the zoo but from what I know, it was the Wildlife Conservation Society who commissioned the work to Clivus Multrum.

I don’t really see it becoming a trend any time soon. The fact is it costs a lot to implement and it is difficult to go about and redo the plumbing of every existing building in New York. Plus, everything that goes down the drain or the toilets has to be non-toxic. It’s just not that realistic to get every household to change their cleaning materials and habits now. But it’s a start.

I came across a lot of blogs that are numb with the progress of eco-friendly technologies today. They think that the politicians only found a new platform to use in their campaigns and speeches. They’re usually people in their 50′s and up. I can’t really blame them because it was their generation that started the whole think green, save mother earth thing (you know, the hippie movement back in the 60′s?) and they do not have much to see now. I bet there were a lot of them who eventually just gave up and caved in to the daily routines of life. But it’s this very same generation that paved and are paving the way for us now. There are those who never gave up and as a result, awareness is here, it’s broad, and it’s unavoidable. Everywhere we go, we are constantly reminded of going green.

These eco-restrooms are just but one of the great technologies out there that can start helping mother earth today. The least I can do as an individual is to prepare for these toilet systems in case it comes my way any time within my lifetime (please let it be soon). The best thing to do is to avoid toxic cleaning materials in my own home. Which I have started, by the way. I used a combination of lemon (or lemoncito in our native tongue) and baking soda to clean my washing machine, stove, oven and refrigerator. It works like a charm and smells really great too. For more non-toxic cleaning ideas, go and visit Care2‘s website. Let’s start doing our part now!

Credits to the design of the blog entry:

Grass Brushes – http://katikut.deviantart.com
Old Paper Brushes – http://synthexstock.deviantart.com
Tree Brushes – http://www.horhewsbrushes.com

I wrote this poem in October 10, 1999.

Robert Frost (1876-1963)

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain – and back in rain.
I have out walked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been acquainted with the night.

It’s a bit sad, I know, but it is one of my favorite poems. There’s much debate on what it really means but to me, it is about loneliness, depression and death. At several points in my life, I have read this poem and thought to myself: “Now here’s a guy who truly gets me.” Those days when I felt so alone and so sad, it was this poem that made me feel that I’m not the only one who has ever felt the way I did. Knowing this, I didn’t feel so alone anymore and has helped me cope with whatever feelings I had at the time. He is truly a great artist and whom I consider a friend through his writing.

Living in a third world country, we are plagued by our inefficient garbage disposal. Although we currently have laws in place, instructing us to segregate our plastics, biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage, but strict penalties are not enforced in case we do not comply. This is mainly because our friendly neighborhood garbage men takes care of it for us because there’s money in it for them. They get to sell the paper, aluminum cans, etc. for themselves. Yet, we still have loads of municipal wastes that are simply dumped in open fields. We do not have enough proper recycling centers, properly managed landfills or even incinerator plants.

Those three garbage disposal centers are the most common facilities throughout the rest of the world when it comes to handling your garbage. Recycling plants only handle about 30% (in the U.S.) and 40%-60% (in Europe) of the total garbage generated. Landfills take forever to decompose garbage. Plus the fact that if it’s not handled properly, there is a danger of it contaminating the ground water. Although incinerator plants seem ideal because they get rid of trash and at the same time generate electricity, but they emit huge amounts of carbon monoxide in the air thus converting our beloved garbage into something we could literally breathe in and adds greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

When it seemed like there is truly no hope of ever getting rid of our trash problem, here comes a new addition to the list of garbage disposal facilities created by the Plasco Energy Group. It is a waste-to-energy plasma gasification plant. Basically, what it does is it uses plasma to not only effectively decompose garbage at a fast rate and reduce it to 1.3kg of heavy metals and activated carbon per tonne, it also produces synthetic gas which could power engines to produce electricity (or can produce fuel gas like hydrogen). The ashes generated from the plasmagasification of the garbage creates slag which could be used for building materials, road bed aggregates, insulators and even jewelry. To top it all off, instead of the city paying for garbage disposal services, it can actually earn from getting rid of it. Thus, making garbage in itself, a commodity.

Their ingenuity has filled me with hope for my own country. If a third world country like ours cannot afford to buy a plasma gasification plant, then it is possible to sell our garbage instead of paying someone to get rid of it. Then, maybe in time, we would be able to afford one. It could in turn help bring down electricity costs, help us convert to hydrogen powered vehicles easier and soon after, could bring down costs of basic commodities and goods. It could also bring so much needed focus on conserving our beautiful tropical country with its gorgeous scenery, dive sites, beaches and wonderful people who deserve much more than what they have now.

I know I am over simplifying things and we’re still a long way off since the plasma gasification plant is still in its testing and approval stages, and the fact that my government has to sort through a lot of internal problems, I can’t help but feel hopeful that I might be able to see a huge environmental transformation in the world within my lifetime. It may be, that the very garbage we are using to harm our earth might be the very same thing that can help transform it.

Mine: A huge cup of cappuccino.
My Husband’s: A double shot espresso.

I was just playing with my camera during one of our coffee dates and it wasn’t until I was going through the photos that I realized that there’s so much you can tell about a person’s current state of mind when they order coffee. We were no different.

We had this date during a time when he had to supervise work being done in a mall after office hours. I simply tagged along since I had nothing better to do. And there it is, the message any keen observer would see: The huge cup of cappuccino says that I can take my time because I had nothing better to do (good thing I brought a book with me) and his double shot espresso translates that he needs a “wake up quick” coffee fix because his day wasn’t quite done yet.

Every day feels like I’m choosing a cup of coffee. There are some days that I feel I need a pick me up while in some, I feel like I could just lazily breeze through. Whatever coffee I choose for the day, I always bear in mind that it is a choice. I know that though there would be days when I’ll need that double shot espresso… but I would much rather go through my days with a HUGE cup of cappuccino.