Earth Hour: March 31 2012 (Saturday), 8:30 P.M.

Saturday is Earth Hour; please turn off your lights at 8:30 p.m. for an hour!

Earth Hour is becoming an annual global event. It’s scheduled on the last Saturday of every March – closely coinciding with the equinox to ensure most cities are in darkness as it rolled out around the Earth.

The event started in 2007 by WWF-Australia. By 2011, Earth Hour saw hundreds of millions of people across 135 countries switch off for an hour. But it also marked the start of something new – going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action on climate change.

For more information please go to http://wwwf.org.hk/earthhour/

According to the latest report from the WWF, Hong Kong had wasted 26% of its resources in the last 20 years. We had all contributed to this wastage. There are many simple things we can do to conserve energy. A few practices include using appliances with Energy Efficient Labels; unplugging appliances when not in use; install dimmers; use LED light bulbs and rechargeable batteries. The use of air conditioners consumes the most energy in a household, so minimize its use; if you really have to turn it, use a fan at the same time and it can help reduce the temperature by at least 1 degree.

Can’t Judge a Book by its Cover!

These veggies with holes all over may look unappetizing, but they are organic with lots of nutrients. And they don’t have pesticides and herbicides! I have always tried to buy organic veggies if possible and a reliable indicator was the holes.

It’s been reported often that produce sold in local chain stores had very high level of pesticides and herbicides. Ever wonder why they look so perfect? They are so toxic that the insects won’t even touch them!

In conventional farming, the goal is to mass produce at low cost, so chemicals are heavily used. Studies have shown that these chemicals were toxic not only to the ecosystem and its natural habitats, but also the workers and consumers. One of the most acute toxins is dioxins, a known carcinogenic. In addition, it causes reproductive and developmental problems, damages the immune system, and interferes with hormones.

If we consider ourselves part of nature, then we should have some tolerance for un-harmful pests making a few holes on veggies. After all, shouldn’t we be sharing with others?

I love veggies with holes!

March 22 is World Water Day

One must have thought how inconvenient to have temporary stoppage of water supplies? However, if you are old enough, you may still remember the days when people lined up on the streets to get water. I was told that this was what happened when I was born, and the entire family saved water so that I could take a bath daily.

Even though 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water, many parts of the world still can’t get clean water. In particular, China’s rapid economic development is polluting almost 60 percent of its rivers and ponds. Still remember the time when we discovered that our drinking water was polluted by its factories?

Since 1993 the United Nations has designated March 22 as World Water Day. This year’s campaign is ‘Water and Food Security’.

According to statistics, most of the water we drink are embedded in the food we eat - 1 kilo of beef for example consumes 15,000 liters of water while 1 kilo of wheat ’drinks up’ 1,500 liters. Industrial farming and meat production deplete our water resources, and these foods are also filled with toxic chemicals.

What can you do to reduce your water footprint?

·         eat more vegetables and fruits, and less meat;

·         buy from local farmers that use eco-friendly farming method;

·         consume less water-intensive products;

·         reduce the scandalous food wastage: 30% of the food produced worldwide is never eaten and the water used to produce it is definitively lost!

Be Mindful and Listen to Your Inner Voice – A Lesson from Japan’s Tsunami Disaster

Time flies and Japan just made its first anniversary of the tsunami disaster. I always remember March 11 because it is my husband’s birthday and our personal experience associated with the disaster make it all the more enduring.

In the past, we have been traveling to Japan during this time of the year and it was no exception in 2011. We were planning the trip with a group of 20 plus working partners to go on March 8 to a mountain near Sendai. Strangely, I heard an inner voice ‘instructing’ me not to make the trip. In defiance of normal reasoning and for the first time ever, I convinced my husband not to go while the rest of the team postponed their trip to March 15 so that they could celebrate Ko’s birthday. On March 11 while cutting the birthday cake in the office, a partner called to break the news and we were all terrified. Then, I had a flashback of the ‘inner voice’ that had told me not to make the trip. We would have been right in the area of the disaster if we went.

Actually a member of our team went on March 8 and was stranded in Ginza for a week after the disaster. He returned to Hong Kong to share with us his experience and then we organized a charity drive to send necessities to the hard hit area.

This incident had taught me to be more mindful of my life and my loved ones. In our mundane life we take for granted everybody and everything around us, as if they will be with us forever. The reality is that they won’t, so we should treasure every moment. Live life to the fullest, so that there will be no regrets!

Think about the only surviving tree after the tsunami, which was dubbed the Tree of Hope. To me, this tree is more of a symbol of life than hope. Instead of looking into the future, this tree attests its faith in life in the face of adversity.

And try to spend some time daily to listen to your inner voice. It is always there for you to support your life journey.

P.S. I will be interviewed by RTHK Radio 3 on March 19 (Monday) between 1:15 to 1:30 pm. The topic will be on Green Living. Please tune in or email to my blog. Thanks!

Welcome to Marilyn's Cup of Tea!

Welcome to my blog! I will be sharing with you on things that matter to us and our Earth -- eco-friendly lifestyle, health, healing, sustainability, and carbon footprint.

I started this blog as a result of my personal journey and quest for a healthy and wholesome lifestyle. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, emigrated to the U.S., and returned in 2010. I noticed that Hong Kongers are leading a very stressful lifestyle, mostly as a result of materialism. They are unhealthy, be it physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sadly, people also have a callous attitude to their environment and the Earth in which they are a part of. 

I am writing through my inner self who gives me soulful messages as well. May this inspire and/or uplift you!