New Year Resolutions Ideas and Tips for 2021

It is the coming of a brand new year again. I am thinking about how I performed in taking care of our mother earth in 2020. And how I can do better in 2021.

Here it is what I came out with and I hope it helps you in any way by sharing how I set my 2021 environment goals and tips to follow them. Each and everyone of us can be an Eco-kid and can do something, no matter the amount.

My yearly environment goals are…

1. Always use my fountain pen. Don’t buy single use plastic pens

2. Make 30% of my baking vegan

3. Prepare nutshell lines for quick, convincing speeches about the environment.

4. Write to at least 3 hotels/restaurants/events/etc about changing un-eco- friendly ways other than just getting rid of plastic straws 

5. Make 11 more Eco Kid columns for 2021!

Remember to start small with your environment goals and work your way up! The more specific you are with your environment goals the more likely you will achieve them. Plan your environment goals with reality! If your environment goals are too hard it will be hard to stay committed to them. Remember it will be hard to stay motivated throughout your environment goals, motivation is a feeling, it will come and go. Being committed to my goals and having reasons to stay committed has been an easier way to keep pushing through my goals instead of waiting for the feeling of motivation to continue. 

It might be hard to plan specific daily, weekly, monthly and yearly environment goals for the first time, in fact this 2021is my first time going into specific daily goals! Try setting general daily goals first for example: bring my reusable mask out with me everyday. Then adding on the yearly goals like: become a vegan/vegetarian this year. After you get used to that, add monthly goals like: this January I am not going to support new year fireworks and educate my friend about the way fireworks affects the environment. Then layer on weekly goals like: on Monday I am going to go meatless, then next week I am going to go meatless on Monday and Friday.And finally daily goals like: figure out with my parents how to get my daily protein intake when I am a vegetarian.  Remember to check your environment goals with your parents first! 

It might take a year or three (it took me two & a half years) to get used to and maximise your yearly, monthly, weekly & daily environment goals! Go easy on yourself if you can’t get it right the first time. The first time I started setting environment goals it was very messy and hard to keep up with them. But I slowly learned how to set my goals so that it is easier to keep up with them from my mistakes. And I am still learning! I like setting yearly and general daily goals at the start of the new year, then setting monthly, weekly and daily goals as I get to each month/week/day.

Here are some possible goals you could set for yourself…

Easy environment goals for aspiring eco-kids

1. Pack a reusable cutlery set in your bag everyday (remember it isn't about buying new pretty cutlery or metal straws, it is about using what you have and being okay about it) 

2. Switch to a reusable mask to wear everyday (you can start with one day a week and slowly work your way up!)

3. Set one day a week to go meatless or even vegan

4. Don’t play with fireworks during chinese new year (lets just say, this takes lots of self control, I still find myself cheating)

5. Say no to plastic/paper cups and plates (if plastic/paper plates and cups are the only option, my sibling and I will share a plate and don’t take the drinks)

6. Start bringing a reusable shopping bag  and tiffin in your parents car

7. Use bamboo toothbrushes

Moderately hard environment goals for eco-kids

1. Challenge yourself to eat go a week straight without eating meat

2. Start buying from farms that support the environment

3. Start buying free-range eggs too

4. Get your shampoo and body bath from bring-your-own-bottle places or switch to soap and shampoo bars

5. Only shop for the clothes you need, and try using second hand clothes from your friends instead. Ask your parents if you can cut off your monthly or weekly shopping sprees.

6. Use both sides of every paper you draw on. (I like having a clean paper folder and a used-on-one-side paper folder to keep the paper neat)

7. Ask your parents not to go to restaurants that don’t use reusable plates, cups and cutlery

Changemaking environment goals for eco-kids experts

1. Ask your parent to buy as much necessities as possible from zero waste stores

2. Ask your parents if it is okay to go vegetarian or vegan

3. Educate and change one friend or family member on going eco friendly

4. Help out at a animal shelter or a turtle sanctuary

5. With the help of a grown up, upcycle a piece of clothing or a item to something useful

6. Write into a restaurant about going eco friendly with your parents. Don’t just cut off the plastic straws, give eco-friendly suggestions on the use of cutlery, plates, cups, asking their employees to wear reusable masks, to provide vegetarian and vegan options,etc.

Always remember to ask your parents before doing or setting any environment goals. Stay committed and have fun being a eco-kid this 2021!

A Creative & Eco Friendly Christmas List 101

 We have been spending a lot more time in the house due to the pandemic. With year end around the corner, we can gather the family members at home and decorate the space to create a festive mood . My sibling and I made a wreath by collecting sticks and leaves around the garden and neighbourhood.   

The suggestion list below consists of eco-friendly and low budget recommendations. Try to spot my wreath !

Have lots of fun! 

Christmas Tree Ideas

1. Book Christmas Tree

Stack your favourite books up to create and decorate christmas ’’tree’. It can be a colourful one or just one color green if you have enough books in green! You might find yourself with too many favourite books, that you can’t decide which one to stack up. To help with the decision try putting together your favorite books that match (eg: by colour, category or even alpathbaticly!) 

 

2. Picture Christmas Tree

Put up some pictures on the wall to resemble a christmas tree shape, turning it into a memory tree.. It will be a meaningful experience, going through pictures and reminiscing good old times. The family trip, a birthday party, gathering, it makes a fun activity to go through old pictures and at the same time creating a christmas tree. 

Eco Tip: Don’t use fairy lights to decorate your christmas tree, Because using fairy lights or any christmas light will create wasteful burning of oil, natural gas and coal, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and pollutes the environment. Did you know that the carbon dioxide produced by christmas lighting is enough to fill up 15,500 hot air balloons!

3. Ladder Christmas Tree

Using a ladder in your house can be a quick, no set-up christmas tree. You can put planks on the ladder to put decorative items on it like the picture shown below. Or decorate it by wrapping it with garlands and tying ornaments to it. Do remember to clean your ladder before using it, otherwise you might end up cleaning more than just your floor! If you don’t have a ladder leaning two boards securely together to create an A-frame will also resemble a christmas tree shape. Eco Tip: If you wish to have christmas decorations, keep reusing the same decoration every year. Making sure you don’t buy decorations that use light. Another option is to make compostable or biodegradable ones with leaves and dried fruit. Or use your own unbreakable household decor to decorate your tree.

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4. Tree Branch Christmas Tree

If you have a garden and have some old tree clippings or found some tree branches in a park, why not use them as a christmas tree? This is an idea my sibling and I did this year. Make sure the branches have something to secure it, otherwise it might fall over like ours! It is not easy to find a big branch to decorate, I had to use two branches tied together to create a bigger look. Small note: if you can’t find a branch, please do not tear or cut off a branch off a tree that doesn't need trimming or isn’t yours!

Christmas Decor Ideas

1. Scrap Cloth & Ribbons Garland

If you sew and have some scraps of cloth or just have those too-short-to-do-anything ribbons, tie them on a piece of string to create a unique christmas garland. It might be hard to find a lot of short ribbons or scrap cloth, so try looking for things to tie with in different areas. Ask a supermarket for a free jute bag and cut it up to create a rustic look, or use an old t-shirt you never wear.

2. Keychain Ornament

Have a lot of random keychains that have no use (I do!)? Put them to use by hanging them as Christmas ornaments. Try arranging them in different sections (eg: travel keychains, animal keychains, event keychains) or arranging them by putting different textures and shapes mixed up for a more balanced look. If you are hanging this on the branch christmas tree idea (see above), try not to put big heavy keychains at the tip of the branches and more to the center bottom of the branches, or not your tree might tip over!

3. Wreath Christmas Garland

Collect twigs from your garden or a park and tie them together to create a hexagon like frame. Using plants from your garden or a park attach them to the frame to create your own compostable, fresh christmas garland. You might want to make this only 2-3 days before christmas otherwise the plants will wilt before it reaches christmas! Or you can just keep putting on fresh plants onto the frame of the wreath, though this might be tedious and you might neglect the wreath for a few days before it has fresh plants again.

10 Activities To Do While You Are Home | Eco Kids Column June 2020

1. Make art out of your trash and then have an art show at home. https://www.pinterest.com/FreedaHeldzera/kids-trash-art/ 

2. Make plantable seed paper from old paper scraps. https://climatekids.nasa.gov/seed-paper/

3. Draw pictures of your favorite animals that need greater protections, such as bees, sea turtles and orcas. Post the pictures to social media and tag your elected officials.

4. Write a letter to your school district asking them to adopt electric school buses.

5. Organize a family litter patrol. Get gloves and/or pick-up tools and pick up trash if you go on walks at a nearby park.

6. Start an indoor container garden. https://greatist.com/health/best-plants-to-grow-indoors#veggies

7. Watch The Story of Stuff and clean out your junk and look for treasures. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM 

8. (My favourite) Make your own solar oven from a pizza box and find out how using solar power could make your community healthier and cleaner. I managed to boil an egg in the oven! https://www.homesciencetools.com/article/how-to-build-a-solar-oven-project/ 

9. Make your own wind turbine and learn about the power of offshore wind. https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Energy_p025/energy-power/power-of-a-pinwheel#procedure 

10. Write a letter to your State Assemblyman  asking him or her to raise the issue of plastic pollution in Parliament to:

(1) Stop accepting plastic waste from other countries. 

(2) Shut down illegal plastic waste recycling plants and regulate and monitor licensed plastic waste recycling plants.

(3) Stop businesses from giving out free plastic bags and using single-use plastic products such as disposable drink cups, straws, and cutlery.

Make Your Own Face Mask | Eco Kids Column May 2020

How to make natural paints out of flowers and plants | Eco Kids Column March 2020

How to make natural paints out of flowers and plants 

1. Pick out a variety of colored flowers and plants.

I had, Bunga Telang (Blue Pea Flower), Pandan Leaf, Hibiscus, Bunganvile, Kunyit Root (Turmeric) and I also went to the forest and took some random berries, leafs and flowers I found on the floor. The colours came out wonderful! 

2. Remove any stems from the plants/flowers and cut the plant/flower in small pieces

3. Smash the plants/flowers into paste with rocks, a pounder or a blend it with a blender

If the plant is too hard like a beetroot or mangoesteen shells recommend boiling it before smashing it. 

4. Dilute with a bit of water

Add in drop by drop at the time. Your paint should look something like this 👇🏻

5. Use the paint! Here are some inspiration down below. 

Believe it or not! Plastic Bags Were Meant To Help Save The Planet | Eco Kids Column Feb 2020

Eco Kids Column, Sept 2017: Alternatives to Disposable Cutlery and Plastic Straws

PENCINTA ALAM SEPTEMBER 2017

ECO KIDS COLUMN

ALTERNATIVES TO DISPOSABLE CUTLERY AND PLASTIC STRAWS

By Wong Ee Lynn. wongeelynn@yahoo.com / gl.mnselangor@yahoo.com

 

 

We all know that disposable items, be it diapers, party ware, straws, paper napkins and food takeout containers, are not good for the environment. Far too much energy and resources go into the manufacturing of these single-use products. Most of these products cannot be recycled or composted. Paper plates, plastic bags, plastic food containers, straws and plastic cutlery, even if they bear the recyclable logo (i.e. the triangular Mobius loop), are not accepted for recycling once they are contaminated by food, grease and water.

 

Further, the cost of recycling these items can be much higher than manufacturing new ones from scratch, since it would include the cost of collecting, sorting, washing and processing the used materials, which the manufacturer would not have to do when producing these items from petroleum and other raw materials. As such, most manufacturers would opt not to accept used plastics for recycling. Even if disposables could be recycled or composted, most of its environmental impact occurs ‘upstream’, that is, in manufacturing and transportation, before these products are even used.

 

Once these products are used and thrown away, they end up filling up landfills and making their way into streams, rivers and oceans. Straws and plastic cutlery have been found in the noses, throats and stomachs of turtles, whales and other marine animals. Volunteers participating in beach clean-ups can confirm that a lot of the rubbish collected from beaches consist of plastic cutlery and plastic straws.

 

The reason why plastic cutlery and straws are so widely used are as follows:

1.      It is cheaper than permanent washable metal cutlery and straws or compostable cutlery and straws made from plants.

2.      It is convenient and businesses do not have to worry about collecting used cutlery and straws for washing.

 

However, it is irresponsible and unkind to keep doing something that we know is harmful to the environment and animals just because it is cheap and convenient.

 

Making toys, lampshades, coasters and placemats from used plastic straws and cutlery is NOT a solution since it does not reduce the demand for, or the production of, the said products. Further, once the plastic turns brittle, you would have to throw the items away, and they would still end up in landfills and in our soil and water. It is better not to accept and use disposable plastic cutlery and straws in the first place.

 

Here are some of the alternatives to disposable cutlery and plastic straws:

 

1.      Avoid buying plastic straws or cutlery to use at home or for parties. If you don’t keep them in the house, nobody will be tempted to use them. People often go for the most convenient option out of laziness, so don’t create that option in the first place.

2.      When you are ordering takeout or food delivery, specify “NO CUTLERY OR STRAW, PLEASE.” No restaurant or fast food outlet would turn down your request since it would save them money.

3.      Get in the habit of drinking without a straw. You can safely drink from most cups, glasses, mugs, bottles and cans. Give the tops of canned drinks a quick rinse with water if you have concerns about their cleanliness. There is no guarantee that plastic straws are any cleaner than the cups or cans you are drinking out of. Most plastic straws are handled by human hands in restaurants or exposed to dust and dirt after all.

4.      Paper straws may seem like a compostable and more environmentally-friendly option, but they often require more water, energy and resources to manufacture. Since paper straws are disposable and are produced from wood pulp and therefore require the cutting down of trees, they are still a less-than-ideal alternative to plastic straws.

5.      Bioplastics, or plastics made from plants, algae or microorganisms, may sound like a good alternative to conventional petroleum-based disposable plastic products. The two most common bioplastics used for food containers and disposable tableware are PLA and PHA, which are plastics made from corn. The advantages of bioplastics is that they are made from plants, a renewable resource. They use less energy and emit less carbon dioxide than conventional plastics. They also do not have the same known health risks as petroleum-based plastics. However, there are disadvantages to producing and using bioplastics. Bioplastics can reduce food supply when valuable farming land is used to produce corn and other crops for bioplastics, instead of for growing food crops for humans and animals. Fossil fuel-based fertilisers and pesticides are often used in growing crops for bioplastics. Because bioplastics look similar to conventional plastics, they often end up in recycling bins, where they contaminate conventional plastics in the recycling plants. If bioplastics break down in the landfill, they release methane, a greenhouse gas. Therefore, it is better to avoid switching from conventional disposable plastic products to bioplastics, except when you have no other option available and have to choose between the two.

6.      Invest in a stainless steel, glass or bamboo straw and a set of steel cutlery or a Spork, and bring it with you whenever you go out so that you will not have to accept disposable plastic cutlery or straws. Remember to inform the service staff at the point of ordering your food that you do not want a straw or disposable cutlery. Do not inform them only after your food or drink has arrived.

7.      You may wish to bring an extra set of steel cutlery to lend to a friend when you go out to eat, especially when you eat at fast food outlets, food courts or food truck stops. Take a bag or container with you to bring the used cutlery home for washing if there is no soap and water where you are going.

8.      If you are travelling to a place where hygiene and clean water supply is an issue, bring some compostable bamboo or plant-based cutlery and straws with you and use these instead. You may also wish to bring biodegradable plates and cups with you when buying food and beverages from roadside stalls to avoid having to accept plastic bags, Styrofoam food containers or less-than-clean plates and cutlery.

9.      If your neighbourhood food court or school canteen is using disposable cutlery, write to the food court or canteen operator to persuade them to switch to washable, reusable and durable cutlery. Tell them how much money they will save in the long run from replacing disposables with reusables.

10.  Write to your favourite restaurants and cafes or leave a message on their Facebook pages requesting them to replace disposable plastic straws with reusable steel straws, bamboo straws or natural and compostable alternatives such as reeds, vegan candy tubes such as Twizzlers with the ends snipped off (as recommended by eco-friendly lifestyle guru Danny Seo) and papaya leaf stems (as practiced by Down-To-Earth restaurant in Ubud, Bali).

 

It may take you a while to adjust to not using a straw or disposable cutlery, and having to remember to carry your reusable straws and cutlery with you, but your efforts will go a long way towards preventing wildlife deaths and plastic pollution.

 

 

 

(Image from the Tak Nak Straw Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TakNakStraw/)

 

Eco Kids Column May 2017: 20 Ways To Help Wildlife

PENCINTA ALAM MAY 2017

ECO KIDS COLUMN

20 WAYS TO HELP WILDLIFE

By Wong Ee Lynn

wongeelynn@yahoo.com / gl.mnselangor@yahoo.com

 

Much as we would like to be, not every one of us are, or will someday be, wildlife biologists or working in the conservation and animal protection sector. However, there are many things we can do in our daily lives to assist and protect wildlife. These actions go beyond merely recycling empty containers and ‘liking’ posts on Facebook. Some may take you some time to implement or get used to. Hopefully, you are already doing many of the things on this list, but if you aren’t yet, choose at least one or two to try today!

 

1.      Bring rubbish sacks, gardening gloves and/or rubbish tongs/claws with you whenever you go out. Pick up litter whenever you are able, especially in natural spaces such as jungle trails and beaches. Each piece of litter removed from a natural ecosystem helps wildlife and creates better places for humans.

 

2.      Buy or make your own biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning products, such as laundry detergent, shampoo and dishwashing liquid. Chemicals in conventional detergents and cleaning products flow into drains, streams and rivers and often harm or kill wildlife. Do not use bleach as it is very toxic and even small quantities can kill pets, birds, frogs, earthworms, insects and other animals.

 

 

3.      Avoid using glue traps, sticky fly paper, rat traps and similar ‘pest control’ methods and devices. Birds, bats, squirrels and other small animals often get trapped in these cruel traps and suffocate and die. The best pest control method is prevention: store food in covered containers or screened and ventilated food cabinets, put waste in covered waste bins, keep your surroundings clean, keep drains and ditches clear and unblocked, and install window and door screens to keep insects out. If you find small animals or birds trapped in glue, clean them gently with vegetable or mineral oil and gently rub the glue off. Wash them clean with shampoo and water until there are no traces of glue or oil left. Let them recover and dry off before you see if they can be safely released. If you are unsure of your abilities, or if the animal or bird looks injured, consult a vet. If you live in Kuala Lumpur or Selangor, you can also contact Dr. Jalila Abu of the Avian Vet Unit of UPM at 03 8946 8340.

 

4.      Buy local, organic and seasonal produce as often as you can, and eat vegetarian or vegan whenever possible, if you aren’t already vegetarian / vegan. Local and seasonal produce uses less fuel to produce and transport and therefore generates less carbon dioxide. Organic produce does not use chemical pesticides and herbicides that kill insects, birds and wildlife. Livestock and poultry farming uses a lot of land and resources, thus depriving wildlife of their habitat and food and water sources.

 

5.      Create small-scale wildlife habitats. Even in an apartment balcony, you can grow fruiting or flowering native plants that can provide food for native birds and insects. Grow pollinator-friendly plants that attract bees and butterflies, and have a compost pit or bin where bugs and earthworms are welcome to stay.

 

6.      If you live in landed property, ensure your gates and fences do not have barbed wire or broken glass tops that will cut and hurt wildlife such as squirrels, tree shrews and common palm civets. Create sufficient space to allow small animals to climb over or pass through your fence and gate safely.

 

7.      If you have pet cats or dogs, neuter and vaccinate them and keep them indoors or at least within your compound. If they do go out to play, put a safety collar with a bell on them, so that birds and small animals will be warned of your pets’ approach. Do not allow your pets to chase or catch birds, reptiles and other small animals.

 

8.      Put up a microhabitat. Bird nesting boxes, bat boxes and bird baths all can provide safe spaces for wildlife, especially during harsh weather.

 

9.      Inspire someone else to go outdoors. What is your favourite nature spot? Whether it is a hiking trail like the one in Bukit Gasing Educational Forest, or the mangroves of Kuala Selangor, offer to show someone else this spot and teach them about its importance as a wildlife habitat. People care more about things and places they have first-hand experience with.

 

10.  Join an environmental organisation such as MNS, Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT), or the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCSM) and volunteer with them. Even without a background in conservation and wildlife protection, you can help man their awareness and education booths, raise funds, share posts on social media, collect signatures for petitions, attend and assist at their events and talks, and participate in short volunteer stints.

 

11.  Donate your old wildlife and conservation magazines, such as the Malaysian Naturalist, to community libraries, clinic waiting rooms and barbers and hairdressers to get other people interested in nature and wildlife.

 

12.  Contact your local MP, State Assemblyman and local councillor about wildlife issues in your area. For example, if people are feeding and poisoning macaques or trapping birds, or if palm civets and snakes are being killed by speeding vehicles, write in to your elected representative to propose solutions. These individuals are elected to serve the people, and you have the right to voice your concerns.

 

13.  Investigate your local wild patch. If there is a patch of wild land in your neighbourhood, find out more about it. Explore it safely in a group and record any bird and wildlife sightings you see. Inform the local chapters of any environmental groups and the residents’ association to try to protect the area. Report any wildlife crimes you see (e.g. mist nets to catch birds, or traps and snares to catch monkeys and wild boars) to the MYCAT Wildlife Crime Hotline at 0193564194 or to the state office of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).

 

14.  Never purchase products made from threatened or endangered species. Avoid supporting the market in illegal wildlife trade. Boycott all traditional medicine made of wildlife parts, tortoise or turtle shell products, ivory, fur products, butterflies and beetles preserved in plastic or resin, and products made from the skin of snakes and other reptiles.

 

15.  Buy sustainable forest products. Choose bamboo or rattan furniture, and products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Avoid furniture made from wood from rainforests. Minimise your use of palm oil (found in most processed food products, snacks, soap and shampoo) as rainforests including those in Malaysia are destroyed to make way for oil palm plantations.

 

16.  Use your mobile phones for as long as possible, and recycle them once they can no longer be repaired and reused. Mobile phones contain coltan, a mineral extracted from mines in the deep forests of Congo, in central Africa, which is home to the world’s endangered lowland gorillas. The boom in the worldwide demand for mobile phones has led to the destruction of gorilla habitats and the rampant slaughter of gorillas for the illegal bushmeat trade.

 

17.  Slow down when driving. If someone else is doing the driving, advise them politely to slow down and keep an eye out for wildlife. If you are the passenger, stay alert for wildlife that may be crossing the road or birds that may be flying low. Many animals live in developed areas and this means they must navigate a landscape full of human hazards.

 

18.  Do not purchase exotic pets. Sugar gliders, slow lorises, marmosets, monkeys, parrots and other wildlife belong in the wild with their families and in their habitats. If you love them, protect their habitats. Keeping them in captivity will not keep their species safe and will only cause them stress and anguish. There are thousands of domestic animals -- chiefly dogs, cats and rabbits that have been selectively bred for centuries to live with humans and to depend on humans -- looking for good homes in animal shelters and pounds. Please consider giving them a chance of living a good life with you instead.

 

19.  Do not visit circuses, travelling zoos, petting zoos and uncertified private zoos. Keeping wildlife in captivity is neither kind nor educational. Many of these animals are caught by poachers and hunters, usually by killing the mother animal and taking the baby away. The money you pay to visit these facilities will not be used to keep the animals fed and healthy. Instead, it will usually be used to buy more animals to be used as ‘attractions’ to keep visitors coming.

 

20.  Make your home wildlife-friendly and wildlife-safe. Avoid using pesticides, herbicides, glue traps, rat poison or bleach. Put stickers or decals on windows if you find that birds keep flying into them. Keep a lid on your waste bin to stop animals from raiding your rubbish. Wash jars and containers and put the lids back on before you put them in the recycling bin or bag. Clean out the insides of cans and use a hammer to flatten the openings of cans to stop small animals from getting trapped inside or getting cut by the sharp edges of cans. Dispose of needles, pins and razor blades by wrapping them in masking tape and labelling them clearly as sharp objects. Recycle electronic waste and batteries. Avoid accepting and using plastic bags, plastic drinking straws, and polystyrene packaging. These are small actions that take getting used to, but will go a long way in preventing the unnecessary deaths of wildlife and even stray animals.