Seeking Happiness

The Jakarta Post -- WEEKENDER | Thu, 01/29/2009 7:13 PM | Greenlifestyle

Today’s materialistic culture often tempts us to spend more on things we desire, instead of on things we need. The more we earn, the more stuff we buy to make ourselves happy. But is this really the path to happiness?

Let me try to find the answer to that question. Some of my friends and I used to earn more than enough money to support ourselves each month. With my income, I could afford almost everything I wanted, from the latest gadgets and coolest outfits to the best meals in fancy restaurants. But somehow, the excitement of having all this lingered for only a very brief period. And so I began to have doubts about that materialistic life.

And I am not alone here. I have several friends – and I am sure there are some other people out there – who have shared the same experience and feel a void in their hearts. Something is missing, something that cannot be satisfied just by earning a sizable income and spending more on awesome gadgets or the trendiest clothes. It seems like we need more than possessions and purchases to find happiness.

Happiness can be perceived differently from one person to the other, so we need to find our own personal source of contentment. Here are some ideas to get you climbing on that ladder toward happiness.

1. Escape materialism – consume less
If we finally understand that binge-buying can only satisfy our ego for a short while, maybe now is the time to kick the habit. Start by systematically blocking out advertising, be it printed or electronic. Another good reason to go easy with the credit card is your environmental footprint. We buy not-so-important stuff and often end up discarding it fairly quickly. Some of the waste is burned, releasing carbon emissions and pollutants into the soil or waterways. So make sure that when you buy things, you do so because they serve a clear purpose. It might be helpful to bear this question in mind every time you intend to buy something: “Do I really need this?”

2. Stay healthy – choose your food better
Keeping our body fit and healthy – that’s probably a primordial rule in our quest for happiness. So arrivederci Big Mac, adieu beloved crispy chicken wing and so long fiendish banana split; downshift to slow food, a culinary philosophy that emphasizes organic farming and local and traditional food products. Rein in your food budget, and support your local traditional market.

3. Go green – back to nature
Philosophically, green represents peace, balance and growth. It is also the color of nature and symbolizes self-respect and well-being. Moreover, green is the most restful color for human eyes and is believed to have great healing power. Going green, in the sense of going back to nature, can be a source of happiness. For example, spending a weekend in a place with views of a green landscape might bring us peace and joy, more than drooling in front of shop windows in frenzied malls will. Sometimes what our heart and mind need is just a relaxing moment free from the hustle and bustle of our superficial activities. So, give yourself some time to decompress and make a good connection with Mother Nature.

4. Practice random acts of kindness – be useful
When we practice good deeds, we feel good about ourselves. That explains why there are people who volunteer their time and energy to help others. The feeling of being useful, not only to our fellow humans but also to other living creatures, gives meaning to our life. Joining communities that are concerned with environmental issues might be a good start. Think of an issue you care about: poverty, empowerment of women, wildlife loss – take your pick. Then find an organization or project that is working on this issue close to where you live, and tell them you want to help. Here’s an NGO directory to get you started: http://www.smeru.or.id/ngolist.php.

5. Make connections – develop friendships
It’s only natural that we have the urge to share our feelings with other people. Having good, supportive friends and close relationships with our family can make us much happier. Developing new friendships with people from various walks of life will also trigger joy and excitement. If you succeed in your volunteering efforts (see previous point), you will find yourself exposed to new people, opening your eyes to a world that extends well beyond your daily worries and concerns.

So, despite the controversy surrounding the various interpretations of the lyrics sung by the fabulous four of Liverpool, I do believe that happiness is a warm gun indeed. I have my own interpretation of what John Lennon meant by “… a warm gun means you’ve just shot something”. After taking a shot at finding good quality of life, happiness creates a warm feeling within our heart.

+ Shinta Nurwulan


Greenlifestyle is a mailing list to share information and tips on greening your lifestyle in Indonesia’s cities. How to save on utility bills? Where to recycle paper in Java and Bali? Reducing the amount of water you use at home? All legit questions can be sent (in Indonesian or English) to greenLifestyle@googlegroups.com.or greenlifestyle@gmail.com

What's The Carbon Footprint of Sending A Text Message?

As I have known, Google did indeed issue a statement describing in detail how it had arrived at the figure of 0.2 grams of CO², after first calculating it requires 0.0003 kWh of energy to perform a typical search. Or to put it another way, it claimed that a typical individual's Google use for an entire year would produce about the same amount of CO² as putting a single load through a washing machine. The bulk of this energy expenditure is due to the vast network of servers and data centres that a company such as Google has to maintain. Mobile phone network providers are not dissimilar in that they are also in the business of processing and "transporting" huge quantities of digitised data.

As one of telecommunications provider, Vodafone agreed to put its brightest brains to the task of calculating the footprint of a text message. "Last year, the Vodafone network used 2,600 gigawatt hours of energy to carry 60,000 terabytes of data," said a spokeswoman. "Since a single SMS has a maximum length of 140 bytes, we estimate that last year it took an average 5 microwatts-hour (a microwatt being one millionth of a watt) to deliver an SMS message." To put this in terms of emissions, that's 0.000003 grams of CO².

Vodafone added a few caveats, though: it is only including the energy used to power its "radio access network" (which includes its masts) and not the "core network" it leases from providers such as BT. It also isn't including the energy used by handsets. This at least goes some way to explaining why the figures seems so low compared to Google's. After all, if you accept both Vodafone's and Google's figures, a text message produces 60,000 times less CO² than an internet search.

However you crunch these figures, though, the most significant energy burden is still going to be the power needed to produce, distribute and then charge your mobile phone. And, frankly, there are other far more energy-intensive areas of our lifestyles to tackle first.

source: Guardian - Environment

Leave Nothing But Footprints ...

The Jakarta Post -- WEEKENDER | Sun, 11/23/2008 3:31 PM | Greenlifestyle

You’ve gone over the list countless times. Will it be a shamelessly self-indulgent R&R weekend in Legian? Or a slightly more adventurous journey into the highlands of Tana Toraja? There’s also that Mt. Bromo trip your spouse keeps pestering you about. Hmmm ... Settle for Orchard Road? Ubaidillah Syohih trains his green binoculars on your next holiday destination.

Holidays are a time to bond and spend some leisurely time with your loved ones or friends. At the planning stage, when half a dozen ideas on where to head off to are floating around, holidays also do a very good job of fraying nerves. So before the Lonely Planet guides and maps start flying across the room, here are some things to keep in mind.

In a country such as Indonesia, with its seemingly endless range of awesome destinations, you will always be spoiled for choice. Hundreds of volcanoes to climb, rainforests to trek, waves to surf, reefs to explore, beaches to roast on, more than 250 ethnic groups with 350 local languages to discover ... There’s something for everyone. But regardless of the destination, with every additional dive down the reef wall or every new bungalow, the destination loses a little something.

It’s not just a piece of coral that is inadvertently broken during a dive, or a small food wrapper that gets caught in the wind and ends up decorating the forest. The aggregate impact of our holiday, from transportation (emissions, traffic) to the hotel we’re staying at (energy and water use), can damage the prospects of a holiday destination to sustain tourists over the long term. Indonesia may need visitors, but it also needs them to tread lightly and respectfully. With people from all over the world traveling to the archipelago to witness nature at its creative best, there’s only one way to safeguard these destinations: responsible tourism.

Now you may have heard about ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, a catchall term that has been eagerly appended to many a hotel and resort name. At best, this is a form of responsible tourism that appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals. It typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. At worst, it is a hotel called “Bunga Ecotourism Resort” whose claim to sustainability is limited to a glossy brochure flaunting the natural merits of the area.

How can we select a rewarding holiday destination without leaving a trail of destruction in our wake?

PLANNING
1. Decide on what kind of holiday you are after – will it be backpacking or operator-tour style?
2. If you go for the tour operator, ask where your money is going or find out by yourself – staying in locally owned accommodation benefits local families.
3. In choosing your activities at the destination, go for environmentally friendly activities that contribute to the local economy and protect nature and culture.
4. Small gifts from home can be a great way to say thank you to your hosts – think about what might be of most use to the local community.

Review your options: www.eco-tropicalresorts.com/indian/indonesia.htm

BEFORE YOU GO
Before you bounce out the door, there are a few things that need to be taken care of.
1. Make sure that all electric appliances are switched off, and that there are no leaks.
2. If you are going on vacation with your own vehicle, make sure that it is well maintained so you don’t pollute the places you visit. It would be better if you used public transportation, such as a bus or train, to reach your destination.

WHEN YOU’RE THERE
Only a few hotels in Indonesia are managed in an environmentally friendly way, so it’s up to you to do your bit.
1. In many remote places around Indonesia, fresh water is scarce. Keep this in mind when you wash, and keep those showers short.
2. Towels can be used for at least two days without being washed, to reduce energy and water used to clean them.
3. Remember to switch off lights and air conditioning when you leave the room to reduce energy use.
4. Of course, never buy products made from marine turtles and insist on eating locally caught fish.
5. You can also encourage the hotel by presenting the manager with a list of environmental tips for green hotels. If your hotel or homestay prides itself as an ecotourism facility, make sure you ask them why and how.

More tips at http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/green-hotels.htm

“KILL NOTHING BUT TIME, TAKE NOTHING BUT PICTURES AND LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS”
You have probably heard this well-known phrase. By killing nothing but time and by taking nothing but pictures, you protect the environment and wildlife. And by leaving nothing but footprints, you make a positive impact on local communities, such as preventing the loss of culture.