Tuesday, February 18, 2014

LIVE from…A Dream Come True!

WELLINGTON — Remember Emma? The Kiwi dreamer with a passion for both writing and the environment? Well, as it turns out, Emma has some terrific news for us.

Emma has just begun writing a series for The Dominion Post, one of New Zealand's major daily newspapers. Her series is called "The Greenist" and in its debut, she talks about who she is: "A 34-year-old city chick with an office job and an [apartment in town]," which is to say, Emma isn't your usual beatnik environmentalist.
Emma Gilkison, who writes The Greenist for Stuff

In her The Greenist series, which will appear several times weekly, Emma will research the things we've all heard about but know nothing concrete about (species extinction, rising temperatures, and, as she writes, "Arctic glaciers melting like ice creams"). Helpfully, she'll put this stuff in the vernacular. But that's not all. For 2014, Emma has created a schedule of monthly challenges, beginning well, right now, of things that we can all do to make a real difference to the environment. Her challenges hit home because they are personal and accessible. For instance, in May, she'll try her best to go paperless, and then find a way to plant 100 trees. In July, she'll go plastic-free, and will somehow (I'm looking forward to seeing just how) avoid purchasing anything wrapped in plastic for the entire month. I bet Emma wishes she'd chosen a shorter month for that particular challenge!

So, who's up for joining Emma on this monthly adventure? You can join from anywhere in the world. How about you, my hometown Cincinnatians? And New Yorkers? And what about you, Mongolians and Mongol-philes? Chinese 朋友? English and Aussie and Kiwi mates? My e-pal in Bhutan? The more the merrier! Just don't toast your efforts with disposable champagne glasses! (Or disposable airag mugs, either.)

Click here to read The Greenist's Challenge Schedule, and make sure to read the very unusual challenge for March, as well as this month's challenge, which will be very interesting for those of you who live in the suburbs. Come one, come all! See you there!

The Greenist will appear several times weekly. Click the link to read and follow Emma Gilkison's series.

'LIVE from Mongolia,' the true story of what can happen when you follow a lifelong dream, is available on Amazon (hardcover and Kindle), Barnes & Noble, and in bookstores internationally. "This book is inspiring, and teaches all of us to put passion first, and happiness will follow…" 
-60 Minutes' Ira Rosen

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