Published in Climate Conscious·Jan 25Getting a New Smartphone? Read This First.Rethinking our smartphone habits for the environment: Why it matters and 5 things to consider — My phone has been charging for hours — but the battery level fell from 7% to 4%. A trip to the repair shop didn’t help — they insisted nothing was wrong with it. So I found myself researching for a smartphone two years after getting my “new” phone. Truth be…Sustainability7 min read
Jan 188 Practical Tips for Letting Go of Sentimental ItemsDon’t let meaningful items languish. — In Singapore, I have 1 clear box full of mementos I’ve saved for… memories’ sake. The box contains my curated things — things I love, things associated with core memories, or gifts that held great meaning. …Declutter7 min read
Published in Climate Conscious·Dec 22, 2021Eating Better For the EnvironmentThe things you should know about crafting a low carbon footprint diet — I stopped eating meat around 2016. Around that time, I had just embarked on a mission to reduce my personal carbon footprint. After learning meat consumption has a huge impact on the environment, I had to do something about my diet. Since meat protein has a higher carbon footprint than…Environment9 min read
Oct 18, 2021I Realized A Relationship was Toast After Watching A MovieBut now I’m no longer Seeking A Friend for the End of the World. — A long time ago, I cried watching Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. I don’t remember it being that moving or sad, but it made me cry — because it revealed to me a startling fact about my then-relationship. I can’t even remember most of the story…Love5 min read
Published in Age of Awareness·Mar 4, 2021Watch Your Social Media Use Before Your Social Media Uses YouOh wait, it’s already using us. But here’s what we should know anyway. — When was the last time you scrolled through your social media feed? Mine was approximately two minutes ago, on Instagram. In that time I went through perhaps two dozen posts, a dozen stories, and at least half a dozen ads. It seems so harmless, us scrolling down our feed to…Social Media7 min read
Feb 3, 2021A Telling DreamI found myself standing on a platform, 60 stories up, with shaking legs and a pounding heart. — I dreamed I was doing an obstacle course. The first part involved me climbing 60 stories to a platform suspended in the sky. I wasn’t harnessed. The ladder was mounted onto a skeletal frame. I climbed quickly so fear can’t catch up with me, taking all of 3 seconds. …Anxiety2 min read
Jan 21, 2021A Supersimplified 3-Step Mental DeclutterLiving simply is a choice. — Minimalism is a lifestyle. Simplicity is the choice we make to maintain the minimalist lifestyle. It’s a brand new year, and I spent some time evaluating my mental priorities. They remain the same: to keep my life simple and my mind clear. I don’t know if it’s because of my…Minimalism4 min read
Published in Literally Literary·Dec 19, 2020Hello Gail, My First Winter Storm.I was a child again, for a day. — Snow day. It started in a flurry — the storm I’ve been waiting for. I stood by the window, working, one eye on the situation, watching fat flakes fall from the sky, powdering the ground in white. My eyes delighted at the sight, for I’m from a tropical island, witnessing…Winter2 min read
Nov 18, 2020Making Sense of The 2020 US Presidential ElectionIt smashed my rose-tinted glasses. — I think it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the first two weeks of November have been tumultuous. It had quite a profound impact on me. Before the election, I was fully prepared that either candidate may win (my apologies to Jo Jorgensen, who I didn’t think stood a…Election 20207 min read
Published in Climate Conscious·Oct 21, 2020Too Introverted to Be an Activist?Here are quieter ways to contribute to the climate movement without changing who you are. — As someone who writes often about environmental issues, I often think about what it is I hope to do. Do I want to become a famous blogger/advocate of the climate movement? An activist? It didn’t take me long to realize I may be too introverted to be either! When I…Climate Change7 min read
