Doomsday: Are you ready for 2012?

This is it, folks.  This is the year the Mayan Calender ends.  If you listen to fear-mongers or Roland Emmerich, the world will end in a cataclysmic doomsday scenario on December 21st 2012.  Now before you run off to the nearest giant space-ship, let me just assure you that the world will end…. just not in 2012.  While it may have made for some impressive special effects on screen (in a rather mediocre movie, I might add), the bland reality is there is no phantom planet x heading towards earth, no reversal of poles in 2012, no big meteors hitting the earth in 2012, and the earth’s core certainly will not stop spinning (at least according to NASA).  Life is not like the movies, and this time it’s a good thing.  Having said that though, we will certainly see some devastating events this year however. Many experts agree that 2012 will bring more weather extremes due to the changing climate.  

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45114342/ns/technology_and_science-science#.TrFZ_lbrXX7tml

Though there are still some doubters and nay-sayers hiding behind their computer screens, the evidence for an increase in extreme weather conditions and natural disasters all over the world is slowly silencing even the most stubborn critics and making it stunningly clear that the climate crisis is the most important and urgent issue of our time.  Just some entertaining info for you: 

There are too many events to list here, but for the curious ones , here’s a link that will scare the 2012 doomsday scenarios right out of you and make you realize that the world is changing – fast; not because of the ancient Mayans, but rather because of us, people with their own faults, errors, and misconceptions about how the world works or how we should use our precious resources. 

http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/news/documents/1075_en.pdf

Have you not noticed it too?  For those people out there who watch the news, and not just the local news, have you not noticed the increase in cyclones (Hurricanes), storms, heat waves, floods, droughts and extreme natural disasters in the world?  
Open your eyes to the reality, not the fiction.  If you’re interested in this topic, you won’t find the best information coming out of  the US or Europe.  Big surprise, right?  Turns out some of the best media coverage of the climate change comes from China, Brazil, India, Mexico, and Africa. Coincidentally, these are also some of the countries most affected by the scientifically evident and easily measurable impacts of the global climate change phenomenon.  For further reading, here’s a link to some interesting articles for you to peruse at your leisure: 

http://ipsnews.net/environment.asp 

So, what can you do?  Well, aside from educating yourself about the problems out there, there are thousands of ways to save energy and cut down on your carbon footprint.  We’ve examined some ways in past issues already, but in this issue, let’s take a look at some of my favourite green ways to clean your home instead of using harmful chemical products for your New Years/Spring cleaning.  

White Vinegar to cut grease, remove mildew, and stains.  
Ethanol is an excellent disinfectant if used in solution with water.  
Dirty Windows? Just use one cup Black Tea with 3 TBS vinegar.
Use an all-natural dishwashing soap. Purer soap means a smaller environmental impact during its manufacturing and also faster biodegradability.
Lemon Juice for cleaning toilets. 

And that’s just what you can do at home.  If you really want to help, keep the 3 R’s in mind – always. 
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle. 
But even if you use green alternatives and have the 3R’s permanently stamped in your memory, one of the best things you can do is becoming involved yourself in 2012.  With the various natural disasters, and weather events there are literally hundreds of ways you can contribute, Pick a Cause and have at it.  One of my personal favourites recently is the wwoof network.  If you ever wanted to travel somewhere and live naturally while helping the environment, look no further than www.wwoof.org.  In case you’ve never heard of it, it’s a network of organic farmers looking for volunteers to help out in exchange for room and board.  I’m not gonna lie, it doesn’t have the comfort or luxury of the Burj Al Arab, but it’s a great way to travel and help out at the same time.  
So, still scared of the big, bad 2012 wolf?  No matter which way you slice it, 2012 will certainly be a memorable year.  
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever – Ghandi
Help to improve living conditions not just for yourself but also for others this year.  Help to make 2012 the best year yet.  
By the way, did you know there is an Earth Day every year?  It is a long-standing tradition, dating back to 1969 and becoming more and more relevant every year.  So what will you do for EarthDay 2012?  If you have no plans yet, keep the day open. If you have other plans already, change them to do something earth related.  Either way, keep your eyes peeled to this spot for more information.  Big things are coming, folks.  Are you gonna be a part of the change?

about the author

Achim was born in Germany, raised in the States, and is currently living in Japan. Due to this multicultural upbringing, he's an ecclectic mix of all three places. He started traveling at a young age (first with his family, later on his own), which helped foster his fascination with different places around the world. That fascination eventually grew into a full-grown passion for wanting to show the world around us and how precious this world is. He is now a professional free-lance photographer working for travel agencies, magazines, and businesses, providing various kinds of photographic services both in Japan as well as internationally. Achim's journey into photography really started about 5 years ago when he found himself living in Japan and in need of a new camera. Through chance encounters, he managed to break into the Photography profession, and has been doing it ever since. Looking through the lens taught him to see the world around us in a new way and really appreciate all aspects of nature and people. He also studied Psychology, has an M.A. in TESOL, and is a licensed Massage Practitioner. Since late 2008, he started working on RAN Magazine and was one of the original co-founders of the Magazine. He enjoys Japan and likes exploring new facets of the culture. Don't forget to like him on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ALBAS-INC-Photography/179107081677 www.albasphotography.com

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