Wow. Two year. I can’t believe I let a blog last for two years. I’ve been keeping an online journal for almost ten years, and when the mood strikes, I just delete the entire thing. Not just the entries, but I delete the entire journal. Then after a couple of months, I’ll be “normal” again and I’ll start working on a new journal.

Just Wandering is my first “public” blog. It’s a convenient coincidence that April 27 was the day after the fourth iBlog summit. You see, it was during iBlog2 that I got thinking into starting my own travel blog. I was engrossed in all things travel then. That’s why my blog before had more travel news and promos than personal experiences.

This year, I’m changing the balance. Seeing as I’m traveling more now (or at least trying to), Just Wandering will be more about MY travels. No more news about tourist walking naked, but I will be posting URLs of interesting travel news on Twitter. If you don’t have twitter, follow my mindless blather through my Twitter widget on the right sidebar. There’s going to be very limited updates on airline promos, though I will still be following the Airbus A380 deliveries and possibly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The Evil Martian Network

2008 is the year of the blog for me. Apart from Just Wandering, I am now working on a couple more blogs about things that are near and dear to me.

• My Internet Lifestyle - This is basically my general blog, where I post things that doesn’t really fit in my other blogs. This is mostly about thing that I find online. It’s also a vain attempt at resurrecting nina.hey.nu, my url since 1999.
• Kainpinoy.com - The latest addition to the Evil Martian Network. I realized that I have way too many food photos and I don’t even use it. Might as well make the most out of each dining experience. Kainpinoy.com is actually a group blog, though right now, it’s just me and Ryan posting. *looks at the other kainpinoy.com blogger* You know who you are
• Life on Pinky Street - My Pinky blog. It has updates on Pinky St. releases, photos of dolls in my collection, and shamless promotion of my eBay auctions.
• Something Evil This Way Comes - The repository of stupidity, a.k.a. Nina’s personal blog. I should think of a better title.

Now go visit!

And the winner is…

Angeli

Congratulations, Angeli! E-mail, IM, flickr mail or PM me your mailing address where I can send your prize. Or if you also want to claim that dark chocolate I owe you, join the Spot.ph food tour at Serendra tomorrow.

Thanks for everyone who joined the contest, and for all the tips you shared. I’ll have to start practising those too

Popularity: 23% [?]

What are you doing to help save the Earth? It doesn’t have to be anything grand like cleaning up the Pasig River. It can be as simple as recycling your used paper products or throwing your trash in the trash bin. After all, these small changes, when practiced by thousands can make for a pretty big change.

Did I even make sense? Anyway.

One of the biggest campaigns for environmental awareness these past years is the reduction of use of plastic products. Here in the Philippines, supermarkets and department stores still use plastic bags for the goods you purchase. It was only recently that SM Supermarket started selling their resusable eco-bags for use, with the added incentive for their SM Advantage members to get additional points for using their eco-bags instead of plastic bags. Also, I heard that last Christmas, a number of companies in the Philippines released their reusable shopping bags. Though I’ve yet to see people using their eco-bags for their groceries or shopping.

Envirosax bags, re-usable shopping bag from Coles and my mini-bayong. If you look closely, you’d see the blue bubble bag from Kamiseta circa 2001.

• It is estimated that 500 billion plastic bags are used and discarded worldwide every year.
• 1 million plastic bags are used and discarded worldwide every minute of the day.
• Single use plastic bags made of HDPE remain in the environment for up to approx. 1,000 years.
• Over 100,000 birds, whales, seals and turtles worldwide are killed by plastic rubbish every year.

Source: Envirosax.com

Envirosax, an advocate for environmental sustainability, aims to reduce the use of plastic bags by promoting the use of plastic bag alternatives: eco-friendly reusable bags that are lightweight, portable and waterproof. They’re cute to boot, not to mention a must-have in every packing list.

Up until recently, Envirosax bags aren’t available locally. Thanks to Phoebe, I learned that Gourdo’s is now stocking the Retro Kitchen series of Envirosax for Php 375 each. Or you can win this Envirosax Flora #1 bag from Justwandering.org.

This is your future shopping bag.

 
In celebration of Earth Day and my blog’s 2nd anniversary, I’m raffling off this Flora #1 Envirosax bag to one lucky JustWandering reader. Simply comment on this post, and share with us what you do to help save the environment. Double your chances of winning by commenting AND blogging about this contest and linking back to this post (please drop me a line or send a trackback so I’d know you posted).

This contest is open to all JustWandering readers. The Envirosax will be sent via Air21 if the winner is from the Philippines, and by registered Airmail if the winner is residing overseas (sans the backing board, though). The deadline for submitting your comments and entries is at 11:59pm on April 26th, Manila time (GMT +0800). Winner will be picked randomly and will be announced on April 27th, Just Wandering’s 2nd birthday. Anna D., Mela, Rael and Ryan are disqualified from joining the contest

Happy Earth Day to all!

Envirosax is distrubuted locally by Zolo Enterprises. Aside from Gourdo’s, the bags are available at Fully Booked, Nothing But Water, Meet my Feet, The Reading Room, Shepherd’s Staff, My Spa, Hooked on Books, The Learning Gallery, Island Girl, Republik BTC and soon, Hobbes and Landes. You can also order online from the Envirosax Philippines Multiply Site.

Popularity: 26% [?]