Sideways News

It’s that time of the year again: the time of lists. The best and worst of 2009, the dead, the awards, the top news stories…

And guess what, I love lists. Especially when they look ahead, instead of back. So here it is, a globetrotting list of things I think are worth checking out in 2010.

Enjoy!

1. What’s better than organic muesli? Organic muesli made especially for you, with everything you love and nothing else. Makes a nice New Year’s "healthy eating" resolution present too.
2. Ushahidi is a platform for and by everyone with a socially-engaged mind. It maps messages by time and location, and shows where and how the story is developing. Even more interesting because Ushahidi’s roots lie in the Kenyan violence aftermath and has since been used for other crises where mainstream media is blocked.
3. Like music? Want to influence what you’re hearing? Then why not give budding artists much-needed support. You finance part of their (first) recording, they share the proceeds from their first CD with you. Artists from all over the world try their luck with Sellaband, African musicians put down their demo tapes with Africa Unsigned.
4. Tap water is hot. Or cold, as you wish. The quality is better, it’s way cheaper and it isn’t nearly as polluting as bottled water. Bit of a shocker to discover that you need three times the amount of water to produce a bottle than to fill it.
5. Now that we’re into saving water: invest in your personal shower coach. You might even save a polar bear or two.
6. ‘Unfriending’ may be the word of the year, but I wouldn't be surprised if 2010 saw a new batch of (virtual) friends. From Africa, that is. By the end of last year, Africa had 246 million mobile subscriptions, and internet penetration is growing steadily. And thanks to Rural Internet Kiosks, we might even make some friends in the countryside.
7. And finally, after knitting for charity in 2009, why not take up wool-filling purely for fun in 2010? Pick a funky colour and that moth-eaten cardigan will never be the same again.