A Quest for a Greener Neopia

     Something has Happened!

     A freckled Earth Faerie smiles at you. “Hi there! Would you do a quest for me? Illusen Day is coming up! How will you help keep Neopia green in her honour?”

     Although this may feel like a monumental task at first, we have compiled a guide so that all Neopians can complete this quest for Illusen and for the good of Neopia in general! In fact, being green is easier than you would think! The little decisions you make throughout the day add up to make the biggest difference. For example, a simple green choice to make would be walking or biking around Neopia when possible. That is obviously not doable with a trip to Kreludor, but you can find almost everything you need, from clothing, food, plushies, etc., all within a quick stroll from Neopia Central to the Bazar or Plaza. Do your best to stay local and shop local whenever possible, to help keep our Neopia as beautiful as possible.

     Speaking of the Neopian Bazaar, have you ever visited the Neopian Health Foods shop to get some fresh organic produce? They’re full of nutrition, delicious, and beneficial to the environment as well! Organic foods use fewer pesticides, which means they won’t harm Buzzes, but also Petpets like Springabees, Scarabugs, Buzzers, Zebbas, Camarillers, and even Petpetpets like Mootix, Bumbluz, Fleaf, and Beelzebug. That’s because pesticides deter harmful insects, but also target beneficial insects leading to loss of all biodiversity. Organic food also contains more vitamins than regular produce because of the way it is grown. In some cases, it is even cheaper than regular produce. Just compare the price of a singular regular Banana with a whole bunch of Organic Bananas! Good for your health, good for the environment, and good for your wallet, what’s not to love?

     While on the subject of delicious and nutritious food, we challenge you with making your next meal a plant-based one! Illusen herself is a huge proponent of eating vegetarian food, as we can see from the 100% vegetarian Illusen Day Burger and Illusen Day Hot Dog. Personally, our favourite meatless meals are at the Exotic Shop in Shenkuu. Not only are the Harris Vegan Platter, Kookith Vegan Platter, Poppit Vegan Platter, and Snorkle Vegan Platter adorable, but they also taste amazing! If you are trying to eat more plant-based foods, but missing some of your classic favourite meals, check out a plant-based version, like the Vegan Turkey Dinner from Neopian Fresh Foods. Likewise, tofu can seem intimidating at first, but after trying Spicy Tofu Satay or Korbat Tofu, you will see that meatless protein sources are just as yummy. Lastly, you MUST try the Savoury Grundo Veggieballs that inspired a Trading Card AND a coin! Whether you incorporate Meatless Mondays into your diet or even switch one meal a day to be plant-based, you are making a difference that Illusen herself would appreciate!

     Another idea to celebrate being green on Illusen Day, would be to pledge to buy nothing new that day! Second-hand items can carry the stigma of being uncool, musty or even bad quality, but we’re here to tell you that’s definitely not the case. Second-hand items are super trendy right now, and vintage items are more popular than ever! As they say, one Neopet’s trash is another Neopet’s treasure.

     There are multiple ways to second-hand shop:

     1. Organize an item swap with your friends. While your SDB is overflowing, the same probably goes for your friends or guild members. By organizing an item swap you all end up with new (for you) items you like, without spending any precious Neopoints.

     2. Head over to the Neopian Plaza and take a look at the Second-Hand Shoppe, specifically designed to get some donated wearables for no cost. Consider donating some of your unwanted items as well, as you could make a lesser-to-do Neopian very happy.

     3. Check out the Auction Post and/or Trading Post. People use these places to sell unwanted items, and they might just want something you want to get rid of in return! Always be polite to sellers and don’t severely underbid – we all want a good deal, but bidding too low is considered rude and can make people feel like you want to take advantage of them. Most sellers are friendly, and you can always send them a message if you have an item that you think they might like.

     Purchasing your necessities secondhand instead of new goes a long way in maintaining minimal waste, but we all know how quickly our inventories can fill up with mountains of junk! However, your collection of rotten shoes and driftwood is just what a fellow Neopian might need for a very environmentally friendly avatar that helps remove junk from Neopia, the Discard avatar. Those going for this avatar have simply one objective; to discard rubbish! Not just a few pieces, but up to 5000! Assisting those who are striving for this goal is one of the cleanest ways to offload that junk that keeps clogging up your inventory. This can be done through the Trading Post, advertising ‘Free’ trade lots, or starting a chat on the Avatar Neoboard - there will always be others who will happily take junk off your hands. Also, remember when discarding junk to not mistakenly select the ‘Donate’ option, because the last thing we need is junk flowing through the charitable hands of the Money Tree where many rely on for food supplies.

     Discarding is the right choice to make when it comes to unusable junk, but the contrary applies to Neopets who are wishing for a warm, safe, and loving home. The countless Neopets who are waiting in the pound did not choose a bad name for themselves; filled with numerical digits, underscores and gibberish. They did their best to smile and show their previous owners just how good they could be, no matter how unlikeable certain aspects of themselves were. We need to do better, as those pets deserve better. So, when the time comes for a new Neopet to be welcomed into your Neofamily, visit the pound first. Rather than creating new, adopt. You may not even realize it, but the impact of this goes beyond saving one pet from the pound. You will also be easing the workload of the staff at the Pound, and saving resources for other neglected pets, while minimizing the amount of room it takes to house every one of them. Pets who are stuck in the Pound also make wonderful companions and quest aids, as they just love to be able to help and are happy to have a home.

     Lastly, remember that small changes do make a difference. Talk to your Neopets about ways to conserve water in your Neohome by turning off the water when brushing teeth and limiting shower times or by taking baths instead. Additionally, instead of buying a plastic water bottle, Illusen would surely appreciate you bringing a reusable one out and about with you, especially if it is a cute Illusen Flask.

     As we celebrate Illusen and the 25th anniversary of Neopets, we are responsible for keeping Neopia beautiful for the next generation of Neopets players. The power is in your hands to complete this quest and make green choices on Illusen Day and every day, to make a difference in the world.