Our Earth, Our Responsibility

Yesterday, more than a billion people celebrated Earth Day. The world was abuzz with various activities to protect our oh-so-ailing planet.

In Cebu, the bikers had a heyday feeling safe and happy in their designated road lanes. Bike lanes and wide pedestrian lanes and canopies of trees are long overdue in our scorching cities.

Pasig City designated April 22 as bike and health day and allotted a carless green lane in a portion of Julia Vargas Avenue from 6 a.m. to noon starting April 22 and every Sunday thereafter.”

In Pasay City, EcoWaste Coalition presented anew Boy Bayong, the favorite mascot for ecological and sustainable lifestyle amid the clamor for solutions to the plastic garbage crisis.

As part of the Earth Day 2012 festival at the Liwasang Kalikasan, Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, Boy Bayong exhorted the public to “think out of the plastic bag” and embrace eco-alternatives to the ubiquitous symbol of our throw-away culture: plastic bags.

First introduced in 2006 at the “Global Day of Action against Waste and Incineration,” Boy Bayong draws attention to the ubiquitous “plasticization” of our society and the need for ecological intervention from all quarters to address the multi-faceted problems associated with the unregulated use and disposal of plastics, particularly plastic bags.

“The fragile state of our environment requires a key revision to our inconsiderate consumption and disposal habits that tend to view Mother Earth as a boundless source of raw materials to be extracted and consumed and as a dumping ground for leftover toxics and wastes,” said Roy Alvarez, president of EcoWaste Coalition.

“Through ‘Boy Bayong,’ we hope to encourage Filipinos from all walks of life to personally commit to reducing climate and environmental pollution by switching to reusable carry bags and containers,” he added.

Eco-alternatives to plastic bags include bags and baskets made from native plants such as abaca, bamboo, buri, coconut, karagumoy, nipa, pandan, rattan, water hyacinth and other local fiber materials, cloth bags fashioned out of used clothes, curtains, pillow cases, bed sheets and blankets as well as fabric scraps and flour bags, and carry bags from used rice, garlic and onion sacks, the EcoWaste Coalition said.

I visited the Ecowaste Coalition’s office in Quezon City and marveled at the innovative use of improvised sack hangers for the convenient segregation of discards into different categories to make recycling easy, fun and definitely inexpensive.

The Ecowaste Coalition is at the forefront of mobilizing all sectors to instill the mindset of sustainability through waste segregation, among many other ways. Young and old are familiar with the 3 Rs which pertain to the green mantra “reduce, reuse, recycle”. The coalition has added a few more “Rs” such as “repair” (for broken stuff),  “rot” (for organics) and “reject” (for products packed in excessive packaging as well as those laced with toxic chemicals, genetically modified organisms and other substances of concern) and the very important “R”, “responsibility”.

Consumers, communities, academe, industries, investors, politicians and governments are obliged not to put our planet and the lives of inhabitants in harm’s way.

Each day, we are confronted with choices that challenge us to be more responsible stewards. One’s commitment is tested, especially if it gets the ire of sleeping government functionaries or colleagues. But the fight for sustainability is a fight of a lifetime. It is worth every sweat in one’s brow.

This crusade applies to both natural and artificial beings.

For example, the prevalent use of perilous plastic bags is a habit that can be unlearned by each one. A smart consumer considers the life cycle of a product, and its trappings. Plastic bags have substantial components from petroleum, the burning of which produces greenhouse gas. Our continued use of these will never compel the industry to seek better alternative products that do not impinge on everyone’s right to a healthful environment.

Corporations are now learning the lesson of coherence in policies, programs and actions. A recent example is the Baguio City residents’ massive opposition to the tree-cutting project that SM City wanted to undertake with the blessings of the environment department and the local government officials.  A poster of an eco-bag the use of which SM espouses, amid the backdrop of cut trees, sends a strong message to everyone. Each one has to walk the talk.

The key question to ask ourselves is do we truly care for the planet that we owe our existence to? Are we willing to sacrifice go beyond comfort zones and live out the primordial responsibility to lay the foundations for a sustainable tomorrow for the children and succeeding generations?

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Last week was one of my most memorable since the year started. Cris Evert Lato, the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) correspondent who is an outstanding citizen-advocate, asked if I would like to be with the children, aged 5 to 11, for an interview. Since the fight for sustainability is for the children, I could not turn down the opportunity to be with them. I begged off from a meeting with another dynamic young professional and am grateful for her kind understanding.

I did not realize that I would be in the hot seat before more than 70 students in the Visayas area participating in the “My Dream Interview” Contest. Launched by PDI through Inquirer in Education in partnership with Nokia and Inquirer in Education (IIE), in cooperation with the World Association of Newspapers (WAN-Ifra) and Maynilad, the Contest is a “learning-by-doing activity” where teams of students interview and research about a chosen person and formulate interview questions. The activity is meant to give students insight into the journey that person undertakes to benefit humanity. In addition, the contest gives youngsters “the chance to find their voice and gain the confidence to interact with the media.” (https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/170325/summers-dream-for-kids-11-15).

Having studied the background of the speaker, the eager students were trained how to effectively ask questions by PDI bureau chief Connie Fernandez. It proved to be a scintillating learning session for me as I hope it was for them.

Special commendation and thanks to Inquirer, Cebu Daily News, and Chelo Banal Formoso, for helping build the capacity of our young citizens at a crucial stage in their lives to participate in the process of nation building, and the students, teachers and parents who helped made the experience unique and special for all.