Green group launches campaign vs firecrackers

MANILA, Philippines–Environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition on Tuesday kicked off its yearly campaign against the use of firecrackers and fireworks by making plenty of harmless, earth-friendly noise at an elementary school in Cubao, Quezon City.

The group dramatized its call with a noise barrage using “torotot” or trumpets, cymbals and maracas, and featuring 1,000 students from the Cubao Elementary School.

“Given the fragile state of our climate and environment, we urge everyone to welcome the New Year without the shedding of blood and the massive pollution from the blasting of firecrackers and fireworks,” said Aileen Lucero, an EcoWaste campaigner.

“The conventional use of firecrackers and fireworks to usher the New Year has long been identified as a major source of accidental injuries and deaths, as well as noise, garbage and air pollution,” she said in a statement.

During the noise barrage, the school assembly, led by Principal Elena Bote, created noises out of “eco-friendly, home-made noisemakers such as the well-known torotot to simulate the countdown celebration to a New Year,” EcoWaste said.

The event formally launched EcoWaste’s yearly “Iwas PapuToxic” campaign, which complements the Department of Health’s “Iwas Paputok” campaign.

Now in its seventh year, “Iwas PapuToxic” seeks to dissuade the public, especially the youth, from using firecrackers throughout the holiday season to prevent injuries and deaths, as well as toxic environmental pollution.

At the event, EcoWaste rewarded the students with the most creative noisemakers from recycled materials and the best anti-firecracker slogans.

To drive home this message, a man in a Santa Claus costume and two students donned gas masks to demonstrate the toxic effects of firecracker explosions during the EcoWaste activity.

Also present at the event were Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag and Miss Earth Philippines beauty title holders, who led the group in dancing the popular Korean tune, “Oppa Gangnam Style,” just another earth-friendly way of celebrating the holidays, they said.