Legarda urges Filipinos to ‘carbon fast’

Sen. Loren Legarda. File photo from Office of Sen. Loren Legarda

In observance of the Holy Week, Senator Loren Legarda is encouraging Filipinos to “carbon fast,” a kind of fasting that she said is “environment friendly.”

“As stewards of God’s creation, it is beneficial to everyone—humans and other species alike—if we become more aware of our actions’ effects on the environment. As we observe Holy Week, it may be good to reflect on this and it would be best if we can take action against environmental degradation and promote the sustainable use of our natural resources,” Legarda, an environment advocate, said in a statement on Monday.

“To carbon fast is to reduce our individual carbon emissions, which is a concrete action on climate change and will ultimately help in saving our ailing ecosystems. It would be best if we adopt a low-carbon lifestyle, even beyond the Lenten season,” she said.

The senator explained that a “low-carbon lifestyle” is the conscious effort by individuals and communities to change their daily routine and practices to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to create carbon dioxide sinks. The aggregate of these individual and community efforts, she said, would considerably mitigate climate change.

“These actions can be as simple as bringing eco-bags or reusable containers when going to market to avoid using plastic bags, using energy-efficient lights such as LED, or going meatless,” she said.

Legarda, who also chairs the Senate committee on climate change, then enumerated at least seven ways to carbon fast:

• Opt for food that is local, plant-based, and in-season because food from distant places utilizes more energy for transportation and preservation, resulting to greater carbon emission;
• Venture into modes of transportation that are energy-efficient, such as walking, biking, taking public transport, and carpooling whenever possible;
• Economize on energy consumption and shift to indigenous and renewable energy sources, use low-wattage appliances, unplug electronics when not in use, and other similar practices;
• Practice solid waste management by segregating at the source, composting biodegradable wastes and recycling;
• Consume water wisely like gathering and storing rainwater for daily chores; and,
• Plant trees, create forest parks, protect natural forests and undertake reforestation.

“These are just some ways by which we can make environmental protection and climate mitigation part of our daily life,” she said. “These practices do not demand much from us. Ultimately, our aim is to manage our ecological assets more judiciously so that humanity can live within the Earth’s limitations.” JE/rga