Do Mother Earth, your lungs a favor: Car-free day pushed

Leave your car to show you care.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and its partners are launching on Sunday a campaign that calls on car owners to leave their vehicles at home for at least one day this month and instead use public transport or bicycles to reduce carbon emissions and conserve energy.

The “car-free day” campaign will start in the cities of Makati and Pasig in line with the observance of Clean Air Month, officials said on Saturday.

“I encourage everyone who can to leave their car at home at least one day in November and use alternative modes of transportation such as cycling, walking or taking public transport,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said in a statement.

Thousands of clean air advocates are expected to gather at Ayala Triangle in Makati City for today’s launch at 6 a.m. They will then proceed to Ortigas Center in Pasig City riding bikes, electric cars and other “green” modes of transportation.

“We all know that motor vehicles remain the major source of air pollution not only in Metro Manila but also in other urban areas. Thus, we call on vehicle owners to lend a hand in the government’s efforts to clean the air,” Paje said.

As of the third quarter of 2012, he said, both the amount of total suspended particulates (TSP) and the level of particulate matter 10 microns in diameter or smaller (PM10) in Metro Manila had decreased from previous quarters.

TSP refers to the amount of solid pollutants such as dust and soot in the air, with the guideline level at 90ug/Ncm (micrograms per normal cubic meter).

PM10, on the other hand, is considered more harmful to human health as its finer particles, when inhaled, can penetrate the lungs and lead to severe pulmonary or respiratory illnesses.

Paje said TSP levels in Metro Manila dropped from 135ug/Ncm in the first quarter to 130ug/Ncm in the second quarter, and to 106ug/Ncm in the third quarter—reflecting an overall decline of 21 percent.

The PM10 levels went down by 18 percent, recorded at 94µg/Ncm in the first quarter, 86µg/Ncm in the second quarter, and 77µg/Ncm in the third quarter, he added.

The annual guideline threshold for PM10 is at 60ug/Ncm.

Secretaries Joseph Emilio Abaya of the Department of Transportation and Communications and Carlos Petilla of the Department of Energy, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino, and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay are expected to join Sunday’s launch.

Also attending are Sophie Punte of Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities, environmentalist-lawyer Antonio Oposa, and other officials and advocates.