In November each year, millions of Filipinos flock to cemeteries to visit their departed loved ones, bringing flowers, lighting candles, and offering prayers.

Unfortunately, the occasion is often marred by wasteful practices. In 2013 alone, 120 tons of garbage were collected from various cemeteries in Metro Manila, according the Metro Manila Development Authority or MMDA.

To avoid this, the environmental watchdog, EcoWaste Coalition, gave 10 tips for an environment-friendly undas:

1) Take public transportation or share a ride to the cemetery.
Carpooling or taking a jeepney, bus or train can lessen carbon emission. To avoid traffic, you may also walk to your destination.

2) Choose the right candles.
Pick clean-burning candles that do not give off black fumes or ash. Also, shun candles with metal wicks, which may contain harmful chemicals such as lead.

3) Light candles a few a time.
Burn just enough candles to save on money and energy. This also lessens pollution.

4) Offer locally-grown fresh flowers.
Imported flowers are costly and require tons of energy to get them flown to you. When you support locally-grown flowers, you lesson your carbon footprint, while supporting the livelihood of locals.

5) Refrain from putting flowers in plastic wrap.
Plastics eventually end up clogging waterways. Oftentimes, plastics also cause floods, injure and kill animals, and poison communities with hazardous chemicals when burned.

6) Eat and drink right.
By not bringing excessive amounts of food and beverage to the cemetery, you cut down, not only your expenses, but also your wastes.

7) Bring your own tumbler.
Drinking water from reusable jugs saves you a few bucks, as opposed to buying bottled water. Discarded plastic bottles also add to the country’s garbage problem.

8) Don’t forget the eco-bags.
Pack everything you wish to bring to the cemetery in reusable bags and baskets instead of single-use plastic bags and containers.

9) Throw garbage properly.
Throw all discards into proper recycling bins. Remember that littering in the cemetery—as elsewhere—is a no-no.

10) Reuse and recycle.
Take home all your discards for reusing or recycling. You may also bring leftovers for your pets or dump them into the compost pit with other biodegradable wastes. Non-biodegradable discards should be recycled.

REFERENCES:

https://ecowastecoalition.blogspot.com/2009/10/environmentalists-campaign-for-waste.html

http://pagasa.dost.gov.ph/index.php/news/92-press-release/3414-special-weather-outlook-for-undas-2016

If you’re immersed everyday in Metro Manila, a busy jungle of high-rise buildings and car-jammed roads, it’s difficult to imagine a serene paradise that soothes the eyes, and is bursting with biodiversity.

But the good news is that you don’t have to go to far-flung provinces just to see unique species of birds and marine animals. Just several minutes away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, you can already delight in such a paradise.

The Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area or LPPCHEA is divided into two islands, the Freedom Island and the Long Island, jointly known as the Freedom Islands. Both serve as temporary homes to migratory birds from different countries such as China, Japan, and Siberia.

When the Manila-Cavite Coastal Road was constructed in 1973, the Freedom Islands were formed alongside it. The islands were part of the master plan for the Southern Reclamation Project that intended to expand the island in the future.

At present, the topography of the place helps birds like Little Egrets and Black-Crowned Night Herons in adjusting before entering the warmer regions of the earth. This is the main reason why a diverse species of birds can be observed in the area, making it an awesome site for bird watching.

Aside from this, the LPPCHEA is the only remaining mangrove frontier in the metro. Fishes still swarm the area, which is highly beneficial to the fisherfolk of Parañaque and Las Piñas. Other features in the Freedom Islands’ terrains include marshes, ponds, and lagoons, which make it an ideal breeding place for a variety of animals.

However, this breathtaking beauty faces threats. First are the tons of waste that end up in the seas and penetrating the waters of the islands, endangering marine biodiversity as well as potentially killing the fisherfolk’s livelihood. Another major threat are the plans of both the government and private sectors to develop the area surrounding the islands and reclaim it for commercial use.

If these plans push through, buildings and mid-rise residences will be built around the area, threatening wildlife. This action would require filling the waters with rocks and land for them to be able to accommodate buildings. This will pose a great danger to the residents of nearby places and provinces because apart from serving as home for animals, the Freedom Islands also serve as an effective catch basin for floodwaters. If the waters have already been converted into land, where else will the floodwaters go? It’s no wonder that the plans to reclaim the area have induced protests initiated by several civic groups and organizations.

Meanwhile, to ensure that the place remains suited for biodiversity, keeping it clean is of key importance. The Save Freedom Island Movement not only opposes the plan to convert the Freedom Islands, but also helps in organizing coastal cleanups and partnering with other groups or institutions that believe in the same advocacy.

The importance of these islands can’t be stressed enough. They serve their function in the ecosystem. They also provide means of support to the townspeople and lastly, they are majestic sights to behold amidst the rowdy city setup of Metro Manila.

As someone who has been to the place a couple of times, I can personally attest to the charm of the place, filled with greenery and the rich sounds of nature. Now, the challenge confronts all of us. Will we allow this gem to go to waste?

Sources:
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/301603/news/specialreports/manila-s-last-piece-of-marine-wilderness-under-siege
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/coasts/mangroves/mangrove_importance/
http://ncr.denr.gov.ph/index.php/89-webpage/338

Written by Shain Bianca C. Epanag, Panahon TV intern from the University of the Philippines-Diliman

We’ve read and heard slogans about how saving the environment can also save the planet. But how do we attain such a seemingly ambitious goal? The answer is by breaking it down into simple earth-friendly changes we can easily incorporate into our daily routine. Here are some practical steps in going green.

Kick the plastic habit.
Sudden floods have long been the bane of metro living, especially during the rainy season. And it doesn’t take a tropical cyclone to cause water level to rise; just a bout of afternoon thunderstorms is enough to cause massive floods and heavy traffic all over the city.

According to the EcoWaste Coalition, a non-government waste and pollution watchdog, waste is one of the major causes of flooding as these clog drainage systems. Metro Manila’s daily waste weighs in at an alarming 8,601 tons per day and is estimated to rise to 9,060 tons per day in 2015.

That is why the group supports the implementation of Republic Act 9003, an act providing for an ecological solid waste management program. The coalition’s major projects include Balik Bayong, which encourages consumers to carry their purchases in a bayong or a reusable bag instead of plastic, which add to the problem of non-biodegradable waste. In fact, EcoWaste has been actively pushing for the banning of plastic bags with the help of local government units. Cities like Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Quezon City have banned the use of plastic bag, especially in wet markets.

Eat sustainable food.
Greenpeace, another environmental group that aims to change attitudes and behavior of people on protecting and conserving the environment, says that eating fruits and vegetables is more eco-friendly than eating meat. According to a 2006 report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all the forms of transport in the planet combined. Moreover, forests are being destroyed to make room for pastures to feed these animals, killing off thousands of trees that mitigate floods and global warming.

If you want to take eating green a step further, Greenpeace suggests growing your own produce in your backyard to ensure that your veggies, fruits and herbs are pesticide-free.

Cook with minimum energy.
Eco-friendly cooking begins with the right equipment. Greenpeace suggests that before buying large appliances, you should check and compare their energy ratings to know how many kilowatt-hours of energy they use up per month.

Compared to metal pans, glass dishes heat up more quickly, using less time and energy for cooking. Also remember that the bottom of your pan or pot should be the same size as the burner to use the minimum amount of energy.

Before cooking, thaw frozen foods first. And when boiling water, put a lid on the pan to make it heat up faster. Turn down the heat after water boils. Lightly boiling water is the same temperature as water in a rolling boil.

Store food smart.
Greenpeace says no to plastic and suggests using reusable glass containers for storing food in the refrigerator. Speaking of refrigerators, do you know that they use more energy than any other appliance in your home? Here are a few tips to minimize their energy consumption:

• The fridge’s temperature should be kept at 38 to 42°F (3 to 5°C), the freezer at 0 to 5°F (-17 to -15°C).
• Do not open your refrigerator door repeatedly. Before opening it, first decide on which item to get to avoid energy wastage.
• Don’t place your fridge in a warm spot, such as near the heater or in direct sunlight.
• For its efficient operation, clean the condenser coils at the back or bottom of your fridge at least once a year.
• Keep the door gasket clean to make sure that dried food and residue won’t damage its seal.
• Remarkably, energy consumption by the most efficient refrigerator models is largely unrelated to their size. The most efficient 14 cu. ft. fridge on the market today only consumes 106kWh/y. These efficient refrigerators are about 5 to 15% more expensive to buy, but will save you loads of money and energy.

Make the most of your bathroom time.
Each time we use the bathroom, it’s inevitable to use water. To make sure we don’t waste our most valuable resource, Greenpeace dishes out some ways on how we can be eco-warriors even during bathroom time:

• Use a pail for flushing or install dual-flush toilets to minimize the amount of water used. Use your wastebasket for miscellaneous bathroom wastes. Flushing garbage wastes water and can cause treatment problems.
• Mend any dripping taps or leaking pipes immediately. Don’t leave the tap running while brushing your teeth or shaving.
• A shower (about 10 minutes) uses 2/3 of the amount of water as a bath.
• Install water-saving devices for your taps and showers. Energy saving shower heads can save up to 20% of hot water usage and cut down your electricity bills. A faucet aerator will reduce the flow without reducing the water pressure.

By making these steps part of your daily habits, you’re well on your way to saving the planet—a task that doesn’t need superheroes to achieve, but small, individual acts that will make a difference in the long run.

Sources: ECOWASTE COALITION | Greenpeace Philippines | Greenpeace USA