I have always been an Environmentalist. Being raised in a household of average economic capacity, conservation became inherent and going back to basics is just an easy equation as one plus one.
When I was in high school I took a first hand participation in gaining and propagating consciousness to our surroundings when I took part as a member of the organizing committee for the group we called Youth Environmental Society. This was before the government started making the youth as a political tool for their own personal agenda. Way before the youth was poisoned and shaped with their own political ambitions.
It was an ideal group composed of student leaders from different High Schools and Colleges in the City of Cebu. Our mission-vision was sprouted from our individual passion to make a difference in the environment starting from disseminating information to our fellow youth. Because it was not affiliated with any political figure, our meetings were very informal. Most of our Sunday meetings were convened in a park- somewhere under an isolated shade.
But being students whose scholastic demands had to be top priority, the organization had to take the back seat. We parted ways as we pursued our individual profession. But for many of us, the consciousness and idealism is still intact. And as for me, apart from the awareness that I can give, I have learned that it takes one little step to move forward. My contribution to the environment comes from what I do day by day. It may just be me and my family…. but one has to start, and one has to start somewhere. It takes one person to make a difference. And if everyone would start thinking like that, everyone would become environmentalists in their own ways.
nice entry, rorie. it’s true, it’s high time we do give back some love to mother earth. =)
this post has given me a lot of flashbacks manang ror. those were the days when we are fueled by our idealism and passion. i miss it!
being an environmentalist should not remain in our past. like you, i’m living it in my present and will continue for a better future. ayay! this is your blogs theme man uy. hehehe! you have actually infected me and i have been sorting out cans and plastics and recycling. at least here in our household, we are environmentalist like you.
Go YES- tagi!
thanks Leen! I am trying to use this medium to reach out to friends and encourage them to share their thoughts especially in matters pertaining to the environment.
Correct gyud ka momita! Those were the days nga adto ta magmeeting sa ilalum sa Kalachuchi tree. Hay!
Let’s keep the fire burning mita. And yes, segregating and recycling is the easiest way to start. We are just so lucky Momita nga we are in this place where the government itself is strict and really working on the environmental policy. All we have to do is to take part. But imagine the people in the Philippines. It’s too difficult to start knowing that even the act of starting is just going to be futile.
i agree manang ror. we just have to take part. we managed to be visible in caring for the environment back home. how much more karon diri no?
Let’s keep the fire burning then Jacs! Let’s not disappoint Mother Earth.
yes we will. by the way, kinsa man si father? joke! joke! joke!
“All we have to do is to take part. But imagine the people in the Philippines. It’s too difficult to start knowing that even the act of starting is just going to be futile.”
Actually, we have good environmental laws here in the Philippines. A lot has been done here. There has been a lot of improvements, too. Down to the barangay level, garbage is being segregated. Besides, environmental issue actually goes beyond garbage disposal.
More and more pinoys have become aware of the ill effects of not taking care of the environment. We are all doing what we can, in big and small ways. Even supermarkets here are encouraging shoppers to use cloth bags.
If developed countries like the US can manage environmental issues better than developing countries, it’s because they have the money and the technology to do so. Dapat lang pud, because a country that big, they are one of the biggest pollutants of the earth.
I must have said an ambiguous statement Leen that you had construed in a negative way. I didn’t mean anything bad to the country where I was raised, after all I am still a Filipino. The truth of the matter is, indeed we have good environmental laws, but it is not well enforced. When I was still there the barangays have the rules on proper disposal, but few are following it. You must be really lucky to belong to a barangay which implementation is indeed successful. I may stand corrected…but this is not a hasty generalization that I made. This was a fact that I saw in front of my nose when I was there. I will surely be the first one to give my compliments if our leaders there have done so much more than just pogi points. And I would really appreciate it if you could also educate it by the numbers.
Oh no, I’m sorry Rorie if my comments sounded negative or if I gave the impression that I took your entry negatively. I didn’t mean to.
In fact, I even think that it was a good observation.
I just felt I needed to say something about the Philippines despite its imperfections, because it is doing what it can.
Anyway, if you want numbers, visit this link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/sci_tech/2001/climate_change/china.stm
And also, among 73 countries, the US did NOT sign the Kyoto Protocol. The question is: why?
These are recent values according to the WB:
Improved Water Source (% of population with access): Philippines 82%, East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) only 71%.
Improved Sanitation Facilities: Phils 72%, EAP 51%.
CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita): Phils 1.0, EAP 3.3
In 2007, the Phils’ Mediterm Report on the UN-MDGs say that it has a HIGH Probability of Achievement in Ensuring Evironmental Sustainability.
I’m sure there are more reports out there, and it’s up to us to educate ourselves.
So I guess, despite the poverty and political brouhaha in the Philippines, we are trying our best and doing what needs to be done for the environment, albeit in small steps.
p.s. I do believe that it’s difficult to make hasty generalizations, be it negative or positive, because as I said, environmental issue is not as simple as garbage disposal. A country may look clean (because they have the technology to dispose garbage properly), but that doesn’t mean that they are environmentally sound.
ror,unya nku mo comment balik lng ko kay naa ako bro in law,hehe..but yeah we do have to taek part in the cleaning up of the environment.
That’s right Leen. Truly that is an outstanding fact about us Filipinos- that despite our inabilities (because we may not be as rich as the US or the EU or Japan) and imperfections we strive to make a difference. Thanks to environmental advocates and LGUs and their implementation of our Statutes. But most of all, it’s those people who showed awareness and acted on it that made your figures impressive. Long miles of journey always starts from one tiny step. And if everyone will think that way….never to complicate our environmental problem, and instead believe that a simple conservation for instance, could make a difference then at the end of the day we will realize that we touched the world even with a little change. Protocols, Treaties and Agreements- let’s leave that to our Leaders. As for us- dwellers of this earth, we should strive to be one-less pollutant.
busy gyud lagi diay ka ron Lods? take your time diha. I am just here. I am not going anywhere. heheh! mwah!
Environmentalist pod ko oy! As me being one I collect all empty soda cans, bottles and boxes and put in recycle bin. Sus kon napa ko Pinas ako gyud pa timbang ani hehehehe. I remembered YES Environmentalist when they gathered all recycle stuff for them to raise money for there MAngrove planting. Napuno gyud to ang balay sa news papers and some other recycled materials. Hay! those where the days nga cge sila lakaw every Sunday for meeting kunuhay. Bitaw Let’s Keeep Clean and Green Environment bugnaw ug limpyo kaayo ang pamati. I start it on my own home.
wow mama Don! bisan dili ka-member atong YES, kabalo jud ka sa mga activities namo. korek jud… it was those times tha we would get together every Sunday. hahay! kanindot i-reminisce.
it’s nice to know that we all took part in making our world a better place to live in. it starts from small actions like this. kudos natong tanan!
and why would she not remember mita?…nga anha man ta ni mamadon mangayo ug plete para maka-attend ta sa meeting. heheh! And when we had those newspapers- if I know nisipok ang utok ni mamadon kay samok kaayo ang newspapers sa balay. Nagdala ug katag. hehehe! Dayon when we had our brain-storming in Barili, sya pud naghatag nato ug pocket money. So see…Mamadon should know.
hala oi! ka-supportive jus ni mamadon. ikaw ra man gud to akong i-pawn para mangayo ug plete niya. hehehe!
Opppsss! maayo kay naka remember ka Roray. atleast supportive ko sa inyong mission and vision, suporta pod si Manoy ninyo ato sa Barili. Wla lang cya kabalo nag tagi tagi diay ang Jacy ato bahala ug nasamad ang agtang basta murag crush triangle man to… Cyril and Tinten
so in all, with all of Mamadon’s support matawag nato nga sya Ex-Officio Member sa YES! Financier sya nato!
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