2. Support renewable energy.
I’m a big believer of clean sources of energy and solar is the most accessible to everyone with a roof and willing to make an investment. We can’t install geothermal plants or wind turbines in our backyard, but we can certainly install solar panels. Renewable energy must be part of our future if humanity, as a collective, wants to live sustainably.
3. Conserve gas.
I walk and carpool as much as possible.
4. Support local products.
It reduces the amount of energy spent in transporting goods. When I buy imported products unnecessarily, I imagine how much fuel I waste in transporting those goods from the US, for instance, all the way to the Philippines.
5. Support products made by companies that believe and act on sustainability.
I read the back labels of products and happily buy products that have engineered their packaging to waste less, and use sustainable energy sources to power their factories.
6. Segregate garbage.
7. Waste less.
This is one of my pet peeves: I hate seeing anything go to waste, from food to office supplies. I try to have as much foresight as possible so that what I consume is just exactly what I need.
8. Be consistent and commit
It is not important how big your contribution is to the fight against climate change or even how unique your actions are. What matters is your commitment to lessen your carbon footprint and be consistent with your choices.
Sara is one of the Philippines’ leading beauty and fashion photographers. In 2009, she published her first book, When I Look in the Mirror. She is currently the marketing director for Yes! Solar Philippines
AMANDA GRIFFIN-JACOB
Manila Bulletin Lifestyle columnist, blogger, mom of three
1. Bring your own ecobag.
When you go shopping, whether it’s for groceries or clothes or anything else, always bring your own ecobags. Plastic bags are the worst for the environment. If you forget once in a while, then be sure to reuse your plastic bags at home for storage or garbage.
2. Bring your own bottle.
Never buy bottles of water unless you absolutely have no other choice. You should always bring your own water bottle (preferably a stainless steel or glass one) and refill your water as needed. Not only are plastic bottles bad for the environment, they are also bad for your health since the chemicals from the plastic leech into the water you drink.
3. Use cloth diapers.
I’m an 80-20 cloth diaper mama. At home, we use cloth diapers and even when we go out sometimes. We use disposables only 20 percent of the time, only when we have no choice. I try to always buy the ones that are biodegradable. Most disposable diapers take 500 years to decompose.
4. Don’t use products with palm oil.
You may or may not have heard about the haze caused by companies burning Indonesian forests in Sumatra to grow trees for palm oil. It’s an environmental travesty. Always look at the ingredients in your products and stay away from palm oil, unless you know it’s sustainably grown and manufactured. Oh, and palm oil is in most products, not just edible ones.
5. Take short showers.
I know it may be tempting to stay in the shower for extended periods of time because, believe me, sometimes the bathroom is the only place I can get a minute to myself but you need to save water for obvious reasons.
6. Turn off the water when brushing teeth or washing faces.
People waste so much water when they leave the tap running while brushing their teeth, washing their faces, or shaving. Don’t forget to teach your children to turn off the tap as well. Early habits are ingrained for a lifetime.
7. Use energy-saving bulbs.
CFLs use 60 percent less energy than a regular bulb.
8. Use a clothesline.
As much as you can, avoid using electricity. Dry your clothes the natural way. It saves you money and saves the environment, too.
9. Recycle and Reuse.
Choose products that use the least amount of packaging possible and always buy refills.
10. Commit to a living a “green” life.
Buy local. Buy sustainable. Recycle. Conserve. Children don’t actually need as much stuff as we think. Living intelligently helps reduce our carbon footprint and, in turn, alleviates climate change.
Amanda writes a Saturday parenting column for Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. She also maintains the blog, www.glamomamas.com.
MARCO LOBREGAT
Advocacy-driven business strategist, Host of LifestyleTV’s The Green Mind
1. Grow Mushrooms.
Growing mushrooms can potentially heal the world. Mushrooms break down organic matter, which helps build our soils, and produce nutrients for plants. More important, fungi (mushrooms) also help absorb carbon dioxide, a known contributor to global warming.
2. Eat Local.
According to Worldwatch Institute, “food now travels between1,500 and 2,500 miles from farm to table.” By buying local produce we aren’t only helping the nation’s economy and supporting farmers, we are also lessening our fuel consumption.
3. Buy from Farmers Markets.
Typically, meals bought from a conventional supermarket chain need a lot more fuel for transport than meals using local ingredients bought from neighborhood farmers or wet markets.
4. Consume Less Meat.
World Resource Institute stats are grim. The Earth has already lost 80 percent of its forest cover to deforestation. Cattle-ranching is a primary driver for deforestation in some countries. Furthermore, the manure generated by livestock releases large amounts of methane (CH4), another greenhouse gas. Our activities as humans produce much more CO2, but methane (CH4) has 20 times the heat trapping power of CO2.
5. Walk More Often.
Walking is not only good for our health, it is also good for Mother Nature because less fuel is used.
6. Save our Seas.
The ocean is home to one of the most important carbon sinks on Earth, plankton. These tiny organisms don’t only absorb CO2, they are also responsible for producing majority of the oxygen in our atmosphere. And we kill them off when we pollute our seas.
7. Have Worms as Pets.
Rotting organic matter from our homes gets dumped in landfills daily, contributing to global warming. Vermicomposting, the practice of using earthworms for the production of compost, helps manage our waste better by breaking down organic waste into plant-available forms while improving soil structure.
8. Hire a Green Architect.
We continue to depend on coal and fossil fuels to generate electricity. But by using energy more efficiently, we burn less fossil fuels and emit less greenhouse gases. Being energy efficient at home can begin with a sustainable architecture.
9. Read.
Stay informed. Climate change discussions have been going on for decades. But our society sometimes gets bored or become apathetic to the issue because we feel it’s something we can’t do anything about. Climate change is real and it’s right in front of us. And we can do something about it.
10. Get Involved.
There are many organizations and projects that are geared toward combating climate change and saving the planet. Make it a life goal to participate in if not as many, at least one green program this 2016.
As mentioned in his Twitter bio: @marco_lobregat, Marco is committed to spreading peace, love, harmony and mushrooms.
GREGG YAN
Communications specialist for WWF, writer, advocate
1. Fill your home with trees.
They’ll make your house cooler, absorb carbon dioxide, and attract colorful birds like orioles and flycatchers. Fruit trees like mangga, kaimito, and rambutan will give you tasty treats, too!
2. Be an urban gardener.
Urban container gardens use old plastic bottles stacked against a wall. Within each vessel is an ornamental or edible plant. Tomatoes, lettuce, eggplants, and other greens can be grown all year round. These green ideas reduce waste, augment food security, absorb carbon dioxide, and look pretty nifty!
3. Choose local.
Products flown or shipped in come with sizeable carbon footprints. Local products are easier on your conscience and your wallet. The best part? You’re uplifting our economy by patronizing artisanal traders. Think global, support local.
4. Make Waze your BFF.
Use the most efficient route to take you from point A to point B. Fifteen minutes of research can avert hilarious but time-consuming detours. Remember that a messy itinerary wastes both time and money and contributes loads of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
5. Hop on buses and trains.
Maximize mass transportation systems like the MRT, LRT, buses, and electric jeeps. A full bus takes 50 vehicles off the road, saving 70,000 liters of fuel and reducing carbon emissions by 175 tonnes yearly! Of course, you can go further by riding a bike, which judging by the traffic situation these days, is probably 100 times faster than taking the car. Plus, you can fight obesity and climate change, all at the same time!
6. Offset your flights.
Face it, airplanes have made this world smaller and more accessible. If you really must fly, choose an airline that gives you the option to offset your flight’s carbon emissions like Cebu Pacific and WWF’s Bright Skies Programme.
7. Webex it!
Can your business meeting be done over the phone, via Skype or Webex? Try it. It will save you time, money, and energy and save the environment as well.
8. Use energy-efficient products.
Replace old, heat-generating incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LEDs. They last eight to 10 times longer and use a mere 25 percent of power while still providing great illumination.
9. Prepare for floods and droughts.
Steel yourself against typhoons, floods, and droughts. Create an escape and survival plan for your house and office. Prepare a go-bag with clothes, toiletries, meds, identification cards, cash, plus communications gear. Join evacuation drills when you can. WWF has a ready-made study to prepare 16 Philippine cities for climate change. Download it now at wwf.org.ph/brstudy. You’ll love it.
10. Spark change.
Having waded through floods, you probably already know that the Philippines is typhoon-central, absorbing about 20 storms yearly. Spread climate solutions by sharing these tips with as many people as you can. Remember, we can knock out climate change before it strikes stronger blows—but only if we work together.
Gregg investigates and writes about ecological and anthropological issues. Outside WWF, he leads the Best Alternatives Campaign, mentors emerging leaders through the ASEAN Youth Leaders Association and develops communication strategies via the Asia Pacific Association of Communication Directors. In 2013, he was awarded by Reader’s Digest Asia as one of the most trusted people in the Philippines.
Source: Manila Bulletin | 10 January 2016