Photo by Katharina Hesse
Our planet Earth is at stake. This is not new information. Climate change is among us and acting on it must be done now.
Just last October, UN warns the world that we have at least 12 years to prevent ourselves from experiencing a climate change catastrophe. Pollution all over our seas, atmosphere and land has been causing a lot of damage to our environment – and if we do not act on it as early as now, it might be too late for us to save our planet.
The Philippines may be a great country to live in, but pollution is abundant in our streets, seas, and our air. While the government is doing their part to save our environment, like rehabilitating Boracay and targeting Palawan next, we must also do our part in taking care of our surroundings.
Here are little ways wherein we can contribute in saving our planet and preventing more damage to the environment:
Live a waste free life
With our fast-paced lifestyle, it is almost impossible for us to live waste free as plastics and other disposable materials are heavily used in different establishments. Shops, restaurants, and other businesses continue to use single-use materials, but this does not stop us from living a waste free life. There are stores emerging here and there that promote a waste free lifestyle. They sell products that are not contained in disposable packaging. It might be time for us to browse through these earth-friendly stores.
Carpool with your friends
If you happen to look at Metro Manila’s skyline during the day, you might have seen how polluted our atmosphere is. Our vehicles contribute to air pollution as our cars omit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases. If you happen to live near a co-worker or a colleague, try carpooling to work to reduce air toxins produced by our cars. It is always a fun ride when you are riding with your friends anyways.
Take care of our waters
The Philippines is greatly surrounded by bodies of water. If you happen to pass by Manila Bay you would notice how polluted the water is. This is a reminder for us to take care of our waters. Recently, Boracay was rehabilitated and the water is more pristine compared back then. Boracay serves as an example on what would it be if we took care of our waters more.
Invest in reusable utensils and containers
It is always a good time when it’s time to eat outside. But nowadays, almost every restaurant uses singe-use utensils and containers which eventually will turn into waste. It might be time for us to invest in reusable utensils and containers to lessen plastics. Metal and bamboo straws are very much prominent today. So go ahead and invest on one of those!
Throw your waste properly
This must be the simplest yet helpful way to lessen the pollution in our environment. Throwing your waste properly could help in protecting our land, seas, and even air. When people dispose their waste and throw it everywhere, it could cause floods as trash gets clogged up in our sewers. So next time you need to throw something, find the nearest trash bin or hold on to it just for a minute as part of saving the planet.
Earth might be the only planet where we can live in. If we do not take care of it, things might go worse and all of us might suffer from all its consequences. These are just some ways which we can do to save our planet. We must act on it now before it’s all too late.
