Green advocacy

(The Second Wave)

CEBU, Philippines – Environmental stewardship is one of the advocacies of this section. Kid Stuff intro-duced its environmental advocacy to its young readers during an Earth Day mangrove propagule planting last April 22, 2010.

A total of 15 kids participated in the said activity, which was held at the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary.

Mangrove plants, with their finger-like roots, are known to "protect coastlines and serve as important fish habitats." Mangroves also act as natural water filter, "preserving water quality and reducing pollution by filtering suspended materials."

Marine biologist Mario Marababol, who sits as administrator of Ocean Care Advo-cates, Inc., said that as of September, the survival percentage of the close to 2,000 propagules planted by Kid Stuff readers reached 80 percent.

Marababol reported that the main problems encountered are garbage and human activi-ties like gleaning or "panginhas" or the catching of bangus fry (panudsud) because the seedlings get trampled.

However, Marababol assured that mangrove propagule planting is easier to maintain and sustain because the location is previously known to have mangrove trees and Rhizo-phora species were used, which are hardy species, tolerant in all types of soil quality.

With the success of the green advocacy activity, the people behind Kid Stuff deemed it appropriate to sustain the momentum.

On November 6, children (eight to 12 years old) will get to participate in an Eco-House Tour in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City.

Thirty kids who are loyal readers of The FREEMAN Kid Stuff will be chosen to join the tour wherein they will get the chance to learn practical tips on reducing waste, recycling, waste management, composting and energy conservation, in the simplest terms, so they would be able to replicate resource-saving practices in their respective homes.