'Wag Kang Plastic'

After the habagat (monsoon rains) that hit Metro Manila and caused massive flooding, people suddenly became more conscious and aware of how their actions affect the environment. As a result, local and city governments launched separate movements to ban the use of plastic bags in supermarkets, department stores and other commercial establishments.

Expert studies have revealed that the plastic and other forms of debris clogging our waterways aggravated — if not caused — the heavy flooding we experienced last August. What’s more, this is not even a phenomenon confined to Metro Manila, or the Philippines. It’s a problem all over the world. I read somewhere that the average plastic bag used can take up to 1,000 years to break down. Plastic bags are known to kill sea birds, sea mammals and fish. Turtles, dolphins and whales can choke or starve by confusing plastic bags for jellyfish. On land, plastic bags can kill birds and other animals. In several Asian countries, plastic bags were banned after they were blamed for clogging drains and sewers leading to severe floods that killed over 1,000 people in 2005.

Because of what happened during the severe flooding in Metro Manila, efforts to put a stop to the use and indiscriminate disposal of plastic have become more urgent than ever — and they have been gaining more supporters by the day.

Now, whenever you go to a grocery, bookstore, or even to the marketplace, you have to bring a reusable bag to hold your purchases. Even at ABS-CBN, The Loop (where we buy our food) has discouraged the use of plastic bags. Whenever we do buy something to eat, it’s put in brown paper bags.

Students of the University of the Philippines-Diliman packed relief goods in eco bags when they assisted in delivering them to flood victims in Metro Manila and nearby areas heavily hit by the flooding.

In Barangay Bel-Air, headed by its Kapitana, the affable Nene Lichauco, the movement has already caught on. Last week, the Women of Bel-Air Foundation, Inc., with the cooperation of Barangay Bel-Air and the Salcedo Community Market, launched a campaign called Wag Kang Plastic!: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle at the Salcedo Community Market.

Kapitana Nene says the objective of the campaign is clear: It’s to help raise awareness of the importance of doing our part in taking care of the environment.

Indeed, we often complain about how the government does nothing to prevent the flooding or the destruction of property whenever natural disasters hit — but the truth is, we cannot lay the blame squarely on the government. We also have to do our part, and by institutionalizing the Wag Kang Plastic! program, the Women of Bel-Air Foundation has provided the public the means to do their part in making this a better, cleaner and healthier place for everyone to live and work in.

Additionally, the Women of Bel-Air Foundation, Inc. has come out with a list of tips on how individuals can help in the environmental protection efforts.

On top of the list is to bring an eco-friendly bag and bring smaller reusable bags or reusable food containers to separate wet and dry produce when going to the market.

Although plastic bags can still be purchased for P1 or P2 each for those who prefer to use them when shopping for produce, the foundation encourages people to avoid additional plastic bags for their goods. It’s because if everyone tries to use one less plastic bag, we would have less trash to dispose of.

People who frequent coffee shops — and Makati has many of them — are encouraged to bring their own coffee mugs instead of using the disposable paper cups normally given out by the stores.

Lastly, they also encourage people to go natural and buy fresh produce. Not only is it healthier, it also requires less packaging. Buying flowers, plants and fruits in season not only cost less, they also reduce the carbon footprint we leave behind.

Remember, saving the earth is not the job of one person alone. It is not the responsibility of the government. It is something that requires tremendous political will, and the combined efforts of people who believe that our future is still worth investing in.