Turning trash to cash

You’ve probably mastered the three Rs – reading, ’rithing, and ’rithmetic. But how much do you know of the fourth R – that is, recycling? Okay, let’s begin our lesson and talk garbage – literally. Learn from the experts in recycling. To begin with, here’s a list of people who have turned trash into cash, as provided by our eco source Gene Romero:

• Filipino inventor Gonzalo "Jun" Catan, also VP of Zero Waste Movement, makes tons of garbage into green charcoal. His contact number: 0918-4191515.

• Rolando Sianghio, who makes municipal wastes into organic fertilizer.

• Inventor Ramon Uy, who makes your garbage 50 percent compostable through his shredder.

• Tony de Castro of the Palawan Organic Farming, who’s wormed his way into vermi culture and composting.

Romero also suggests checking out the following NGOs:

• ERDA Foundation, which helps Smokey Mountain kids and adults alike recycle Smokey Mountain recyclables. Out of this mountain of refuse have come beautiful handmade paper, handpainted tees, cards, among other great buys. Wanna hear more beautiful stories from ERDA? Call 254-6759 or 254-7375 (look for Edward Arevalo or Ma. Socorro Alday).

• Tahanang Walang Hagdanan in Cainta. A team of Tahanan technicians – all physically disadvantaged but willing and able to make a difference – developed the prototype of a solar-powered carrier for disabled persons.

• Geo-farm in Bayambang, Pangasinan, which boasts bamboo farms and recycles water seven times. Its popularity has spread by word of mouth – contented mouths, that is – because of its organic lemon grass concentrate, which makes non-carbonated lemon tea and organic produce.

• Perpetual Help University Systems. Its got a proactive waste management subject/course. Recently, it trained about 1,500 nursing students, theoretical and on site. Interested parties can call Richard Tamayo, president, or Mary Jane Inocencio, director for special projects, at 874-8515 local 194.

• St. Joseph College and Miriam College. They have down-to-earth courses/projects that inspire the environmentalist in each of us. Call Angelina Galang of Miriam’s Environmental Science Institute at telefax 920-5093, 436-4736, 580-5400 local 3560.

And for all ye "junkies" out there, Planet Patrol has compiled a list of recycling centers and junk shops, many of which specialize in recycling only select materials – either bottles, paper, newspapers, wood, batteries (now, you know where to bring all those old, worn-out batteries you’ve accumulated over the years), styrofoam or metal. Or you can donate batteries to the ABS CBN Foundation’s Bantay Baterya. You will be asked to sign a donation registry at Bantay Baterya accredited gas stations. For more info, e-mail kalikasan@abs.pinoycentral.com.

Here are but a few junk-friendly shops:

• Paperland Ind. Corp., Leiland Drive, Balintawak, Quezon City; call Johanne Tan at 361-8531 – all kinds of paper

• Embuscado Trading, Mendez St., Baesa, Quezon City; call Windy Embuscado at 361-7113/362-4142 – paper recycler

• Winrock Ind. Services, Oliveros Drive, Balintawak, Quezon City; call Mimie Yee 362-4504 – plastic recycler

• Good Samaritan Foundation for the Disadvantaged, RM Commercial Arcade, Ramon Magsaysay Blvd., Quezon City; call 716-1499/716-1399 – aluminum cans

• CP Junk Shop, Tandang Sora, Quezon City – scrap metal

• AR Merchandise, Tandang Sora, Quezon City – scrap iron

• Arcadio delos Reyes, Roosevelt Ave., Quezon City; call 371-5127 – newspapers per kilo

• Rolando Barrientos, Scout Santiago, Quezon City; call 373-2333 – white paper, metal, bottles, paper (minimum amount: 500 kilos)

• UP Shell Center, Bantay Baterya Project, Commonwealth, Diliman; call 928-1968 – batteries (car/appliance)

• Coca Cola Bottlers Phils. Inc., Herrera St., Legaspi Village, Makati City; call 840-6907/840-6909 – aluminum cans

• United Pulp and Paper, Salcedo St., Legaspi Village, Makati; call Jimmy Macatangay at 810-9526 – corrugated carton recycler

• Bensan Ind., Caloocan City; call 361-9889; call Yvette Santos at 362-2770 – all kinds of oil except cooking oil

• Romfer’s Junkshop, Daang Bakal St., Tondo, Manila; call call Felix Fernandez at 251-2431 – bulbs, fluorescent, ballasts

• Polysterene Packaging Council of the Phils., UN Avenue, Ermita, Manila; call Tony Chiong at 526-0889 – styrofoam recycler

• Kapalaran Metal Scrap & Junk Shop, P. Santos, Pasay City; call 833-7123 – copper, aluminum sheets

• Earth Management System, Calbayog St. corner Dr. Fernandez, Mandaluyong City; call Ruben Posadas at 535-0564 – segregated and cleaned wastes

• HMR Super Surplus Bodega, Reliance and Sheridan Sts., near Pioneer, Mandaluyong; call 634-0526 – they buy your surplus, electronics, base metals, computer/appliance recycling, telephone systems, racking and shelving, precision testing, spare parts

Pick the area nearest you. Otherwise, you may try the list of the Environmental Management Bureau at www.emb.gov.ph/list_of_transporters.PDF.

As they say, one man’s garbage is another man’s fortune.

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Lessons From The Dalai Lama

From garbage, we go to priceless nuggets of wisdom from the Dalai Lama, who hands down 16 lessons to live by:

1) Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2) When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3) Follow the three Rs – Respect for self, Respect for others, and Responsibility for all your actions.

4) Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5) Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6) Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

7) When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8) Spend some time alone every day.

9) Open arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10) Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11) Live a good honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12) A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13) In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14) Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15) Be gentle with the earth.

16) Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

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