Why a waste-free 'Undas' is a grave necessity
Probably next to Christmas, All Saints’ Day is the Pinoys’ most “wasteful” celebration. Pinoys celebrate Undas with the same passion as Christmas — after all, it’s the “pasko ng mga patay.”
But this All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, the EcoWaste Coalition, the green beauty queens of Miss Earth Philippines, and Bishop Deogracias S. Iñiguez Jr. of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) give this grave reminder to all the living souls visiting their dead: “Let us observe a simple and waste-free Undas.”
As you probably have observed year in and year out, this celebration that’s sacred to us Pinoys is often marked — and marred — by wasteful practices and unrestrained littering desecrating the cemeteries that are supposed to be hallowed grounds.
“Let us observe the cleanliness of our cemeteries, as our way of respecting the memories of the dead. Cemeteries are sacred places and we should keep them peaceful and litter-free. Let us show the Filipino nature of caring for others and our environment,” said Cathy Untalan, former Miss Earth-Air International and currently the executive director of Miss Earth Foundation.
“Avoid bringing plastics bags and other disposable items or containers to cemeteries to ensure that we minimize the volume of our waste. Be mindful of the garbage that you throw. In our own way, we can contribute something to our Mother Earth while remembering our departed loved ones,” says reigning Miss Earth Philippines Karla Paula Henry.
Did you know than 8,000 tons of garbage are produced daily in Metro Manila alone? If this wanton practice — and disrespect for the dead and our dying environment — continues, sacred grounds like cemeteries, churches, and chapels can easily turn into virtual dumpsites.
Throwing his support behind this timely advocacy for health and the environment, Bishop Deogracias S. Iñiguez, Jr., chair of the Public Affairs Committee of CBCP, sends out this message, “I join the EcoWaste Coalition and the Miss Earth Foundation in urging the faithful to be mindful of the environment as we remember our dear departed ones. Let us keep garbage and pollution to a minimum and fulfill our shared responsibility as stewards of God’s creations. Make a mark for the environment.”
The Ecowaste Coalition sounds off the following calls:
• Pick clean-burning candles that do not give off black fumes or ash. Candles that produce excessive soot can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments. Also, shun candles with metal wicks, which may contain harmful chemicals such as lead, a neurotoxin.
• Light just enough candles to save on money and energy and to minimize pollution. It’s the thought that counts, not the number of candles set alight.
• Offer locally-grown fresh flowers instead of imported ones that are not only costly, but also require tons of energy to get them flown to flower shops and to you.
• Refrain from putting flowers in plastic wraps. Plastics eventually end up clogging waterways, injuring and killing marine animals, and poisoning communities with hazardous chemicals such as dioxins, the most toxic chemicals known to science, when burned.
• Desist from bringing or buying excessive amounts of food and beverage to the cemetery to cut on expenses and waste.
• Bring your own water in reusable jugs. Discarded plastic bottles add up to the country’s garbage problem. Plastics bottles, which are petrochemical products, also require lots of oil and chemicals to manufacture.
• Pack everything you wish to bring to the cemetery in reusable bags and baskets in lieu of single-use plastic bags and containers. Instead of plastic disposables, better use banana leaves or containers that can be reused.
• Throw all discards into the proper recycling bins and be conscious at all times that littering in the cemetery — and elsewhere — is a no-no!
• Bring home all your discards for reusing or recycling. Give food leftovers to pet animals or turn into compost with other biodegradable waste, and reuse or recycle the non-biodegradable discards that may have further use.
• Carpool with your family instead of traveling in different vehicles. Avoid idling, this will save you gas and avoid pollution.
• Offer prayers of gratitude and remembrance to your departed ones.
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Grave statements
Sign at Funeraria Paz on Araneta Avenue: If you don’t take care of yourself, we will take good care of you.
Sign in parking area of Arlington Funeral Homes: Till death do us park.
You could die laughing reading the above. Indeed, the living are putting the fun back into funeral services. They’re celebrating death as much as life. They party, hire funeral service caterers. And perhaps a professional funeral planner. Soon, there’ll be a lot of funeral planners making a living out of death — call it cold cash.
Dying isn’t as morbid as it used to be. According to Web MD, people are saying, “Let’s go out with some style. For heaven’s sake, make a statement.”
Now, there are personalized caskets. There are the art caskets with tongue-in-cheek motifs. Pat Fant, who creates art caskets, says there’s the Last Hole casket for golf aficionados. Or the Return to Sender casket.
As for those who opt for cremation, scattering ashes over the ocean is so passe. Now, some people like their ashes shot into space as their final resting place. That’s the cold truth and nothing but.
Today, because of the high cost of dying, people are opting for do-it-yoursef funerals and building their own caskets.
But despite today’s moribund world economy, if we may repeat what one sage said, “A day above ground is always better.”
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