And who caused this disaster anyway?

The FB feeds are filled with messages of hope and requests for prayers that loved ones are OK, except they’re unreachable. Typhoon Odette again reminds us of what we need to do, everyday, in our simple lives.

This calamity on top of the pandemic is really testing not just our resilience but our faith. Like someone said, “It’s too tiring to be resilient!” But we have to carry on. So now we go back to believing there is a better reason why things happen.

It may take us years to realize the faults of our generation and it is easier to just blame someone else for our misfortune (you can start with lack of leadership, lack of funds, yada yada). But really, all these environmental changes and weather disturbances happen to give us some lessons.

It’s just so unfortunate and unfair that those who caused this slow damage to the environment through irresponsible business practices are the ones least affected when disaster happens. Then they give back through philanthropy, hopefully.

So we really need to pray for a change in how people plan their business strategies. Or maybe even ask ourselves if we contribute indirectly by patronizing irresponsible companies. We do buy products everyday and some of these are from companies who think of financial profit first, maybe environment next (if at all) and social mission last.

It’s a never ending cycle – we buy products, these companies deliver at the lowest price possible (because that’s what we demand), even at great cost to the environment. Then the climate change repercussions happen through disasters – and the same companies that caused them now donate to help those who got displaced or disadvantaged. Then we buy again and the whole cycle repeats and never ends.

What can we do?

• Change our buying habits as ordinary consumers.

• Buy only from responsible companies.

• Avoid further damage to the environment.

• Change your lifestyle to be more eco-friendly.

This is how simple it can get. It goes back to us – our habits, our lifestyle, our everyday practices.

If we start repurposing, reusing, recycling, maybe we will need less stuff from stores – less plastic, less packaging. That really helps.

For business people, think of the long term. Rather than engage in philanthropy, be responsible from the get go. That’s the biggest humanitarian contribution you can give.

So let’s not wait for another disaster. The biggest help you can do or give is to stop contributing to disasters waiting to happen.

And anybody and everybody can do that. That’s our Christmas gift to Mother Earth – and ourselves. Start changing our ways. Because our ways become the trigger of irresponsible companies to produce more garbage, more stuff we really can live without and more fuel costs to deliver said goods to each one of us.

Let’s live simply as we have already been trained to do the last two years.

• Buy local. Less fuel is consumed to deliver to you.

• Buy natural. The more un-processed food is, the healthier for you and the planet.

• Avoid plastic packaging that causes garbage, clogged waterways and flooded cities.

• Buy from sustainable businesses or companies who truly espouse sustainability and not just from another greenwashing enterprise.

And maybe, just maybe, we can avert future disasters waiting to happen. It starts with our daily habits. If you change your ways, everyone will benefit. It’s the best change you can make for our future.