Legarda urges Filipinos to be mindful of the environment in celebrating yuletide season

By Jason de Asis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, December 22, 2010-Senator Loren Legarda urges Filipinos to be mindful of the environment as millions of the citizenry celebrate the holiday season, organizing and attending numerous parties and holiday events, adding that enjoying the season does not entail sacrificing the environment through tons of trash if celebrations are made frugal and eco-friendly.    

The senator said that the country’s yuletide season generates heaps of trash from leftovers, gift wrappers, containers and utensils from the abundance of the people’s gifts and foods. “It is best to be thrifty and eco-friendly as the nation feels the effect of climate change,” she said.

Legarda advised that instead of using disposable food ware, Filipinos can use local washable plates and regular cutlery and recycle the wrappers, boxes and ribbons from gifts that they receive, citing that people should refrain from preparing an excessive amount of food or getting more than what they can consume to avoid wastage as a great gift to Mother Earth; moreso, EcoWaste Coalition’s urged to use banana leaves on bamboo woven plates instead of polystyrene plastic (Styrofoam) to reduce plastic trash.

As per record last November 28, Manila Bay was dumped with the 75.55% of the trash collected in the area which was composed of plastic discards, 20.47% of which are polystyrene plastic.

The National Solid Waste Management Commission data showed that an individual generates about 0.7 kilo of garbage on an average day, but it increases up to 1.2 kilos during the holiday season.

“Enjoying the season through grand celebrations during Christmas is a good practice but we should be mindful of our environment,” Legarda said. (Jason de Asis)