BAHA Celebrates First Year

The Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance celebrated its first anniversary with a conceleb-rated mass which was held at the University of St. La Salle chapel with Msgr. Vic Rivas, Vicar General of the Bacolod Diocese together with eleven other priests.

High note of the celebration, which was attended by over a hundred members and sympathizers was the homily of Msgr. Rivas who said that neglect and the sins of omission by some public officials have led to the flooding of many sectors of Bacolod City.

He praised the lady members of the Alliance as he said the power of women had always been phenomenal. He also blamed some officials for their abuse and pride of their political power which has led to the present situation. 

He even metioned that at the height of the rains last December, 2007, that even the Cathedral was flooded which led to a very alarming situation where parishioners were prevented from attending some masses. He emphasized that the problem of Bacolod City was not only in flooding but also in governance. He made mention of the hand shaking between of Cong. Monico O. Puentevella and Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia during the 75th anniversary celebration of the Diocese which he said should have been a first step in the right direction where politicians of the city should unite for the common good.

He praised the Anti-Baha movement for taking up the cudgels of the poor people of Bacolod City with respect to the flooding and other community problems. 

That this organization did not only work for the benefit of their subdivision but also for the welfare of those who have less in life. This clearly shows that the Anti-Baha officers and members are very civic-minded. 

He further stated that uncollected garbage and flooding go togehter. Ms. Jean Trebol, in her message of thanks, expressed their gratitude to officials of the University of St. La Salle, their members and the general public for their support which led to the successful first anniversary celebration of the Anti-Baha Alliance.* (WHOS)

BAHA to City Officials, National Agency Heads:

‘Put Service for the Common Good Above Politics’

By Carla N. Cañet

The Bacolod Anti-BAHA Alliance marked its 1st year anniversary yesterday with a concelebrated mass at USLS with Msgr. Victorino A. Rivas as the main celebrant. 

The holy mass was attended by BAHA members, USLS students and a lot of concerned citizens who believe in the cause of BAHA. 

Jean Trebol said that, “I thank all of you for coming to join us in thanksgiving for the 1st anniversary of BAHA. It has not been an easy year for BAHA and we do not expect the days to come to be easy either.” 

She added, “We pray to God to continue to guide us and bless us with perserverance to relent-lessly pursue our cause. We pray that our City Officials and national agencies will put a premium on service for the common good above their personal politics. We pray that all of you here will continue to support our cause, your cause for a clean, flood-free Bacolod.” 

Agnes Jalandoni said that “A year ago, we formed an alliance in order to compel our city government officials and national government agencies to once and for all utilize all the resources and laws at their disposal to solve the flooding problem of Bacolod City, and to encourage all citizens to do their share. We come together to celebrate in thanksgiving one year of commitment. It has been an eventful year, filled with small successes and some disappointments. 

But through it all, we have experienced God’s abiding presence, his fidelity manifested in people who have supported us, who have rallied behind us, who have expressed their faith and hope in us. So even as we celebrate, we also come together to ask for God’s strength so that we may face the challenges and obstacles that may come our way with steadfastness and deeper commitment. May we continue to open our hearts in concern for others, to be the voice for those who have no voice, to take up the fight for those who do not have the strength and the will to fight for their cause.” 

Msgr. Rivas thanked BAHA for taking up the in behalf of the community. The San Sebastian Cathedral was once flooded for the first time. He urged local leaders to unite to solve the problem on flooding.*

EDITORIAL

BAHA Marks 1st Year

Young in age but matured in outlook, relatively harmless and meek, but fired with enthusiasm and definitely capable and able to weather the storms, in fulfilling its avowed mission to stand up for its members’ rights and in upholding the group’s noble goals in fighting for the welfare and benefit of the community, especially victims of natural calamities - floods, pollution, disease and contamination, name it, vigilant members of the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance, are not found wanting, and won’t allow complacency, either. 

That appears to be the spirit of community involvement that the Alliance has so far exemplified and imparted to the citizenry of this capital city when they took it upon themselves to unite and work for the common cause of not only well-heeled residents of Santa Clara Subdivision, but all city dwellers, regardless of status in life, on the first anniversary of BAHA held yesterday and highlighted with thanksgiving mass at USLS.

Born out of an outpouring floodwater that inundated their surroundings sometime last year, the vigilant and no-nonsense group of well-to-do families, definitely among the more influential names in the city, lost no time gathering themselves and then and there formed what is now one of the most potent forces in service to community and people. 

The constant flooding caused by, among others, clogged-up drainage, rivers and creeks that have not been dredged for quite sometime until BAHA raised a loud howl, the criminal neglect and the lack of a long-term drainage program in the city, worsened by people’s carelessness in garbage and waste disposal, all contributed to the tragic consequences that had threatened the very existence of people along the path of disaster during rainy weather.

In short, the life-threatening condition in many parts of the city, called for immediate, drastic action not only by the city authorities but principally also by the people themselves who stand be the unfortunate victims. This was the sad state of things that prompted civic-spirited citizens who now compose the nucleus of the Anti-Baha Alliance or BAHA to unite and do something, without whose fearless advocacies, many problems of seemingly insurmountable proportions could have been left hanging, unattended and ignored.

Today, on just its first year of community involvement, the Alliance has paved the way for people’s awareness and sense of responsibility, that they should not always rely on their public officials but must take the initiative, get involved and storm the heavens, if need be, to help themselves in trying to solve their common problems, because unless they do so, help may not come at all, thus, the need for each and everyone to try hard to be able to stand on their own two feet. 

Self-reliance, self-help, an independent mind and a determination to prevail over all the challenges and hardships that come our way should always guide our plans and actions for the common good. If only for such a realization of being independent-minded, strong-willed and a determined citizenry, the Anti-Baha Alliance can be considered a real force for good that should deserve our full support and cooperation.

We need fighters for righteousness, sticklers for justice and good virtues, advocates for peace, harmony and positive values, men and women who can lead and enlighten, who have the talent and the means to inspire, motivate and keep our hopes high in the midst of trials and tribulations. 

It is us, the citizenry who can make that happen, and with enlightened leaders like them, we can look forward to better times ahead. For that alone, members of the Alliance deserve kudos and a pat on the back. 

Congratulations to BAHA on its first anniversary. Let’s keep the floods of community involvement rampaging its way into people’s hearts and minds. And let the recalcitrants and doubting Thomases now realize that community problems can only be eased when everyone does his or her share of the burden. We live in a world of turmoil. And disaster. Let us be prepared for the worst, always. Don’t be caught flat-footed. Be ready to wade in floodwaters, if necessary.*

POLITICS, POLITICIANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

SOMETHING SMELLS!

By Gigi M. Campos

There are many issues on the minds of people these days: the sinking economy, the scarcity of jobs, security and health. Somehow, environmental issues seem to rank very low in the consciousness of many, attributed I guess to a large extent to the under-reporting of environmental problems by our mainstream media. And when our politicians do get around to discussing important environmental issues with us-the air that we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the natural world we live in with the rest of the earth’s creatures-the falsehoods fly. 

In some cases, a politician’s rhetoric may be heart-felt, but in most cases it is merely spin, covering up for the fact that the politician is willing to sacrifice what is good for the environment and the general populace for a narrower benefit, such as protecting the interests of big campaign contributors and prospective voters. And there is also a little-talked-about reason - that politicians sometimes lie to us about environmental issues because we choose to remain blind to how each one of us has contributed to the problem. 

The truth is we, the general public are either unable to stomach certain aspects of reality or are happier being blissfully ignorant. In the case of the environment, most politicians don’t want to address issues of pollution, global warming, the deteriorating web of life. But why not? 

Each politician may have his or her reasons for stating untruths or lying by omission. Many may see the real solutions to some environmental issues as too complicated to explain to us unwashed masses, or they may view the solutions as striking at the heart of a way of life most people have gotten so used to and therefore, political suicide to bring up. Take the case of the implementation of RA 9003 or the National Solid Waste Management Law. To implement this will take much effort and a thorough education campaign on the part of government, and the involvement and cooperation of the citizenry. 

The facets of our existence that are wasteful or unsustainable are indeed threatened by sensible solutions. But the proper explanation of issues and solutions cannot easily be distilled down to 60-second sound bites, and politicians know that’s about all the attention they can expect from us in these days of hyper-busy lives and hair-trigger channel changing. If we are disengaged as citizens, our politicians will continue to relegate to the back burner important issues like garbage, flooding and the growing number of squatters in the city. 

For many, the most sought-after dream is to have a nice house with a green lawn and plenty of breathing room between us and our nearest nutty neighbor. Few think about the fact that every time a new housing development goes up on previously undeveloped land, we turn a natural ecosystem full of native plants and animals into an area that is usually replanted with a limited number of non-native species and therefore becomes unsuitable for the majority of its previous flora and fauna. The onward march of development continues to chew up more and more farm lands and natural forests. Where will it all end? Is there a point of maximum development at which the global ecosystem that sustains us becomes so altered that it goes into freak-out mode, threatening all life? Do we have a master development plan for the city? These are apt questions, but you rarely hear our politicians talk about them. 

Because of the uncontrolled influx of informal dwellers from out-lying towns and cities, there will be a need for more and more land for re-settlement, and more land for roads to get from their dwelling places to jobs and commercial areas. They will also require more land and energy for production and distribution of food, clothes, and other goods, and they will need more energy to light their homes and fuel their vehicles. What is the city government doing to address the problem of the ballooning numbers of informal dwellers? 

But it’s a rare politician who will step up and frame the issues of garbage, flooding and informal dwellers in these stark terms, if they are willing to address it at all. Additionally, our politicians promote constant increases in development because they (falsely) believe it is the only way to keep the local economy strong. 

We, as a society, have hard choices to make. It would be nice if our politicians would tell us the truth, explain the tough issues, and offer us concrete plans and solutions to the problems plaguing the city. But until there is a strong grassroots movement supporting discussion of difficult issues-until the supporting winds blow hard enough for politicians with their fingers in the wind to sense the need to do it-most politicians will continue to leave the tough issues in the Cone of Silence. Until we as a people learn to speak up and express our concern over our government’s inaction and indifference over these issues, we can expect our politicians to keep lying to us. 

There will always be some politicians who will lie more than others and some who come very close to telling us the truth. It’s easy enough to identify these two types: The lying politicians will usually be saying things that feel comfortable and require no effort on our part; the truth-telling politicians will usually be saying things we’d rather not hear and prefer not to think about.*

WALONG TULOG NA LANG

SOMETHING SMELLS!

By Alan S. Gensoli

Before I start, let me congratulate the convenors and members of the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance. Today, the Anti-BAHA marks its first year anniversary, in contemplative fashion, with a concelebrated mass at 11:00 a.m. at the La Salle chapel. You are all invited to attend and join us pray for solutions to our flooding and garbage problems. The main celebrant will be Msgr. Vic Rivas. See you there. 

Walong tulog na lang, December 5 na. Today’s column is part two of my column yesterday, about frequently asked questions on garbage segregation, now that our government has agreed with the DENR that it will begin collecting residual wastes on Dec. 5, 2008. Yesterday, I wrote about waste characterization, containers for segregated garbage, recyclables, and reusables. Here now are items 5 to 10. 

5. What are compostables? These are your garden trimmings, leaves, branches, grass cuttings, dead flowers, rotten fruits and veggies, that you should decompose and turn to garden fertilizer. Read my column last Nov. 10. I talked about making a natural spray to hasten the decomposition process. It’s called IMO. But if you want to know more about composting and natural farming, you might want to consult the Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Foundation (NISARD). They hold office at the second floor of the provincial capitol. They are very friendly and always ready to share secrets. If I may also mention, I suggest that you visit the farm of Bachoy and Pamela Henares, and the farm of Mon Peñalosa. Here you will realize that garbage is resource. And if you’re not lazy, you will start to compost immediately because these two farms are so inspirational. Hats off to these people. 

Just last weekend, some friends from Lucban, Quezon, came over to visit the farm of Mon Peñalosa. I was told, a Mayor from Iloilo and his councilors were also there to learn. It is embarrassing to realize that others from distant places come to our shores to learn from one of us, something that we ourselves have not bothered to learn. If others can spend money to journey over, there’s no reason why you cannot drive over. 

6. What is household hazardous waste?? These are old batteries, broken fluorescent lamps, old mercury thermometers, paint and allied chemicals of paint, like thinner and wood coatings, used oil and grease from your cars, expired medicines and chemicals, used “First Aid” materials, such as used gauze pads and cotton, and everything else that sounds vaguely scientific it raises the suspicion that it contains hazardous chemicals or it could spread disease. 

Ideally, government should pick up household hazardous wastes and dispose of them in a special disposal facility - the law requires that, too. But for now, our government doesn’t have one. And since household hazardous wastes cannot be recycled, reused, or composted, for sure we will tend to dump them all as residual waste. I suggest that you be selective if you decide to commit that sin. Some materials are extremely dangerous when sent even to a sanitary landfill, let alone our open dump. It would be best if you can safely hang on to these until government knows better and advises us. 

7. And so, what is residual waste? As I wrote in this column last Oct. 27, this is the only kind of garbage that our government will pick up starting Dec. 5, 2008. Anything that you cannot recycle, reuse, or rot, anything that is not hazardous, is residual waste. Based on this definition, you will realize that your residual waste is very little, probably 10% of your total garbage. Some common residuals are used facial tissues, used kitchen paper towels, cigarette butts, swabs and pads used to remove make-up, and used cotton buds, and plastic product wrappings. 

Now, if you want to be a better citizen, you can decide to bury your residual waste and, therefore, send “zero waste” to the city’s dumpsite. This is the principle behind Zero Waste Management. And your household will be in the same league as those at Forbes Park. Imagine that. 

8. What about used sanitary napkin? How should I know? My guess is, it’s a toss between household hazardous and residual waste. I suggest you call City Hall and the DENR because they should know. 

9. What about styro food containers? Again, check with the junk shop near you. If they buy them, brilliant! Otherwise, just avoid take out food if they’re contained in styro food containers. Styrofoam contains CFC, or chlorofluorocarbons, a major cause of global warming. CFC can be released to the atmosphere by a mere tear of the styro. It’s that dangerous and fragile. 

One day, several months back, I chanced upon a delivery truck selling styro food containers. The advertisement on the side panel of the truck claimed that their styro does not contain CFC. Oh really? Please be careful with claims like this. Verify, and verify, and verify. And if you cannot verify, err on the side of caution: do not buy anything that comes in a styro. 

10. What about plastic bags? What do we do with them? If you can afford to have nothing to do with plastic bags, all the better. Avoid them, refuse them. But if you must, well then, at least reduce your dependence on plastic bags. Like household hazardous waste, the problem with plastic bags is our tendency to send them off as residual waste, especially using them to contain our residual waste. Remember, plastics photodegrade into minute but extremely poisonous particles. 

Plastic bags, like the grocery sando bags, may in time become recyclable, too. It is best to check your neighborhood junk shop. If you find a junk shop that will buy plastic bags, please let us all know through this newspaper. It’s not very common, you see. Last time we learned that someone in Brgy. Balaring in Silay accepts plastic bags, then shreds them for some new use. But I don’t see myself going to Balaring every week, do you? 

Although that would be a perfect excuse to eat in Balaring. The most practical thing to do about plastic bags is still to refuse it, or reduce it. 

Remember my friends from Lucban, Quezon? I learned from them that their Mayor has prohibited the use of plastic bags in their new wet market. That means, if you want to be a concessionaire there, you cannot use plastic bags. People in Lucban are now going back to native baskets and paper wrappings to separate the meat and produce they buy. Lucban is a town. Bacolod is a big city. If Lucban can do it, why cannot Bacolod? 

Here are a couple more strategies you can adopt to deal with plastics. First, when I shop for clothing, I always refuse to take the plastic wrap that the shirt comes packaged in. Better for that plastic to stay in the store than to go to my house. 

If all else fails, consider this second advice. Everytime I go to Manila, I load my luggage with plastic bags that have accumulated at home. Then I unload them in the hotel room. Better in the backyard of DENR Sec. Lito Atienza than in mine. Sorry, but hey, the secretary should have banned plastic bags a long, long time ago. That he did not, makes plastic bags his problem. Give to Atienza what belongs to Atienza. 

Manufacturing, distributing (like selling or giving away), and using non-environmentally acceptable materials (like plastic bags), is a prohibited act under R.A. 9003. The punishment for the first offense alone includes a fine of between 5% and 10% of your annual income. The problem is, failure to monitor these prohibited acts - which the DENR and the National Solid Waste Management Commission are guilty of - is not penalized as well. And so, DENR Sec. Lito Atienza and NSWMC Exec. Dir. Gerardo Calderon can continue to sleep on the job. Rock-a-bye baby!* 

SIYAM NA TULOG NA LANG

SOMETHING SMELLS!

By Alan S. Gensoli

Siyam na tulog na lang, December 5 na. Of course, but that’s not the point. On that day, our city government will begin collecting residual wastes only. Now, that’s the point. The time has come for us to segregate our garbage at home. Question is, how do we do that? 

R.A. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, is the countrys legal bible on Solid Waste Management (SWM). To implement the law and ensure compliance of LGUs, R.A. 9003 created the National Solid Waste Management Commission, chaired by DENR Sec. Lito Atienza. 

When NSWMC Executive Director Gerardo Calderon visited Bacolod last Nov. 13, he said that the city is now 60% compliant to the “Authority To Close” issued by the DENR. The ATC gives our city government the go-signal to close the existing open dumpsite that was rendered illegal by R.A. 9003 back in 2004. 

As you can imagine, compliance to R.A. 9003 now is long overdue. It cannot be said that the citizens have not been patient enough. What can be said is that the NSWMC has been remiss in its duties to monitor compliance by the LGUs. Sure, better late than never, but why be late in the first place? And so very, very late at that? 

Closing the open dumpsite is just a requirement to the building of a sanitary landfill. Thus, compliance to the ATC is not the same as compliance to R.A. 9003. Putting into proper perspective the statement of Calderon that the Bacolod LGU is now 60% compliant to the ATC, when our government finally reaches 100% compliance to the ATC, it will only be one-third compliant to R.A. 9003. The next one-third will be the successful building of the sanitary landfill according to the strict specifications of the law. The final one-third will be following the strict guidelines for the proper operation of the sanitary landfill, because if we do not follow the guidelines, then the sanitary landfill will be useless. This makes that final one-third a lifelong mission that both government and citizens must collaborate on. 

According to Calderon, 900 LGUs still have not complied with the law (as if that should make us feel good that Bacolod is one of them). Some, says Calderon, have begun SWM in the past but have since reverted back to open dumping of garbage. This is why the final one-third of the work of complying to R.A. 9003 is a lifelong endeavor. Compliance is not assured by the building of a sanitary landfill. If at all, compliance merely begins with the sanitary landfill. Following the guidelines on the proper use of the landfill day after day, after day, is the only way we can guarantee full and final success of SWM. We must not let up. We must all embrace SWM, make it a part of our way of life, and be vigilant about continued government support for it. 

The guidelines for the operation of the sanitary landfill are provided for by R.A. 9003. One of the many directives is that only residual wastes may be dumped in sanitary landfills. It is for this reason that we need to segregate our garbage at home. 

When the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance met with DENR Regional Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio on Nov. 3, 2008, she asked us to help the DENR monitor the citys compliance. We accepted. She also asked us to help her disseminate educational information about SWM, particularly about waste segregation. We have started to do that here. I wrote about residual waste on Oct. 27, and then about the Five Rs of SWM, with special emphasis on Rotting, or composting garden waste, last Nov. 10. Yet, when Reg. Exec. Dir. Claudio told us that the city government agreed to begin collecting residual waste on Dec. 5, 2008, so many questions flooded my email and my SMS. Most common were these. 

1. What’s the first thing we need to do as we begin segregating garbage at home? The first thing is garbage characterization. Take a look at the garbage you have everyday, say, for three days or even a week. How much of that are tin cans? Aluminum cans? Bottles? Plastic bottles? Plastic bags? Garden trimmings? Pig slop? Etcetera. Classifying your garbage allows you to know the size of containers you will need for each type. And since for sure you will not be taking trips to the junk shop everyday, you will need containers to hold your segregated garbage until you can bring them to the junk shop or they are picked up by government, in the case of residual waste. Thats the purpose of waste characterization. 

These containers are your very own MRF, or Material Recovery Facility, a fancy name for containers of segregated garbage. By the way, these containers must have secure lids so pets and pests don’t rummage through them. And make sure you rinse the bottles and cans well before depositing them in your MRF bins, just so you don’t stink up your backyard. 

2. How many containers should we have? Well, that depends. If you’re really good, like one friend I know who has advanced into Zero Waste Management, you can have up to nine. Some are fine with four or five. I say, go back to your waste characterization and see how many containers you should have. Having two collecting bins, one for “Madunot” and another for “Indi Madunot”, will not be enough. The “Madunot” bin will contain your compostable garden trimmings, which shouldn’t be there, because they should be in your compost pit rotting away. A “Madunot” bin is only practical in public areas because government needs to hold compostable garbage until these can be picked up and delivered to a composting center. But there is no need for a “Madunot” bin in your home; what you need is a composting pit. 

Meanwhile, the “Indi Madunot” bin will contain your recyclables, reusables, hazardous waste, and residual waste, which must be further segregated as provided for by law. Read on. 

3. What are recyclables? These are product packaging that can be recycled into either the same packaging or for some new use. It may not have occurred to you, but we have been recycling since the time of the town crier crying out “botelya papel”. We are not new to recycling at all. We have been returning softdrink bottles to get back deposit money, returning our five-gallon mineral water containers, buying used sacks, old tires and car batteries, used large pails of lard available from bakeries (perfect to use for MRF bins), tarpauline billboards for roofing, newspaper drives we learned about in Grade 1, even buying ukay-ukay clothes, even reheating leftover food for dinner and then finally sending it out as pig slop. These practices prove that we will not mind the task of recycling, for so long as we get some value for them. And the junk shops will give us value for them, in the form of cash. 

To know what product packaging in your garbage mix is recyclable, check with your nearest junk shop and ask what they buy back. Whatever the junk shop buys is recyclable. The junk shop should be able to provide you with a price list. The Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance got hold of one such price list which includes plastic cups at P10/kg., mineral water bottles at P20/kg, tin cans (canned food) at P3.50/kg., aluminum cans (canned drinks) at P55 to P60/kg., even pig slop at P40/drum. There’s money in garbage! 

If you have volume, the junk shop might even offer to pick up. This is applicable to subdivisions where home owners decide to put their junk together in a large MRF, like an open lot, and sales from their junk go to the home owners’ association fund. Some subdivisions in Bacolod have, in fact, started this. This could be a good model for puroks and barangays. 

4. What are reusables? These are packaging that you will reuse, like mayonnaise jars that you might reuse to contain other food, such as pickled fruits and veggies. 

But if you don’t think you will reuse a used packaging right away, sell it as recyclable material. It’s always easier to sell than to be storing packaging for future use because we might end up not using it after all. We need to make segregation EASY so that we will do it. 

If it is hard, chances are, we will not segregate.

And that’s that for today. Tomorrow, I will write about compostables, household hazardous waste, residual waste, and what you can do with styro and plastic bags. Isn’t garbage segregation fun? See you tomorrow.*(to be continued)

THE HERO

I share this speech that we may find inspiration in Dr. Maathai’s sustainable views in global resources. It pays to hear and be inspired by others who have started an advocacy and is being recognized by the world for their efforts in caring for our environment. 

Fourth ‘R’ for Earth Day—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...Repair

By Wangari Maathai 

“In 2004, the Norwegian Nobel committee made a revolutionary decision. In awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to an environmentalist for the first time, the committee broadened the concept of peace. The message the committee sent was this: If we want a peaceful world, we have to manage our environment responsibly and sustainably. We also have to share natural resources equitably at local, national, and global levels. 

“Since winning that prize, I have traveled to many parts of the world sharing the groundbreaking message of the Nobel committee. Friday, the 35th celebration of Earth Day, provides us the opportunity to rededicate ourselves to doing all we can in our daily lives to protect and nurture the Earth. There can be no better time. The recently released `Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Report’ shows that nature provides so many `services’ that the decline of ecosystems worldwide has measurable deleterious effects on human well-being. The 1,300 scientists compiling the report found that 60 percent of nature’s vital services that make all life possible - including fresh water and the flood protection and climate stabilizing capacities of forests - are already degraded or in danger. 

Nature is not an amenity to be drawn upon. It is a fundamental component of our ability to survive - and a central pillar in expanding the possibilities for peace. 

Nearly 30 years ago, I planted seven trees that led to the creation of the Green Belt Movement. Since then, women (and some men) have planted more than 30 million trees across Kenya, and we have shared our approach with many other countries in Africa. 

Through the Green Belt Movement, thousands of communities, largely poor and rural, have been able to transcend ignorance and fear and take positive action for the earth. In the process, they have also secured their own livelihoods, as the trees provide them with fuel, fodder, protection against soil erosion, and even a small income. 

“One of the most important lessons we learned is that citizens need to be empowered. They need to feel that the life they want for themselves and their children can be achieved only when they participate in protecting and restoring their environment and expanding what I like to call `democratic space’. They can’t wait for others to do it for them; they need to take action themselves. Otherwise, the best theories about how to preserve ecosystems for use by humans and other species will remain just that: theories.” 

On a visit to Japan, I learned the concept of ‘mottainai’. One meaning in Japanese is ‘what a waste’. But it also captures in one term the ‘Three Rs’ that environmentalists have been campaigning on for a number of years: reduce, reuse, and recycle. I am seeking to make ‘mottainai’ a global campaign, adding one more ‘R’ suggested by Klaus Topfer, the head of the UN Environment Program: ‘repair’ resources where necessary. 

“We can practice `mottainai’ in rich countries where overconsumption is rampant, and we can do it in regions where environmental devastation is causing the poor to get poorer and the ecosystems on which they depend to be degraded, some beyond repair. 

“In my case, `mottainai’ means continuing to plant trees, particularly now that the long rains have come to Kenya. I have also called on my parliamentary colleagues to ensure that government offices use both sides of each sheet so we can halve the amount of paper we consume. 

I am urging the public (and manufacturers) not to use plastic bags that are so thin they tear almost immediately, or are used once and then thrown away. These bags clog waste dumps and blight the landscape in Kenya and other countries. They also provide good breeding grounds for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. 

If we did not use these bags, and instead carried our shopping in more long-lasting and environmentally friendly containers, we could revitalize traditional industries like basket and cloth weaving. 

This could become a global trend. If Kenya began exporting millions of baskets woven by women from sustainably harvested sisal plants to developed countries at a fair price, that would be an important contribution to the protection of the earth, to rural livelihoods, and to fair trade. This is just one example. I am sure you can think of others relevant to your life, your community, and your country. 

Also in Japan, I heard the story of a hummingbird from a professor I met. When the forest where the hummingbird lived went up in flames, the other animals ran out to save themselves. But the hummingbird stayed, flying to and from a nearby river with drops of water in its beak to pour on the fire. 

From a distance, the other animals laughed and mocked it. ‘What do you think you are doing?’ they shouted. ‘This fire is overwhelming. You can’t do anything.’ 

Finally, the hummingbird turned to them and said, ‘I’m doing what I can.’ 

“So, this Earth Day, and everyday, let us dedicate ourselves in making `mottainai’ a reality, not just a slogan. We can all be like the hummingbird, doing whatever we can.”

In 2004, Dr. Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the first ever given to an environmentalist, for her “contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace.” Reprinted from www.commondreams.org.*

LANDFILLS

SOMETHING SMELLS

Carmen Rosello

In the 1980s, Smokey Mountain immortalized the moral and physical decay of society, highlighted extreme poverty and the degree of disparity in ownership of wealth and resources, and painted utter hopelessness in the country among a great number of people striving to earn a bitter living from the filth and dirt of other people. It symbolized the indignity of the destitute and hungry and showcased the wide disparity in living standards among Filipinos not only in Metro Manila but more so in the provinces. 

In today’s newspapers, we time and again hear about Barangay Felisa. This is where our Mayor and his councilors agreed to put up a controlled sanitary landfill to solve Bacolod’s ever increasing problem on solid waste management. City officials have assured Bacoleños that the proposed sanitary landfill will address the city’s waste disposal and that precautions have been in place to protect its residents in the nearby surroundings and preserve its ecosystems. The move paves the way for concrete measures for the city to comply with local environment statutes requiring government units to close open dumpsites by 2010. Also, public and private sectors of society are required to segregate their garbage, recycle, and only residual wastes will be collected by the city (the 3Rs - Reduce, Recycle and Re-Use). 

What makes the sanitary landfill different? Engineered sanitary landfills, as opposed to garbage dumps, employ a number of precautions to ensure both the safety of residents in the surrounding areas and the conservation of nearby ecosystems. They have liner systems to protect the groundwater from leachate, as well as a waste water treatment facility to collect and treat the leachate until it is clean enough to be reintroduced into flowing water systems like rivers or the sea. 

A sanitary landfill is a site where waste is isolated from the environment until it becomes SAFE! Waste is spread in layers on a piece of property, usually on marginal or sub marginal land, making them compact then covered with layers of soil. The landfill is lined or sealed with rubberized material that will prevent contamination by leachates spreading downward through the geological formation. 

There are four criteria that are necessary to set up a sanitary landfill. 

* Full or partial hydro geological ( study of water movement in rock) isolation: if a site cannot be located on land which naturally contains leachate (liquid waste in landfill) security, additional lining materials should be brought to the site to reduce leakage from the base of the site and help reduce contamination of groundwater and surrounding soil. If a liner - soil or synthetic - is provided without a system of leachate collection, all leachate will eventually reach the surrounding environment. Leachate collection and treatment must be stressed as a basic requirement. 

* Formal engineering preparations: designs should be developed from local geological and hydro-geological investigations. A waste disposal plan and a final restoration plan should also be developed. 

* Permanent control: trained staff should be based at the landfill to supervise site preparation and construction, the depositing of waste and the regular operation and maintenance. * Planned waste emplacement and covering: waste should be spread in layers and compacted. A small working area which is covered daily helps make the waste less accessible to pests and vermin. 

Residents in Barangay Felisa have reasons to decry our city officials’ move to locate the dumpsite in their neighborhood. Despite assurances that standards have been in place with engineered treatment facilities, chemical agents will be used to rid possible water and air contaminants from toxic organic wastes, and a buffer zone of trees will be built around the dumpsite, local residents and environmentalists have remained pragmatic. Studies made on sanitary landfills show that deadly toxins - petro chemicals, methane, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and other non-methane organic chemicals like benzene, trichloroethyline and vinyl chloride - end up seeping into the air and adversely affecting people living nearby. At a minimum, exposure to air contaminants cause asthma, breathing problems, nausea and headaches. Chronic exposure over the years may cause depression and nosebleeds, impair motor skills, impairment of the brain, balance and moods. 

Landfills have also been found to be producing deadly organic solvents and heavy metals produced from leachate even 15 years after site closure. Despite the presence of water treatment facilities, the underground water in areas near landfills remains to be threatened by the same organic by-products that are supposed to be hazard free. In fact, a study in the US shows that landfills in California that have been technically closed for 20 years still generating methane, which is also one of the greatest single contributor to global warming. Scientists also reveal that methane has a 30% higher warming effect than carbon dioxide (thus, landfills contribute more to Global Warming than preventing it). 

But advocates of sanitary landfills think otherwise. Then we throw these questions back at them. How sure are you that the environment is finally safe if we use them? Knowing the degree of inconsistencies and the poor quality of projects and engineering techniques being employed by the public sector in our country, I’m pretty sure environmental contamination from landfills will remain a serious problem in protecting our waterways, underground aquifiers, drainage systems, and farm irrigation infrastructure. It doesn’t take a genius to compare quality standards in our public sector with the rest of Asia - just look at the crater-filled roads and uneven highways costing taxpayers billions of pesos.

Basically, we should not be too confident with the sanitary landfill promise to immediately solve the city’s solid waste management problem. I am sure that negative things are bound to come out with the environment and to the people living near the site. Operations will also be a headache in maintenance, quality management and daily operations with the basic notion that waste management especially segregation remains a middle class household concern and educating slum dwellers about throwing one’s trash properly a gargantuan task. 

We hear stories that BAHA is just a bunch of self centered people, concerned only with issues that serve their needs. But how mistaken they are. The issues on flood, what causes floods and how to solve this mess are everyone’s concern. Experts say that landfills take in only 30 to 40% of the irrecoverable solid waste materials. This means that the rest of the trash (some 60-70% of it) can be controlled by ordinary citizens like you and me.*

POLITICAL DECEIT

SOMETHING SMELLS!

By Jose Ma. S. Jalandoni

As a rejoinder to my previous article, Political Apathy, I would like to emphasize the fact, all too well known, that many of our political incumbents always manage to twist the real score and change it altogether in their favor... to the detriment of the truth! This is why we hear the adage - politics is dirty. Today, politics in our city is extremely soiled, and for me, should be redefined. The way our local government has run the affairs of our city and our own attitudes towards all the allegations hurled at them need to be checked. 

It seems that our Mayor has one mantra in mind as he is quick to respond to most of the negative issues brought to his attention- that there is politics behind. This seems to be a catch all, no need to explain, you will understand what he insinuates phrase. And here the danger lies. We accept the answer and don’t bother to pursue the critical points that he ultimately fails to reveal. What exactly does he mean? That the flooding problem so dramatically delivered to him and the City’s councilors during the Caravan organized by the Bacolod Anti Baha Alliance (BAHA) last November 2007, had politics behind? Were we not scared last year when the waters rose at the dead of night and threatened lives? Several earlier attempts to bring the dangerous state of the drainage systems and waterways in our city were left unheeded. It was only after the caravan of 2007 that the Mayor moved. I keep reminding people about this. We have very short memories. 

In the most recent issue involving Brgy. Felisa, we detected a similar situation of political deception. Three years have passed since the residents allowed the city to dump our entire city’s garbage in their area in a Controlled Dumpsite. They have pictures to prove that this was what was agreed on with the city officials. It took only a few months that what was promised was reneged on. Brgy. Felisa’s dumpsite is, to this date, an open dumpsite, which is illegal. 

The BAHA group is getting into the nerves of Mayor Leonardia because he now realizes that there are people who are on to his maneuverings. It’s as simple as that. He has severed ties with the group. 

For four months, the group has sat with the local government in the Flood mitigating committee under the City Disaster coordinating council. The committee addresses key problems in the city - Flood control, housing and relocation, and solid waste management. In the last meeting held in October, the BAHA presented to the body the problem of the dumpsite. Footage of the dumpsite, the illegal burning of garbage in the area, the leaching of the garbage juice into the river hugging the dumpsite, the water source and Baciwa wells near the dumpsite- these were highlighted during that meeting. The move of the city to ram into the human barricade put up by the Brgy. Felisa residents one Sunday shocked the BAHA group prompting them to write the Mayor and demand an apology. What was done in Felisa was illegal, and downright immoral. Political deceit, pure and all too real.*

BACOLOD ANTI BAHA ALLIANCE

November 12, 2007

Dear Citizens of Bacolod,

We, the Bacolod Anti BAHA Alliance (BAHA), a non-political citizen’s group, urged by the increasing threat to our lives, health and property, brought about by the worsening flooding in the City of Bacolod, are inviting you to join the alliance. We have come together to impel our city officials and national government to once and for all utilize all resources and laws at their disposal to solve the flooding problem in Bacolod City.

As a apolitical citizen’s movement, we shall pursue our mission in the spirit of:

Solidarity
Openness and dialogue
Commitment and perseverance
Seriousness of purpose
Respectfulness of our differences

It is our objective to indertake any and all necessary and appropriate action to move Bacolod City Officials and National Agencies to STOP THE FLOODING IN BACOLOD CITY NOW!

We hope you will join us and act now by endorsing and signing the BAHA manifesto.

Thank you.


Jean Trebol
Agnes Jalandoni
Convenors

MANIFESTO

We, the Bacolod Anti-BAHA Alliance (BAHA), hereby manifest that:

We have patiently borne and carried through the years the havoc wrought upon our lives by the flooding in the city, where even the shortest heavy rains or the rising of the tide results in the inundation of entire sections of the city: stalling vehicles, destroying homes and dwellings, dislocating families, destroying properties, spreading disease and filth: in short… endangering our very lives.

We have, as good citizens, patiently sought audience with and implored our pertinent government officials and agencies to seek expeditious solutions to the flooding problem, and offered our assistance.

We have seen the slow and painstaking process by which government has responded to our plight, our pleas and call for action.

We have waited for reports and responses from our government and public officials, listened to their explanations, attended their meetings, and monitored what they were doing.

The waiting has been long, far too long… and we have therefore come to the following conclusions:

FIRST, while heavy rains are part of the natural order of things, our severe flooding problem is the result of our government’s longstanding inaction and negligence to implement a comprehensive flood control program with provisions for sufficient drainage systems, clearing our waterways of illegal structures by relocating dwellings built thereon, periodic dredging of known choke points, and serious enforcement of environmental and solid waste management laws.

SECOND, there appears to be a culture of passing the buck and blame-shifting between our local government officials and the national agencies, such that nothing of significance has been accomplished.

And THIRD, it seems that our worsening plight is of no serious import to our local government officials and national agencies, and may be the last of their priorities.

WE HAVE THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT, while we are willing to do all we can to help find a definitive solution to our flooding problem, WE CAN NO LONGER WAIT, NOR FURTHER ENDURE THIS CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO OUR SAFETY, OUR HEALTH, OUR LIVELIHOOD AND OUR VERY LIVES.

THEREFORE, we hereby resolve to:

- confront this problem head-on with all the willpower and resources vested upon us as sovereign citizens of the land;

- scan and study all pertinent laws, rules and regulations and locate responsibility, and hold to account those who are officially liable for such responsibility;

- take all necessary action in pursuit of our goal, accepting no excuses, tolerating no blame-shifting, condoning no political posturings or token actuations which are, as experience shows, nothing but useless, fruitless, cosmetic activities that neither prevent nor abate flooding.

We call on all citizens who are similarly aggrieved and endangered to come and join us.

Since this blight, this menace of relentless flooding has invaded our livelihood, our very homes and imperiled our lives… we will deliver our calibrated and concerted response right at the doorstep of those who should answer for or be held responsible for this unmitigated danger that has befallen our city.

God help us!

FELLOW CITIZENS, LET US UNITE!

BACOLOD ANTI BAHA ALLIANCE COUNCIL

JEAN TREBOL

NORMAN CAMPOS

AGNES JALANDONI 

GINA PICCIO 

ALFONSO GAMBOA

ALAN GENSOLI 

ELSIE COSCOLLUELA

MERLE SEVERINO

MAGGIE JALANDONI

BETSY COSCOLLUELA

MARGOT LOPEZ

TERESITA LIZARES

EDGAR SARONA

DIONISIO DE LA CRUZ

FRANKLIN VILLANUEVA

BOY CUENCA

PATRICK CUENCA

SALLY LEDESMA

RENE HINOJALES

MARLENE SOLIVEN

BOY TORRE

CAYEEN GASTON

BOYET UYCHIAT

BUTCH LOPEZ

BOB BERGANTE

MA. TERESA JAVELLANA

NENA ROSELLO

ANNA BALCELLS

MAITE ELORDI

CRISTINA LAMATA

GIGI CAMPOS

ERNESTO PICCIO

MA-E JALANDONI 

TINA MONFORT

CLAUDE SCHLUZE 

‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE GREEN

SOMETHING SMELLS 

By Tina M. Monfort

Ah, the holidays... everything seems a little bit shinier, brighter and — trashier? There are lots of ways everyone can do to reduce waste and recycle more this Christmas season. It will be a busy period for all of us, but making your Christmas GREEN need not be a chore. 

Here’s how: 

MUST TIP! Keep your reusable bags with you all the time. 

* Treat someone to an “experience present” such as fitness/wellness coupons for the gym (perfect for shedding off those extra pounds gained from all the holiday eats), yoga or the spa; driving lesson or just a trip to a concert or the beauty salon. These are very personal gifts and don’t come surrounded by stacks of packaging! 

* If you must buy Christmas presents, keep an eye out for recycled and reusable products or gifts that promote lifestyle changes friendly to the environment (i.e. reusable bags, biodegradable and organic items) 

* Be practical as well as thoughtful and creative. Purchase gifts that are long-lasting or that can be reused and later recycled. Avoid “gag gifts” - they quickly become trash. 

* Buy living gifts like house plants, garden seeds or potted trees that can be transplanted. Oh so good for the environment! 

* Bake or cook for someone you love 12 days before Christmas - one dish for each day or for anyone you know who would appreciate the help. Make sure to put them in reusable food containers. 

* Buy rechargeable batteries for electronic presents. 

* Teach children the value of charity. Arrange a trip to the orphanage where they can donate their ‘old’ toys, books and clothes. 

* Prevent card waste by sending e-cards to friends and family. If you receive paper cards, don’t forget to recycle them. Cut the picture side of the card off and reuse it as a postcard next Christmas. Nice! 

* Make your own gift wrap from brown paper bags, newspaper, colored comic pages or old maps. These can look GREAT! Try some raffia twine bows or paper ribbons. 

* Make lovely, reusable gift sacks from cloth material you have lying around. Fold material in half and sew up one bottom and the other side leaving the top open or simply use a bandana cloth which can simply be washed and reused. 

* If you are buying new wrapping paper, think before you buy - heavily foiled, glittery papers and foil bows and ribbons can’t be recycled, so avoid these. Look out for recycled wrapping paper. Decorate with something fresh from your garden. 

REMEMBER: Paper can’t be recycled if it still has sticky tape on. 

With Christmas day just around the corner, food comes to mind as well. Here are some GREEN tips to remember: 

* When buying your fruits and vegetables, buy them “nude” (without the packaging). This helps you buy only what you need and reduces the amount of packaging in your bin. 

* Compost all your fruit and vegetable peelings and leftovers. You will have enough to make your garden bloom. 

* Buy drinks in large bottles rather than lots of smaller ones. 

* For gatherings - at home, in school or in the office, use cloth napkins, silverware, glass drinking cups and ceramic coffee mugs, and reusable plates rather than disposable plastic dinnerware, cups, and plastic products. 

And lastly, make a New Years resolution to recycle more things, more often! Hope shines! 

December 5 : Eco-friendly Gift Suggestions.*