After the Storm
Ateneans rising to the challenge after flashflood
Saving Davao Gulf The current situation of one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems
AdDU offers Masters in Tropical Risk Management Mythbusting
The energy crisis in Mindanao The Atenews Environmental Magazine
E|Mag Special Edition
02
Contents ATENEWS
EMag 2011
Ateneo de Davao offers Masters in Tropical Risk Management Frequent cellphone use: Great threat to human health The ocean’s pure and safe energy Fr. Tabora expresses environmental concern The fish kill phenomenon Davao to put up coal power plant
news
06 columns 06 My green challenge to
PHOTO MARITONI NANINI
fellow youth 07 One and only planet
10 10 11 11 12 13
10
Semakau: An island totally made 26 of trash Green Architecture in the 27 Philippines AdDU’s CARL 30
science & technology
25
14 features 14 Talking Alumni: Shop smart, 15 19 20 22 24
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
shop green Who wants to be a Millionaire (The Tuko Edition) The Philippines’ response to the changing climate Mythbusting The wailing and whaling BlueBlood: Marketing Mother Nature
03
Saving Davao Gulf 16
Davao Gulf has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, and it is dying. Reymond Pepito and Edward Lactaoen tell its story.
After the Storm 08
Catastrophe poured down in torrents from the Davao sky one night. A first-hand look at how Ateneans rose to the challenge, by contributor Migo Antonio
About the Cover The culture of waste and wanton destruction can only impact our youth. Because of this, the youth calls for better environment stewardship, and this is a very urgent call, a call against time. / Cover photo by Tonchi Nanini / Model Jamie Kirsten Martin
Green celebrities on the go 34 Green Documentaries: Instant know it all 35
entertainment
32 health 32 Street Foods: Healthy or not?
34 38 e-Comics 39 Baryo Tinyo + Strips
33 Bello, Environment, and Science
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
04
Editor’s Note A
fter a long wait, our environmental magazine has finally come to life.
It has been our dream to release a paper that would encourage you to think and to act on the various issues concerning our environment. Atenews, as we know, is unswerving in its goal to impart awareness and share a sense of responsibility on any agenda that has to be taken by us, Ateneans. We are glad to bring you positive news and features articles that involve the Ateneo community in saving Mindanao and Mother Earth as a whole. As you browse the pages inside, you’ll find more interesting writings on our entertainment section, science and technology, health and cartoons. Also, we give you fresh insights and opinions on matters that confront our local society. Among these are the pressing debates on Davao’s coal power plant, the prevailing ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
energy crisis in our island, the country’s on-hand mechanism in advocating protection for aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial wildlife, and other vital subjects. We also provide you a brighter side to the story regarding the remarkable catastrophe which happened last June 29 that put an end to some of our countrymen’s lives and have caused hardships to our fellow Davaoeños. I am proud to say that our staff had toiled so much for you to have this paper. I am grateful for the invaluable support of the generous people who made this issue possible. At the end, I hope that Atenews could effectively persuade you to become a responsible steward.
Reymond Pepito Editor-in-Chief
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Reymond Pepito | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Karlo James David Bringas | MANAGING EDITOR Tom Louis Herrera | ASSOC. MANAGING EDITOR John Kessler Misterio | NEWS EDITOR Jan-Patrik Laroya | ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR Cyril Jerome Almanzor | FEATURES EDITOR Kathleen Anne Veloso | ASSOC. FEATURES EDITOR Edward Lactaoen | HONORARY EDITOR Paul Randy Gumanao | SENIOR WRITERS Garry Camarillo , Jhar-mae Magalona, Patricia Templa, Almira Jane Villegas, Pam Yutiamco | PHOTOJOURNALISTS Caycee Coronel, Maritoni Nanini, Paolo Villanueva | CARTOONISTS Adrian Ablazo, Bea Trizia Jimenez | LAYOUT Jason Occidental | GRAPHICS Sanju Chugani | MODERATOR Dr. Victoria Tatad-Pre MEMBER OF THE COLLEGE EDITORS GUILD OF THE PHILIPPINES Atenews accepts articles, poems, pictures, comics, and other contributions for publication. Contact us. Covered Court Bldg., Ateneo de Davao University, E. Jacinto St., Davao City. Landline: (082) 221-2411 loc. 8332. E-mail: atenews@gmail.com “END THE SILENCE OF THE GAGGED!”
KARLO
TOM
K-ANNE
DWARD
RG
SANJU
PAM
JANE
JASON
TONCHI
BEA
NAT
STEVEN
JANI
PATRIK
JAKE
Working Staff
OGS
GARRY
CAYCEE
MENG
PAOLO
KEITH
Contributors
KATH
MIGO
NATHAN
KHAL
JAM
CROOKS
06
SICO volunteers plant hope for the future along with their tree seedlings. Photos by Migo Antonio.
CROOKED OUTLET
MY GREEN CHALLENGE TO FELLOW YOUTH by Jan - Patrik Laroya
“
Every change one does contribute to a large whole and can make a huge impact.
”
W
e are all pretty familiar with global warming, pollution, coral bleaching, and biodiversity loss, but could any of these catch the attention of our youth today? Let’s face it, whenever these things are encountered, youngsters would normally scratch their heads expressing a sense of disinterest.
just three of the many actions we can all take to offset and combat human activities that are plaguing our survival and that of our Mother Nature.
It is not a secret that our world today has been suffering from a lot of troubles. From warming of the earth, landslides, fish kills and strange weather, billions of people around the globe are confronting the outcomes of human negligence. The scenario will get even worse if we keep on doing the same thing without making ample actions to correct this mistake.
Nations all over the world are now taking actions to remedy these environmental problems. Highly-developed countries are using the luxury of their resources to respond to this environmental distress. Even developing states like the Philippines have also taken measures and initiatives despite the issues of practicability and lack of financial resources. Whether a country has adequate programs or not, with the continuous surge of environmental issues, there is still much left to do. This is where our role as “youth” comes in to play.
The challenge now lies in mobilizing the youth sector to participate in activities that would address our current problems, like encouraging fellow Ateneans to have an environment-friendly lifestyle. Today, there are companies going green in every part of the world with the aim of reducing carbon footprints. As individuals, we can also do our part. Walking short distances rather than using vehicles, switching off the power when leaving our house and segregating garbage properly are
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
We may not be able to end global warming and other related issues pronto and singlehandedly, but I believe that every change one does contributes to a large whole and can make a huge impact.
Let us take actions and exert efforts towards this global problem and eradicate what has always been used to describe our generation: complacent, passive, lax and indifferent towards environmental issues. It’s high time for us to make a move. And that’s my green challenge!
07 26TH Avenue
ONE AND ONLY PLANET by Reymond Pepito
“
But I should cherish the fact that their response to this opportunity cost has paved way for a bigger cause -environmental protection.
”
I
could say that going green is today’s global trend. In fact, numerous companies in the world are making concrete actions on how they could lend a hand to save our environment. The automobile and insurance companies for example do implement their own green strategies. The automobile industry has produced vehicles which emit less carbon and sulfur compounds; while on the other hand, the business of insurance offers better premiums for people opting to purchase eco-friendly and hybrid cars. These are proofs that in reality, many companies are now shifting their gears to green. In the Philippines, our city malls are good examples that somehow our establishments are getting conscious about environmental protection. They are using biodegradable plastics and encouraging buyers to purchase green bags for shopping purposes. All of these are in line with the goal of reducing plastic wastes. They even participate in eco-activities like Earth Hour, asking their store owners to switch off lights. With these, the projection of the vitality of energy conservation goes beyond the circle of business people, thus even reaching the consumers. One friend of mine told me that these pro-environmental stuffs that the business world are doing are all in the name of sham. He said that they simply do it for their own sake. They make use of the trend for public relation purposes, to catch the attention of the market and even gain recognition from LGUs and NGOs who are pushing for environmentalism.
At the back of my head, I conceded that my friend’s points are true. Yes, companies take this trend for PR, that by conducting eco-activities they could serve their own interests. They could increase their sales, strengthen consumers’ trust and build better images. If that’s their main priority then it’s saddening, since they themselves have lost the very essence of why it is a must for us to take initiatives on safeguarding the environment. But I should cherish the fact that their response to this opportunity cost has paved way for a bigger cause –environmental protection. Despite the companies’ motives why they are turning green, the truth is that they have largely contributed to environmentalists in bringing awareness to the people and have potentially influenced them by changing the way things are done. Whatever maybe the advantage the concept of going green has brought or might bring them, at least in this type of cycle, it always ends for the benefit of the humanity and of mother nature. I am hoping that this movement will no longer be a trend but a lifestyle instead. Trends in human nature “come and go” while lifestyle reflects our values and attitudes, attitudes that speak of how concerned we are of our surroundings and values that show our willingness to pursue preservation and responsible stewardship to our one and only planet, earth. Models ramp designer dresses and accesories made of recyclable materials. Photos by Migo Antonio
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
WATER
08
CAME 2011
JUN 29
HARD AND FAST 2
DOWNTHE CITY ON A
The student leaders are quick on the uptake. The goods come immediately and by the bulk, and they waste no time giving it out.
LEAVING
DESTRUCTION
AND TEARS IN ITS WAKE.
ATENEWS DOCUMENTS
ATENEANS 1
He receives the call. They are needed, and he takes note.
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Even as the people affected try to make sense of what has come.
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
9
09
3 Allies are summoned. They know the task before them is not an easy one, and more hands gathered will do more.
TUESDAY NIGHT,
A solitary figure looms in the distance, a silent messenger that beckons them on.
4
Of the casualties of the rising water, child-like security is the first to fall.
5 6
Still these “victims” prove to be strong, directing them to where they are needed as they continue on.
8 7
Even immortal words cannot stand against nature’s muddy rage.
AND BECOME MEN AND WOMEN FOR OTHERS. PHOTOS BY MIGO ANTONIO
STORY BY DAVE BRINGAS
They spring to work, and make the acquaintance of a lady resident.
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
10
Ateneo de Davao offers Masters in Tropical Risk Management by Edward Lactaoen
M
asters in Tropical Risk Management is the most recent graduate program in Ateneo de Davao University. The course is a direct response to the current issue of prevailing climate change. Father Joel E. Tabora SJ, AdDU’s new president, signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Provincial Government of South Cotabato represented by Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy Jr last May 24. Cited in the MOA is the payment of the province to the university of P1,724,426 to cover for the tuition of 20 selected scholars for four semesters and one summer. The
scholarship program is primarily vested to the selected recipients to prepare them in administering a Risk Management Plan in South Cotabato. AdDU is given the task of designating the Director and the faculty of the Tropical Institute for Climate Studies (TropICS) for better implementation of the program. Father McNamara of Ateneo de Davao University stressed that he is currently looking for a way to bring in a similar course for the undergraduate programs. Source: http://magazine.southcotabato. org/ 2011/05/south-cotabato-signs-moawith-addu.html
Photo by Migo Antonio
Frequent Cell Phone Use: Great Threat to Human Health by John Kessler Misterio
R
adiation coming from mobile phones poses a great risk of cancer, based from studies conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
glucose metabolism of brain cells. When this goes up, this causes the brain to activate cells.
Leading scientists from different countries concluded the said study after a thorough review of previous researches, stating that personal exposure to mobile phones is possibly carcinogenic to human beings.
Although the effect of such to human beings was not clearly specified in the long run, it does show that cell phone radiation would definitely reach the brain. This has great impact to children who are directly exposed, since their skulls and scalps are way thinner as compared to young adults, which could mean an easy penetration to the brain.
What the study implies is that the organization found some significant data that can connect radiation of cell phones to an increased risk of acoustic neuroma brain cancer to users.
Manufacturers of many popular cellular phones have already warned the users to keep their phones away from their body as much as possible so as to minimize the coming in of radiation.
A carcinogen is a substance or a form of radiation that is a direct agent of causing cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to disrupt cellular metabolic processes. Furthermore, CNN initially reported that 50 minutes of exposure to mobile phones can result to an increase in
The main reason for such recommendation is to give emphasis that the longer the phones are away from the body, the lesser radiation it absorbs. Here are some helpful tips and advice given by some experts to lessen the exposure to cell phone radiation: 1. Use headsets or earphones. The use of headsets emits low frequency radiation. It may not completely eliminate
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
the radiation coming in to your body, but at least the absorption to the body is minimal. 2. Use the speaker phone. This may get quite annoying especially when you are in a public place, but every inch your phone is away from body would mean a lesser amount of radiation the body absorbs. 3. Refrain from using your cell phones when you have POOR signal. Studies show that fewer signal bars emits more radiation to get the signal from its tower. A phone in an area with weak signal has to work harder, generating more radiation. That is why experts suggest that users should try to avoid using their phones in elevators, rural areas and buildings with low signals if they really want to reduce their exposure. 4. More texting, less talking. The phone uses less power for texting (which means less radiation) than for voice calls. If users really wanted to minimize the exposure of the phones from their faces, then they should text more, and talk less. Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/ HEALTH/05/31/who.cell.phones/
11
THE OCEAN’S PURE AND SAFE ENERGY – OTEC
FR. TABORA EXPRESSES ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
by Garry Camarillo
by Reymond Pepito
A
fter the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant crisis, not many would recommend building a nuclear plant in our native land. In the face of the surging energy shortage, the common Filipino asks, “Should we still insist in having one?” The search for a safe and renewable source of energy is the common trend of the new era. Most modern countries have switched from the gold-rush of nuclear energy to eco-friendly sources. Energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished is projected as the way to the future. Though abundant with such resources, we seem to place a blind eye on those we already have. Some areas in the country already use hydroelectricity, geothermal, wind turbines, etc. To help improve the country’s source of energy researchers now set their eyes on our best resource; the ocean. One still unexplored area that may ultimately be the key to energy sufficiency is the ocean’s thermal energy. To date, the DOE’s studies done in partnership with Japanese scientists show that there are 16 conceivable areas for the so-called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion technology, or OTEC. Just what is Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion? OTEC uses the difference between cooler deep and warmer shallow or surface ocean waters to run a heat engine and produce electricity. Such energy coming from the ocean is not to be underestimated. We can only imagine how massive our share of energy from the Pacific Ocean and large bodies of water surrounding us can provide. To an engineer this implies that there are two enormous reservoirs providing the heat source and the heat sink required for a heat engine. A practical application is found in a system (heat engine) designed to transform the thermal energy into electricity. This is referred to as OTEC. Fr. Daniel McNamara SJ PhD, an astro-geophysicist at the AdDU, concur “The price of constructing and running a 200 MW coal powerplant is nowhere to be compared to the efficiency of OTEC. It will probably cost much in making one but in the long run, it is far safer and OTEC does not require refuelling at all. ” It is estimated that on an annual basis, the amount of solar energy absorbed by the ocean is equivalent to at least 4000 times the amount presently consumed by humans, and is a renewable one. For an OTEC efficiency of 3 percent in converting ocean thermal energy to electricity, we would need less than 1 percent of this renewable energy to satisfy all of our desires for energy. To add, the removal of such relatively small amount of energy from the ocean does not pose any harmful environmental impact. The means to transform such a vast energy reservoir to a useful form has alredy been identified and several prototypes are already tested worldwide. Globally, the technology is still being developed, but the Philippines may become the first to use this form of energy. The Philippines has a potential 170,000 MW of energy supply from the ocean. As Fr. McNamara noted, “It’s good. It’s better for us because it’s renewable.”
Photo by Migo Antonio
T
he newly invested University President of Ateneo de Davao, Fr. Joel Tabora SJ, expressed his concern for environmental protection in Mindanao and his delight to the spirits of the Mindanawons. In Fr. Tabora’s inaugural address last June 19, he shared his awe with the island’s beauty. From the magnificence of its peaks down to its oceans, he confessed his admiration to these bounties. For someone like Fr. Tabora whose hobby is photography, the unusual splendor of Mindanao is indeed exciting. “My camera is in love with Mindanao and I feel like I’m in a honeymoon” he said.
“The people I have encountered here in AdDU are not lazy horses but wild steeds, passionate in their desire to respond to the problems of the society.” -Fr. Joel E. Tabora, SJ
Together with his new found companions, Fr. Tabora was enchanted with the gigantic trees and ferns in Compostella Valley and lured with Cotabato’s hot springs. “We prayed that all natural beauty be preserved for future generation” he stressed. In his few weeks of stay in Mindanao, he took another opportunity to travel and discover what more beauty the place could offer. The first encounter with the people inside and outside the University has caught the priest’s attention. He shared his meetings with responsive citizens who are greatly willing to take action on the prevailing predicaments in the society and in the environment. He considers the enthusiasm of these people as another beauty that the island possesses. “I am happy that the people I have encountered here in AdDU are not lazy horses but wild steeds, passionate in their desire to respond to the problems of the society” Fr. Tabora added that he’ll commit himself to help them run together onto the crisis that would challenge them.
12
The Fishkill Phenomenon
By Almira Jane Villegas
Photo by KJ Rosales Photography
A
massive fish kill hit the provinces of Batangas and Pangasinan causing damage to the livelihood. Tons of cultured Milkfish and Tilapia were greatly affected by the incident. Different factors were said to be the cause of the fish kill. Some pointed out the changing climate and the rainy season have brought the incident. But according to the authorities, overstocking and overcrowding of fish in Taal Lake and in Kakiputan Channel in Pangasinan are the main reasons why the fish kill occurred. It was more likely a combination of natural and man-made causes. Mr. Asis Perez, newly appointed director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, said that the overstocking of fish was merely because of greed. He also said that the overstocking was motivated by the yearning to make more money. According to Assistant Agriculture Secretary Salvador Salacup, the ideal depth of a fish cage is supposedly five to six meters and the ideal stocking rate is 30,000 to 50,000
fingerlings. However, reports show that overstocked cages were 15 meters deep and that some fish cage contains over 100,000 stocks of fingerlings.
On the other hand, filing of criminal charges against illegal fish cage operators was ordered by Environment Secretary Ramon Paje.
“A natural overturn—the mixing of cold and hot water in the lake—caused sediments at the bottom to rise to the surface, which, in turn, “asphyxiated” the fish. In a way, the Bangus drowned,” Salacup said.
Selling “bocha” The sale of double-dead fishes or “bocha” was also given primary action to ensure public health. An emergency fish harvesting, even if some were still small, was also observed to prevent additional losses.
Water pollution was also said to be a contributing factor to the fish kill phenomenon. Today’s action “We’re willing to consider a number of suggestions to prevent fish kills in the future,” said Perez. He also added that BFAR were to dismantle 1300 illegal fish cages operating in Taal Lake alone and that they were given a deadline up to the end of this year to oust all illegal fish cages. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Francis Pangilinan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, recommendEd the frequent monitoring of the oxygen level in Taal.
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
Tons of dead fish were disposed and buried on the ground. It was also applied a lime substance to control foul odor and for sanitary purposes. The loss Fisher folks meanwhile appeal to the provincial government to release the calamity fund to give them economic relief. The destruction made most of them, especially the small ones, in debt. Growers and caretakers are also in grief for they are in trouble with their daily expenses especially that classes are back. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported a total loss of 2, 106 metric tons or Php189, 482,290.00.
13
A
boitizPower Corp. through its wholly-owned subsidiary Therma South Inc. is to put up a P25-B coal-fired power plant in Barangay Binugao, Toril, Davao City and Barangay Inawayan, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. This plant is expected to be fully operational by May 2014, with the capacity to produce 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity for Davao City and surrounding areas. The proposed plant is to utilize Clean Coal Technology (CCT). This makes it less harmful to the environment by reducing its emissions. To be specific, Therma South’s plant is a Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion (CFB) coal-fired power plant. CFB, according to an article by AbotizPower dated June 21, is a technology that captures harmful carbon dioxide and particles of sulfur. This keeps these from polluting the atmosphere while ensuring high efficiency in electricity production. In
Opposition to the plant has been fierce. Greenpeace Philippines exemplifies the stance against the coal-fired power plant, stating ““Coal will only bring problems – not solutions – to Davao. There is no benefit at all in hosting a coal plant: the gains from this project are only for the developers, AboitizPower, and will come at a great cost to Davao citizens.” Lia Jasmin Esquillo of Dabawenyos Ayaw sa Coal (DAC) adds, “Potential problems from coal ash waste by-prodtucts and operational hazards to workers and surrounding communities alone already pose a big threat.” As an alternative to the coal plant, these groups suggest proposals for renewable energy sources. One of these is a 50-MW geothermal energy project in Mindanao slated for 2014. About 100-MW of solar service contracts targeted for Mindanao were submitted to DOE as of April, while other renewable energy projects expected to produce 300 MW of power are being scheduled for 2011-2017. Various environmental groups had also pushed for the City Council to scrap the proposal since April.
Davao to set up coal power plant
by Karlo James David Bringas
Source: http://www.anglingfish.net/images/coal-plant1.jpg
addition, AboitizPower proposes other means to further lessen the coal plant’s environmental impact. One proposed solution is to use seawater for the plant’s operation. This will be done, a representative of AboitizPower says, so as not to disturb the fresh water sources surrounding the proposed area for the plant. The approval for its construction comes after the Davao City Council voted 23-1 on June 7 to approve the committee report advocating the construction of the plant. The energy, environment, health and trade committees of the City Council had conducted three hearings on the proposed project prior to their June 7 decision. These hearings allowed the proponents and opponents of the power plant to present their sides and suggest alternatives to the coal plant. The councilors cite economic benefits as well as the ease of regulation in approving AboitizPower’s proposal.
The city councilors’ nod follows the approval of the Inawayan and Binugao barangay councilors issued on April 19. All seven councilors from Inawayan and six of the seven Binugao councilors voted in favor of the plant, citing benefits to their respective localities and assurance of the plant’s safety as reasons for their vote. The proposed plant is to be set up in 52 hectares of land. Of this, 31 hectares will come from Barangay Binugao, with the remaining land belonging to Barangay Inawayan. The land in Binugao is currently the subject of a land reclassification scheme to upgrade its status into a protected high-density industrial area. The possible environmental impacts of this plant are still being assessed. Once a report on the full environmental impact of the plant is done, construction of the coal-fired power plant is expected to start.
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
14
Talking
Alumni SHOP SMART, SHOP GREEN
By Ma. Katherina Galope
S
limming pills, whitening lotions, acne removing creams, herbal teas (remember: NO THERAPEUTIC CLAIMS!) and a whole bunch more of mind blowing promises. Today’s market is filled with products that claim to do this and that. Exaggerated advertisements, mislabeled products, and a promise of a brighter and happier future are just few of the techniques that pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies use to lure in more customers. Now a day, buyers must be aware and beware of the ingredients the producers put in the products. However, no matter how promising an artifact looks, we can’t simply rely on the packaging and labels to give us all the information we need. It is almost second nature for most to be wary of such things as lead filled lipsticks, milk mixed with melamine, and over the counter generic medication that might actually do more bad than good. The average female uses around 12 hygienic products a day while the average male uses about six, these products can add up to
one whole toxic body. But now, aside from only considering our bodies when purchasing something, another factor enters the equation, we must also consider the harm we are doing to the environment when making a choice about which product to buy. Whether we like it or not, every shopping choice we make has an impact on the environment. By educating ourselves about environmentalfriendly products and practicing so-called green purchasing, one can help protect the planet. Just by reading this magazine actually, you are one step closer to becoming more aware and hopefully more concerned about what is happening with our planet. I have a general idea how businesses work these days but I don’t know what they stand to gain by mislabeling their products to make consumers believe that they are selling green products when they actually are not. Such deceptive practices even have their own term in the ecoworld’s lexicon: greenwashing. Alluring yet misleading labels such as “eco-friendly”, “natural” and “organic” often confuse consumers who think they are
ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
actually doing the environment some good. People have become more conscious and concerned about what is going on with our planet, and our dear business men have once again taken advantage of this. Until we have stricter laws to help us, terms such as “natural” and “nontoxic” have no standard definition, guaranteeing very little when found in advertising. Big companies knowing that almost 90% of consumers take into consideration health and environmental impacts try their best to boost up their labels and advertisements to try and make people believe that they are modern day captain planets. So what are we to do? Since it’s impossible to completely stop buying products, all we can do is learn the lingo that manufacturers use. Don’t be fooled by empty promises. Read and understand what they put on the labels, and not the big, bold words written either. Take time and read the minute-script that they try to squeeze in at the bottom, that’s where the real information lies. Stopping the ignorance does not only make you a healthier, toxicfree person but it help bring the planet back to the greener version what it once was.
15
Who wants to be a millionaire
Tuko Edition
By Jhar-Mae Magalona
M
oney isn’t everything, but it sure is a big something. It is a good motivation to make people do things. As a matter of fact, some would do anything for money. It will depend on what perspective you take when determining whether money is good or bad. Although one thing is for sure, injecting money in anything will make people do a lot of startling and unbelievable things. As evidence to this, money was actually what fired up the recent gecko or tuko mania.
Getting to Know the Victim Geckos are reptiles that normally live in tropical countries like the Philippines. Out of about a thousand kinds of existing geckos, 12 of them can be found here in our country. Geckos are nocturnal creatures and like fishes, they sleep with their eyes open. Filipinos commonly know geckos as “tuko”. This is because if you would listen carefully to the sound they produce, it is as if they are saying “tuko”. Only male geckos are the one who produce”tuko” sound. They do it for mating and warning purposes. However, it is ironic that the sound which geckos used to warn each other reveals them from their hunters.
Tuko Hunting Craze Initially it was believed that geckos possessed medicinal properties that could heal asthma. Lately, rumours have spread that it could also cure HIV-AIDS and cancer. The rumours then lead to a large demand for geckos –trading them at high amount. In fact, if you happen to capture one weighing 400 grams or more, you can sell it for P50,000 to P1,000,000. People would normally freak out when they see a big gecko, but with that big price tag on its head, it would look like a winning lotto ticket with legs waiting to be seized. Nevertheless, those small ones are sold for P650 to P5000. A reasonably large amount, considering that you would receive it in exchange for a creature you could practically see anywhere.
Geckos: Containers for Drugs If you have watched movies that involve drug mules using animal body as containers to transmit drugs, then more or less you already have an idea in what other areas geckos could be used. There has been a speculation that geckos are used for drug smuggling. Like how law offenders swallow drugs contained in latex balloons, commonly condoms, or special indigestible pellets to trade it from state to state. It is suspected that geckos could also be used as a tool to ease the illegal transactions within Asia.
Losing equilibrium We were taught in our elementary science that once certain species decrease in number, the creature they feed on increases in number. Simple analogy would tell you that this is true, with lesser species to eat the food, there would be more food. In this case, if the geckos continue to deteriorate in number, it is the insects that they eat that would feel most delighted. Geckos eat insects like mosquitoes, worms, cockroaches, etc. So if you are a cockroach hater you should probably consider becoming an advocate for anti-gecko hunting. But on a more serious note, a specific negative effect of the decreasing number of geckos is the elevated risk of dengue. Since geckos feed on mosquitoes they will be able to eat those that carry dengue as well, lessening the chances of getting people sick. We might not see the effects of this now, but in the long run it will still be us who will suffer from this imbalance. An opportunity like this to earn a lot of money seldom comes for some. Financially stable people might not find rejecting this opportunity as a problem, but those who do not have much might find it hard to resist. This is why they are usually the ones who are easy targets when faced with this kind of temptation. They would prefer capturing geckos over hungry stomachs. It would be hard to argue with that. But even so, one should not resort to capturing powerless creatures for money. Selling of a creature for it to be killed for whatever unreasonable idea is still an act of killing. There are other ways to earn money if you just try harder to look for them. It might be troublesome and you might not earn as much, but at least you gained money free from law suits and guilt. Money might be a big something, but again, money isn’t everything.
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Photos By Migo Antonio
The gecko hunting instantly became a big hit. It topped the what-to-hunt charts in Visayas and Mindanao. More and more people started to participate in the hunting craze. Finally it became too big for local environmentalists to handle, which is why the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had to intervene. They stressed that there’s a law declaring gecko hunting as illegal. Republic Act 9147, Chapter IV, Section 27 states that “it shall be unlawful for any person to willingly and knowingly exploit wild life resources...” Sad to say, people continue to hunt and sell geckos. Nobody is really afraid since no one has actually been imprisoned for hunting or selling the threatened animal.
The people who are caught usually refute the accusation, which is why the most that the police could do is to confiscate the captured geckos. Even though geckos are not yet part of the endangered species list, it won’t be long before it does if this trend continues.
The gulf is recognized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, and by Conservation International as one of the key biodiversity areas in the entire globe. By Reymond Pepito and Edward Lactaoen Original photo by Paolo Villanueva
D
avao Region is one of the most promising regions in Asia. With its magnificent sceneries and accommodating people, it will genuinely capture one’s heart. Davao is undeniably blessed with gifts of natural wonders that are more than the usual. It is blessed with various resources from its mountains down to its bodies of water. It is also the home of different species that are rare to be found in the world. No wonder why it is considered as a haven for biologists and other environmental explorers. But beyond the pictures of wealth, the region is confronted with threats –the loss of its gifts especially aquatic life. The Threatened Davao Gulf is on the list of the dying out marine resources in the region and the most affected body of water from human activities. In fact, the gulf is recognized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, and by Conservation International as one of the key biodiversity areas in the entire globe. However, sad to say, law-breakers are fearlessly taking advantage of the gulfs’ resources resulting to extreme threats. These include illegal fishing activities like dynamite and cyanide fishing. Activities like cutting of mangroves, sand quarrying that kills sea grasses and conversions of coastal area into fishponds area also added menaces. More Threats The coastal settlers from Panacan to Lasang have also contributed dangers to Davao Gulf. Hundred tons of waste were brought down to the ocean by these residents.
Even settlers from upland and lowland areas where soil has eroded due to logging activities, and residues of fertilizers and pesticides from various plantations and mine tailings have contributed wastes. Wastewaters from household industries, public markets, plantations and other establishments have also ravaged the gulf. Risking Wealth It’s not just Davao Gulf’s water that our LGUs and NGOs want to protect. The wealthy marine wildlife of Davao Gulf is highlighted to be preserved and rehabilitated. Davao Gulf is known to be the house of 20 species of mangroves which are resting grounds for migratory birds and spawning grounds for demersal fishes. Nine species of seagrass that serve as feeding areas for dugongs can also be found in the gulf. It is also home to 11 species of cetaceans and 5 species of marine turtles – namely the hawksbill, loggerhead, green sea, olive ridley and leatherback turtles. The gulf also boasts around 412.1 kilometers of reef formation, and being within the Coral Triangle, also a great coral diversity. With these aquatic resources, it is truly proven that the region’s gulf is wildly rich. But the lack of cooperation from the citizens and business industries of Davao will only lead to risking of this wealth. It has been said that the Davao Gulf could be the next Manila Bay, and seeing all this data on how important it is in housing a diverse number of flora and fauna, it should be imperative that measures be taken to avert the gulf’s
ON PREVIOUS PAGE: Photo by Yvette Lee; THIS PAGE: Photos by Migo Antonio.
deteriorating condition. Moved to Save In the spirits of Filipino as “Makakalikasan” various organizations were moved to save Davao Gulf. The Davao Gulf Management Council (DGMC) has put forth several projects and programs for the monitoring and safeguarding of Davao Gulf. Extensive management programs have been put in motion in an attempt to hamper any further pollution and destruction of the gulf and all it holds. The council has also formed the Davao Gulf Environmental Protection Alliance; focusing on developing a law enforcement strategy to protect the gulf from harmful activity. An Environmental mapping project has also been put into motion by the council for better surveillance of the gulf. The EgoGov funded by USAID has also taken part in securing the welfare of Davao Gulf. Forums and discussions where student leaders and campus journalists served as main delegates were conducted to encourage them
to disseminate information regarding the gulf’s situations. Alongside these programs, DGMC has launched the Piso Para Sa Gulpo fund-raising campaign, patterned after ABS-CBN’s Bantay Bata tin can coin banks. The Call Although the council has taken in the initiative in preparing programs for the benefit of the gulf, all the responsibilities must not be handed to them. Small individual efforts such as coastal clean-ups and awareness raising programs can go a long way if all of us work together. If every single person’s efforts were brought as one, and we coupled that with the programs that our local governments have begun, then we can surely keep Davao Gulf and its immense treasure of biodiversity. The call of Mother Nature is not only to be aware of the issues at hand but to be involved instead. Dabawenyos, collectively - let’s save Davao Gulf!
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ThePhilippines’responseto thechangingclimate
D
isasters are unfortunate but are important opportunities to understand where loss originates. Tropical cyclones, coastal storm surges, flash floods, landslides, drought, heatwaves and cold spells afflict many regions of the Philippines, but their impact in terms of lives lost and livelihoods disrupted tends to fall most heavily on the poor and developing regions of the counrty.
The ever changing weather conditions threaten to heighten these impacts in many areas individually by alterations in the frequency and intensity of severe events and by taking along changes in mean conditions that may alter the underlying vulnerability of the archipelago’s inhabitants to health risks, environmental hazards, agricultural devastation and food insecurity. Millions of Filipino homes get flooded or even permanently submerged. The Filipino homeland where a lot of people are already prone and are experiencing famine, had harvests on a decline brought by climate change. The result in the decades to come may be an increase in the global burden of weather-related disasters, events that can threaten the sustainability of development processes and undermine progress toward poverty reduction in the Philippines. More than half of Philippine national territory is vulnerable to natural disasters and approximately 85 percent of GDP comes from areas at risk. The country is highly vulnerable to current climate risks as well as future climate change. Averages of 20 tropical cyclones enter the Philippine area of responsibility although around 8 or 9 will cross any part of the country. These result to a great loss of lives and damage to agriculture and property every year. For example, in September 2009, tropical storm “Pepeng” (international codename: Parma) caused the death of 317 people, injured 101 people, and 43 people went missing. It damaged a total of about 500,000 houses with total damages to properties reaching PHP 27.3 billion or US$ 608 million. Agricultural damage reached US$ 83 million which was one of the costliest and destructive typhoons that hit the Phillipines in the last 5 years (NDCC, 2009). The Millennium Development
ByGarryCamarillo
Goals (MDGs) were adopted in the 2000 Millennium Summit as part of the UN Millennium Declaration. It is by far the most broadly supported, comprehensive and specific poverty reduction targets ever established by the global community (UN Millennium Project, 2005). The Philippines is committed to achieving the MDGs and has issued a report on its progress towards it (NEDA, 2003). The threat posed by climate change in the attainment of the global MDGs has been recognized by international organizations. The UN Millennium Project (2005) warns that climate change could exacerbate
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Viewing climate change as a personal and moral problem brings all sectors into the domain of dialogue, regardless of affiliation.
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the problems posed by food insecurity, vector-borne diseases, natural disasters, and declining rainfall. It was recommended that integrating climate change adaptation measures into sustainable development and poverty reduction strategies would be the best way to help meet the MDGs (Sperling, 2003). The Philippines MDG progress report from NEDA as of 2008 did not contain any reference to adaptation to climate change, or even to climate variability and extremes. The closest thing to climate change is the note on increasing trend of CO2 emissions which will be addressed by the Clean Air Act. More indirectly, there was a one-sentence reference on adapting to climate extremes through the need to improve flood control and drainage facilities to cope with the
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damage caused by flooding and typhoons in urban settlements. On the basis of its MDG agenda, climate change adaptation has not been prioritized in the Philippines since then. To date, a republic act mainstreaming climate change into government policy was promulgated in July of 2009 and was enacted on January of 2010. R.A. 9729 or the Philippine Climate Change Act puts local government units into the center stage of governance, given the important roles city, town, and barangay leaders play in the implementation of whatever plans and programs on climate change adaptation and mitigation measures that will be crafted by a body tasked under the new law. The substance and efficacy of Republic Act (RA) 9729 will only be as good as those executing climate change measures. The new law may even be a potent tool in bringing about a stronger green-minded electorate because of the centrality to local elected officials in mainstreaming the climate change agenda into their platforms of governance at the provincial and down to the barangay level. While Section 13 of RA 9729 calls for the formulation of the “National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP),”Section 14, on the other hand, mandates local government units to be “the frontline agencies in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas” in accordance with the NCCAP and the provisions of the Local Government Code. Viewing the climate change problem as a personal and moral problem brings all sectors into the domain of dialogue, discussion and participation regardless of political, ethnic, economic or religious affiliation. Instead of being seen as a management problem that the government or experts can solve for us, climate change when seen as a personal problem becomes a problem for all Filipinos to address, both as political actors and moral agents. Planning results in highly effective disaster response. Being prepared for the changes in climate is no small stuff to be neglected and when organized ahead of time helps us react quickly to the changes as a nation.
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By Paul Randy Gumanao
T
he Department of Energy (DOE) predicts that by 2012, you can no longer update your facebook or twitter account regularly. By that time, you can hardly watch TV, or use your iPad, or your android phone, or your tablet PC simply because power supply is likely to diminish. It might sound exaggerated, but that is a better way of drawing your attention and a better way of scaring you, or rather informing you, of the DOE’s warning of the likelihood of a power shortage in 2012. Since we are dealing with predictions, and predictions deal with probabilities, and probabilities require scientific investigations, here are some arguments, mostly antithetical with each other, which may help you be a judge to this case. DOE Confirms power crisis In a recent Mindanao-visit of Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, he confirmed that the 1,210 megawatts average peak demand for electricity in Mindanao can hardly be supplied by the existing 1,100-megawatt dependable capacity of the power plants in the island. Almendras said that more than half of the electricity generation in Mindanao comes from hydroelectric power plants, which are unstable due to the irregular weather conditions and water supply. Economics Professor disagrees UP economist Dr. Maria Teresa Diokno-Pascual, who has long been studying the country’s electricity demand projections, expressed doubt over DOE’s claim.
In one of her discussions here in Davao, Diokno-Pascual
said, “National government projections on energy needs are often hard to believe because the estimates do not come from the ground. The threat of a power crisis has often been used to force us to accept their projects. Yet historically, if you look at the time when the supposed crisis should have hit, sobra-sobra pa ang supply ng electricity dahil mali-mali ang projections nila. In fact, if you look at the data, pinakamaliit ang energy requirements ng Mindanao compared to Luzon and Visayas.” NGO to Diokno-Pascual: I second the motion Mr. Francis Morales, spokesperson of the environment group PANALIPDAN, asked, “Para kay kinsa ba ang kuryente sa Mindanao?” Morales does not believe that the larger portion of the calculated demand for power comes from the households but from major mining and agribusiness industries in the island. “Sa tinuoray lang, naniguwang na lang ko, ug pipila na ka power plants ang na-put-up, apan daghan pa gihapon ang mga sitio ug barangay sa Mindanao ang hantod karon wala pay kuryente. Wala natuman ang ilang saad. Ang kamatuoran, dili ang katawhan ang tinuod nga benepisyaryo niining mga power plants apan ang mga dagkong negosyo sama sa mga mining ug agribusiness firms,” Morales told youth leaders last January in a consultation and forum on coal-fired power plant. Moreover, Morales said that the “power crisis-scare” is a way of conditioning the minds of the citizens to favor the construction of new power plants such as the recently approved coal-fired plant of Aboitiz in Binugao, Toril. In the end, said Morales, prices per kilowatt-hour of electricity still depend on the dictates of the
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electric companies whose orientation is for more profit. “We are not making stories,” says NGCP The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, another company of Henry Sy and in charge of the transmission of electricity, said through its spokesperson Cynthia Perez-Alabanza that “unless new power plants come in, the grid will continue to experience power shortages, especially during a drought.” PAGASA, on one hand, refused to make prediction on the volume of rainfall in 2012 since climate changes have become unpredictable. Scientists’ group says “emergency” is due to lack of planning, energy privatization “Last year, climate change has been blamed pretty much for everything. The great floods and the disasters that struck the country were attributed to climate change,” said Engr. Archie Orilliosa of AGHAM. “It just shows how government fails to see that the systemic problem of lack of power and infrastructure cannot be waved away as “force majeure” or Acts of God. It is reflective of the short sightedness that government took on since it started privatization of our public utilities”, stated Orillosa. RODY says clean coal-fired plant will alleviate power crisis DOE and the NGCP recommend the construction of additional coal-fired power plants to address power shortage in Mindanao. With the additional plant in South Cotabato and Davao, there would surely be enough power supply in Mindanao for the next ten years.
processing sa planta, combustion of coal, then disposal of coal combustion wastes,” explained Lindo. “Sa mining pa lang daan, it would cause for the spread of particulate matters and debris in the air. Kung mainhale kana sa mga tawo, pwede kaayong maka cause og sakit. “Sa US man gani, particularly sa Indiana kung diin dunay coal-fired power plant, ang ilang tubig contaminated with manganese 300 times the standard, lead 14 times the standard, boron 14 times the standard, arsenic 120 times the safe level, and molybdenum 500 times the standard. Ug delikado kaayo kana sa health sa katawhan. “Efficiency-wise, oo, pwede nila ingnon nga efficient. Pero we cannot compromise public safety with efficiency,” added Lindo. Lindo further stressed that having a clean plant is not always equal to a safe operation.
Efficiency“wise, oo, pwede
nila ingnon nga efficient. Pero we cannot compromise public safety with efficiency.
For Vice Mayor Rody Duterte, the Aboitiz coal-fired power plant to be constructed in Binugao, Toril will be very clean like its sister plant in Misamis. It was reported that VM Rody and some city councilors were invited by Aboitiz to visit the Misamis plant.
“Wala juy hugaw nga aso nga imong makita. State-ofthe-art ug limpyo pud kaayo ang planta,” says VM Rody in one of the episodes of Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa as he vouched for the safeness of the plant contrary to the claims of environmentalists. “The Aboitizes are also Dabawenyos who have a heart for our environment,” added Duterte. “It’s not just about smoke,” says a physician Co-convenor of No to Coal-Davao and anesthesiologist Dr. Jean Lindo said that the entire operation of a coal-fired plant poses harm to human health, particularly to the respiratory, circulatory and nervous systems. “It should be noted nga dili lang magsugod ug mahuman sa power plant ang tanang operations. It involves mining of coal, hauling,
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The writer says we need “power to the people” Power, or electricity, is supposed to be a public utility. It is supposed to be the state’s responsibility to ensure that each citizen could at least experience plugging a device in a socket. But the problem is, many citizens do not even have the devices to be plugged. In a country where almost half of the population lives with less than P80.00 a day, privatization, liberalization and deregulation of public utilities will only aggravate the suffering of the people. If we allow this trend to continue, then we agree that the poor have no right to drink potable water, which the poor have no right to be sick, that the poor have no right to learn and that the poor have no right to own a fluorescent lamp.
Yes, the projections of a power shortage could be true. But the claims that mining and agribusiness firms would benefit from the power plants could also be equally true. And claims that private-owned power plants and private-owned power distributors would monopolize prices, over which the government could not regulate, could even be truer! I hope that it will not reach the point where the citizens are merely the consumers, and the government is merely the market arbiter. In addressing the energy crisis, there is not just one option but many! We may support researches and gradually shift to renewable sources of energy. Power from coal has long been rejected by many countries such as US and in Europe. But why does the Philippines continue to embrace it? Is the Philippines so far behind that it just resorts to patronizing what the other countries have dumped? Think about it.
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THE WAILING AND WHALING by Cyril Jerome B. Almanzor
Environmental activists like Sea Shepherd clashed with the Nisshin Maru Ship that relentlessly harpoon whales in the name of “RESEARCH”. Photo source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/apr/15/whale-hunting-proposal-limit-japan
WHALING on the LOOSE The 21st century has been so far the most challenging period for Earth since time immemorial, and it is only this time that it has experienced tremendous changes. Massive production powered by industrialization is a continuing demand of the increasing population. Earth’s natural resources are on the fastest phase of being exploited. Everything that hurts this planet turns out to be man-made. One of these man-made activities is whaling – unseen and unknown to most. Whaling, or the catching of whales, is not a new phenomenon and has been present for a long time. However, the recent whaling activity in the south sanctuary of Antarctica has alarmed anti-whaling advocates about a disastrous condition that whales, especially the endangered ones, must face if these would continue-extinction. The primary instigator for these is none other than Japan, who reaches the oceans of Antarctica just to hunt down whales. Japan has been a constant visitor of Antarctica in the name of whaling. At the same time, a non-government organization called Sea Shepherd (Conservation Society) who is willing to protect the wailing
whales at all costs, has been their unwelcoming host. Whales and International Law Japan has been noted for the last ten years as the most frequent visitor of Antarctica seeking for whales according to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Due to the increased consumption of whales throughout the world, the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) was created in December 1946 as an environmental initiative to address the problem of species eradication of the whales. It aims to regulate and set guidelines regarding all aspects of capturing and killing of whales species anywhere in the world. With the ICRW as the international law, the International Commission on Whaling was created as the institution that would restrict any undertakings of states that would be proven to be in violation of the law. Ironically, Japan is a signatory in this convention, but they devised a way of passing “through the walls” of law. With the word “research” painted on each of its ships, Japan made its way to the Antarctic to conduct its massive “scientific” study.
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23 “THROUGH THE WALLS” Of Law Japan signed the ICRW with no hesitation, believing that they would not be caught. Through Article 8 of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, Japan made its way to the safest seas to hunt in the name of “research” on migration and population of selected species of whales. Article 8 states: “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Convention any Contracting Government may grant to any of its nationals a special permit authorizing that national to kill, take and treat whales for purposes of scientific research subject to such restrictions as to number and subject to such other conditions as the Contracting Government thinks fit, and the killing, taking, and treating of whales in accordance with the provisions of this Article shall be exempt from the operation of this Convention”.
As Greenpeace volunteers would account it in Japan, most of the whales that are killed under the JARPA programs are eventually sold to Japanese restaurants and not used for scientific purposes as claimed. With the absence of intervention and enforcement coming from the International Commission on Whaling and ICRW, the whales of Japan were left defenseless in facing the fleet of whale killers. In this situation where governments and the United Nations are proven ineffective in enforcing international regulations on international waters, non-governmental organizations take the lead in enforcing the law. As Greenpeace took its “protests movement”, Sea Shepherd took the decisive move of intervening in the whaling of Japan.
A Japanese whaler fledges a sign that signifies their cause for research as they hunt down 900 whales every year in the international waters of Antarctica. / Photo source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/apr/15/whale-hunting-proposal-limit-japan
Continuity of iniquity? At present, Japan is still abiding “under the law” with regards to catching whales, but for many groups like Sea Shepherd, they are already beyond the limit. Japan, through Hideki Moronuki, chief of the Japanese Fishing Agency’s whaling section, expressed its intention of continuing the “research” for the whales. However, the international community still remains passive. International law has been loosening enough for whalers to just slipped through.
In the name of “Research” This means that the whalers can hunt whales for scientific purposes. It also sets some quotas as to how many whales and what kind of whales should be caught. The whales that the Japanese were allowed to hunt in the South Antarctic Sanctuary were 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales. Also, the ICRW states that “no part of the whale used for research One thing is certain, A whale was chased, harpooned, and died in the hands of the whalers should go to waste, thus though. Whales are still that came all over from Japan to Antarctica. Photo source: http://www. it must be sold in the vulnerable in the eyes of greenpeace.org/international/en/multimedia/photos/aerial-view-of-amarket for consumption”. the Japanese fleet. The minke-whale-c/ In other words, the whole world should put one foot international regulation forward in protecting can be avoided in the name of “research”, even though the them. Japan, though a primary whaling country, is not the “research” may be commercial in nature. The existence of only one responsible for this. There is Norway and Chile the law will not be enough if it won’t be implemented and on the other side of the globe, and more countries that enforced. Who then, will protect the unprotected? perpetrate the massacre of the whales in the ocean. The song that the band Smashing Pumpkins sang says that “The To make the “research” more presentable, Japan world is a vampire, sent to drain.” This clearly depicts how created a program called the Japanese Research Program human actions are the primary cause of the destruction of under Special Permit in the Antarctic (JARPA). The the world. If humans csan’t even save the whales, then that Japanese claimed that the whales they are killing are for makes us no different from other animals, which are only “scientific purposes” which is permitted under the said worried about their own survival and have no capability to article of the ICRW. This initiative has been a crucial part think for others. Let’s make a change. Let’s help the whales. in Japan’s justification of their unlawful killing of whales.
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BlueBlood
Marketing Mother Earth T hroughout all the social gatherings a person will attend in his life, there is one factor that is omnipresent. It is the conversation starter; the reason to let loose; the giver of strength to finally stumble through those words you’re dying to say; the glue that holds together a group of friends. Old and young alike can survive litres of chugging it. If one offers it to you, it is appropriate to just accept it. Yes folks, it is alcohol!
Davao also has a project with Nokia where trash bins are placed outside the mall for proper disposal of defective batteries and cellular phones. SM Davao’s “No to plastics” Wednesday is the most known contribution, for customers are to use paper bags or reusable ones during groceries. Other stalls inside the mall have followed suit, like Bench.
By Jamira Martinez
the Supply Chain program which influences its suppliers, vendors and other business partners to improve their level of environmental performance. The program also aims to reduce water consumption and energy efficiency initiatives. They share the same bounds as SM: wastewater treatment, solid waste disposal and solid waste segregation. Like Smart Communications Inc., AboitizPower is also sponsoring a physical activity, a cycling race for Mother Nature. This event promotes their brand of clean and renewable power—Cleanergy. Cleanergy is produced from the AboitizPower’s hydro and geothermal facilities, giving consumers an option to reduce their carbon footprint and attain a more sustainable lifestyle. Cleanergy communicates AboitizPower’s goal to offer an energy solution that leaves a lighter impact on the environment, and to promote clean and renewable energy from sources that are sustainable and cleaner than fossil fuels. They hold the belief that consumers are the key to creating a market that encourages efficient use and conservation of energy.
Of course, the brand usually at hand is the one holding 80% of the Philippine domestic market: San Miguel. Take one bottle and you have periods of toil and hard work compressed in your hands. Amazing how San Miguel has, or the years, honed their processes almost up to pure perfection just to satisfy its customers. This domestic company has also been regularly acknowledged, nationally and internationally, for their effectiveness and efficiency. Although almost all domestic companies like San Miguel are basking in their success, the need to take a more active role in paving the future for the Earth has been realized by the industrialists. The world of Philippine enterprise is creating ways in order to adhere to advocacies for a cleaner, greener environment.
Recycling used chip bags is made Here in Davao, Smart fabulous, and above all marketable. Photo Communications Inc. has recently held a fun run to benefit our very own Davao by Migo Antonio. Gulf. This is just one of Smart’s initiatives that aim to assist various Davao Gulf Mercury Drug Corporation not conservation projects. Not only have they only aids the ones who are craving for created this event, they also made the medicinal needs; they’ve joined in the Smart Text-To-Donate project which allows environmental protection frenzy as well. Smart subscribers to send their donations They have proposed a Potable Water to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) System Project that aims to provide at through text. least one system in identified waterless communities. Mercury Drug also started SM Davao has long been to fight environmental degradation by participating in the protection of the using oxo-biodegradable plastic wraps that environment. Their SM Cares program degrade within a shorter span of 9 to 12 is bounded by four corners of the green months only. movement: solid waste management, air quality efficiency, water conservation and Another top domestic company, energy efficiency. All of the lights inside the Nestlé Philippines, have extended mall are compact fluorescent lamps, which their hands to be ambassadors to the consume less energy and last longer. SM environment. They have their Greening
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The preceding paragraphs are only a nutshell of Philippine companies working their gears to give back to the environment. But think very clearly, is what they’re doing already enough for the conservation of our precious Earth? Throughout all their meticulous processes in providing satisfactory performance, the high and mighty capitalists have only given the environment less than what they’re capable of. It’s a point to ponder, on how the management and its employees rack their brains off to tweak a single tube just to create the perfect blend of beer. Can they be as scrupulous in their steps to take for the environment? Or will we just stare at a bottle of San Miguel or any other domestic product and think, “Will these capitalists continue to cater to just us consumers or can they go the extra mile just to please the biggest exhaustible resource, our Mother Earth?” __________________________ Jam is a 4th year BSC-MA student who considers writing as her first love. She is a geeky bookworm and an aspiring lawyer.
If you wrote an article for a school event by Ateneans, or a response to one of our write-ups, or just have something neat in your mind itching to be written, send a soft copy of your work to the ATENEWS office or e-mail us at atenews@gmail.com. Your write-up just might be published in our next release!
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The Life Away From Solid Ground Photos + STORY by Khalil Angelo Gamela ADDITIONAL TEXT By JASON OCCIDENTAL You need to use a canoe to run errands...
... but haircuts are still available above water.
A neighbor’s house’s floater needs replacing ATENEWS E-MAG JUNE-JULY 2011
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SEMAKAU AN ISLAND TOTALLY MADE O F T R A S H BY PAMELA JOY YUTIAMCO
Source: http://lindseyhoshaw.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/semakau-aerial-view.jpg
R
educe, reuse, and recycle. These three “R’s” have made an imprint in us since we have learned our ABC’s and 123’s. We have been taught both in school and at home that effective waste management through these three R’s will help in preserving our environment and preventing pollution in all its forms. Singapore has recently opened to the world a new (and, I must say, a very brilliant) way to make effective use of the things we thought were of no longer use to us. For decades, Singapore has been incinerating its waste. The city state has hardly any place left to dump the ash that’s left behind, but a place had to be found. Since there are no more room left, the planners looked at the sea and eventually built an island made out of trash –a garbage island called Semakau. Visitors of this unique eco-tourism attraction in the Strait of Singapore are greeted by the smell of the salty tang of the sea and not of that usual stink trash as you could imagine. This 350-hectare, or 865 acre, island comprising two natural islets connected by a rock embankment can hold 63 million cubic meters, or 81.9 million cubic yards
of rubbish, enough to accommodate Singapore’s landfill needs until 2045. If you know your numbers, you could just imagine how vast this island can be, considering the fact that it’s made of trash. Every day, more than 2,000 tons of waste, including construction debris and ash from incineration plants are dumped onto the island.
operations in 1999. This idea of having a tourist attraction made from garbage was headed by Minister of Environment and Water Resources Yacoob Ibrahim. “This is a way for Singapore to show the world that as a nation this is a very responsible way to manage our waste and manage our environment and it may not be a lose-lose situation,” Ibrahim said.
This island also has its own flora and fauna. Thanks to the work of scientists, planners and environmentalists, 55 species of birds including the endangered greatbilled heron is surviving on the island. There were also discoveries about what’s inside the waters enclosing Semakau including a vast meadow of rare tape seagrass, giant barramundi cod and even reported sightings of black-tipped sharks. “Semakau’s marine life is amazingly rich... Some parts of it are so rare that it can no longer be found elsewhere in Singapore,” Ria Tan, who owns a popular nature website of Wild Singapore said.
The island has been regarded by most people as one of the most relaxing place, away from the city lights and its busy streets. With its rich wildlife and welcoming atmosphere, the last thing that will ever cross their minds is that they are standing on an island made out of rubbish.
“The basic premise of our operations was creating an island from the sea, by dumping waste,” said the landfill’s operations manager, Loo Eng Por, who has been working on the island since it began
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This poses a challenge for us, Filipinos. Global warming is already in our doorstep and it’s up to us if we just let it come in. In one way or another, Singapore’s garbage island has shown to the world that refuse and conservation can co-exist. It’s not too late, but it’s not too early to take up an action either. Our environment needs caring and we are supposed to be its caretakers. Guess what? We still are. So, wake up and get ready! There is a lot of protecting to do.
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GREEN ARCHITECTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES BY KATHLEEN ANNE VELOSO
G
reen is all the rage these days, and it isn’t limited to going-green movements. Architecture has been turning green too, despite the terms “building industry” and “environment-friendly” being as likely to mix as oil and water. This is a result of the alarming increase in environmental concerns. Buildings are now employing green building techniques and designing for sustainability. Self-cleaning glass and photovoltaic panels are just two examples of the hundreds of architectural solutions to heat, limited energy, waste and more building problems. Now how exactly does green architecture help the earth? There are many environmental problems that a green building may address at once. Energy consumption, for example, may be lessened by using photovoltaic panels to harness the sun’s energy or orienting the building to allow more light and wind to enter, thus lessening the need for artificial ventilation or lighting. Rainwater may also be collected for use as water for flushing toilets, or stored in cisterns in case of fire. Even building materials like paint can help in lessening harmful effects on the environment. All these factors are incorporated into the building with a consideration of its occupants’ comfort, of course. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Construction and design of green buildings are currently appraised with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating system, which was established by the US Green Building Council in 1996 to provide third-party validation of a building’s design; classify the levels of sustainability; and promote the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Basically, LEED is a tool to help design teams and owners determine green project goals, identify green design strategies, measure and monitor progress, and document success.
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1 PREVIOUS PAGE - BERDE’s first certified design debut - the Net Lima, designed by Miami-based firm Oppenheim Architecture + Design. The firmís architect Chad Oppenheim, known for his work in green projects, collaborated with the PHILGBC to develop the rating requirements. 1 The Zuellig Building-after its completion in 2012, it will be the first “green” office building with a LEED Gold certification. 2 Photovoltaic panels harness the sun’s energy and convert it to renewable electrical energy. 3 Zuellig Building from another angle.
With three LEED-certified buildings in check, the Philippines is slowly turning into a green country. The first LEED-certified building in the country is the Texas Instruments Inc.’s facility in Baguio City, which boasts of a 24 percent reduction in energy use and a 70 percent reduction in water consumption. Boasting a Goldlevel LEED Certification is the Zuellig Building under construction in Makati City, the second LEED-certified building in the country. The third LEED-certified building, also a Gold-level, is again from Texas Instruments Inc. There are more buildings vying for LEED certification, but only the three have been certified so far because of the long process of certification. Its own green building standard As a response to environmental problems, the Philippines has developed its own standards for green building. The Philippine Green Building Council (PHILGBC), a national non-profit organization that promotes green practices in the building industry, is taking the lead in ensuring an ecologically and economically sustainable industry. It has developed its own local green building rating system, named Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE), which is similar to LEED. “Green building,” as PHILGBC puts it, is the practice of designing, constructing, operating, or reusing buildings in an ecological and resource efficient manner; focusing on the promotion and practice of sustainable site development, improvement of indoor air quality, use of efficient energy, and improvement of water management, and utilization of green materials, among others. It has also included in its principle the need to preserve cultural “heritage.” The description defines the rating system of BERDE, in which 11 criteria were made. The more criteria hurdled the more points a project gets. BERDE is presently being pilot-tested by two developers — Ayala Land, Inc., and The Net Group. Ayala Land is using the standard’s requirement for refurbishing existing buildings while The Net Group is implementing the standard for new buildings.
The first BERDE building is the Net Metropolis 5th Avenue pilot project, a three-tower pilot project designed by Miami-based firm Oppenheim Architecture + Design. The firm’s architect Chad Oppenheim, known for his work in green projects, collaborated with the PHILGBC to develop the rating requirements. The project, to be located at the center of The Philippines’ business district, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, will span a threeacre lot as a 1,550,000-sq.-ft. mixed-use, office/retail complex. The first tower, called the Net Lima, features sun shading and a highperformance glass curtain wall, diagonal solar screen overlays, and a low-emissions coating on the exterior to reduce heat effects from the tropical climate and enhance natural cooling and daylighting. The design phase for the second tower currently is underway. Final completion of the entire development is set for 2014. Is it market-ready? A main challenge in adopting the BERDE standard is the added costs of green technologies. There is also the question of the market being ready to patronize green projects, which would consequently come at a higher price because of the higher cost of the technology. However, the savings the company would get as a result of higher energy efficiency, reduced water consumption and waste among others, would be more than sufficient to cover the initial cost. “Crucially, by boosting the availability of commercial evidence and reducing the need for developers to make a ‘leap of faith’, this will increasingly encourage the development and occupation of sustainable buildings,” CB Richard Ellis, leading global real estate advisor said. In adopting the BERDE standard, companies would also get a chance to show that they could also be environmental stewards. The Philippines is a developing country. With environmental crisis and climate change at hand, hopefully it will develop greener ways and veer towards sustainability. Green architecture presents promising solutions to the earth’s problems. It’s now up to the Filipinos to use them.
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AdDU unveils state-of-the-art
chemistry analytical
and research laboratory
By Paul Randy Gumanao
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t is the most expensive toy I ever bought,� said AdDU’s immediate past president, Fr. Antonio Samson, SJ. He was referring to the newly purchased, P5.8M-worth Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) of the Chemistry Department on the occasion of the launching and blessing of the new Chemistry Analytical and Research Laboratory (CARL) last March 10. How does the GC-MS work? With just the size of a tabletop photocopying machine, the GC-MS is so powerful that it is capable of detecting hundreds of thousands of inorganic and organic
compounds. Its high sensitivity and specificity makes the machine capable of giving an accurate and precise detection of even just a portion of a drop of a sample. According to Ms. Mylene Taduran-Chavez, Senior Applications Chemist of Shimadzu Philippines, the Shimadzu QP2010 GC-MS in AdDU-CARL is the latest and the first of its kind in the country. It works by first volatilizing the injected sample using its own heating system. The components of the volatilized sample then pass through a thin column where they undergo separation. The components with the same polarity as the column remain held on the surface of the column for a certain period, while those of opposite polarity with the column comes out first. Then, the detector distinguishes each component that comes out of the column according to their masses. After detection, the machine juxtaposes the detected masses with that of the reference masses stored in library software. The closest match is picked for each
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31 component until all the components of the sample are identified. More than identification, the GC-MS can also tell how much of each component is present. From the injection of the sample to the detection of the components, all it takes for the GC-MS is around 30-40 minutes, depending on the sample. This is far faster than conventional procedures which would sometimes last for days.
Kjeldahl apparatus, Adiabatic Bomb Calorimeter, and other analytical instruments. Should you wish to have a peek at the newest toy in the campus, you may visit the laboratory on the fifth floor of Del Rosario building. Just make sure you don’t play around or else you’ll pay the very bad price.
What can GC-MS offer to the environment? The GC-MS does not promise to solve all environment-related problems. But it can be used in fast and reliable monitoring of pollutants in the atmosphere. The GC-MS can be used in analyzing pesticide and other chemical residues in water, in food products and even in soil. The machine is even more relevant in monitoring the effects of the expansion of agribusiness and mining industries in the region. It could also help researchers and scientists do extensive study on compounds that contribute to global warming. In turn, the scientific findings can be used to inform people and to encourage legislators and government officials to take the necessary actions to protect the environment and the people. Having this new toy in the campus is something to be proud of as Ateneans. The Chemistry Department who takes custody of the GC-MS and other high-end apparatus has a great responsibility to the society. And with the launching of AdDU-CARL, the Chemistry Department says, “Yes, I am ready!” Just what is AdDU-CARL? “We aim to respond to the scientific, economic and environmental challenges in the region through interdisciplinary research and analyses,” said Mrs. Evelyn Tan, coordinator of the Chemistry Department. “And we can best achieve it with CARL.” The Chemistry Analytical and Research Laboratory or CARL is a laboratory facility that, aside from research, will also cater clients for chemical analyses. Among the services that CARL offers are the analyses of: gold and other minerals, oil and oil products, plant tissue, water and waste water, food products, feed products, fertilizers, ores coal and charcoal, limestone, and others. Aside from commercial analyses, CARL also does researches in close coordination with the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs in chemistry. The AdDU chemistry department also looks at the possibility of establishing a network with the different industries, government agencies, and other individuals doing testing, research, and other related projects. Who are in the lab? Another ace of AdDU CARL is its workforce. Welltrained scientists, researchers, and experts who are in the roster of the university faculty form the backbone of CARL. “Our analysts are all registered chemists and engineers. Some of them have doctorate degree and the rest are holders of master’s degree,” declares Mrs. Tan. …plus the other toys… Aside from the GC-MS, CARL owns other equipment and facilities such as Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, UVVis Spectrophotometer, Polarimeter, Refractometer,
PREVIOUS PAGE Chemistry bosses Mrs. Evelyn Tan and Dr. Lourdes Simpol cut the ribbon with Fr. Daniel McNamara, S.J. and former University President Fr. Antonio Samson, S.J. THIS PAGE: Fr. Samson blesses the new chemistry laboratory. Photos by Migo Antonio.
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Street Foods
Siomai
Reymond Pepito & Jhar-Mae Magalona
Fish ball, Squid ball, Shrimp ball, etc. If you want to get the most out of your 10 pesos, then go for Fish ball/ Squid ball/ Shrimp Ball/ Crab nuggets or anything that is sold together with it in the cart. With your Php10.00 you will have 8-10 pieces of one variety already! The problem with squid balls, fish balls, shrimp balls, etc. sold in streets is that they are made up of white flour which contains less nutrients. It might satisfy your grumbling tummy, but not the needs of your body.
Hotdog
Just a few months ago, there was a new addiction to the street food family, the hotdogs! Shortly after the hotdog stand opened, it instantly became popular. You can buy pritong hotdog on stick anywhere in Davao in just Php5.00 - Php.6.00. No wonder it became a hit -cheap and delicious! Everyone knows that hotdogs are made up of meat. This means to say that hotdogs, like all types of meat products are rich in protein too.
Taho
In the Jacinto exit, you can see students eating taho usually in the afternoon. Unlike other vendors, the taho vendor does not stay in one place. This is why when the vendor passes by the gate students crowd in to buy. For those who are striving to get thin, you should start loving taho. Its main ingredient is soya, which is good alternative for protein meals. It is low in fat and rich in fibre, perfect for losing weight. Healthy and cheap, taho is an ideal street food.
Looking for your favourite siomai? It’s not a problem when you are in the premises of Ateneo. You can find siomai in our food court. But if you really want to put emphasis on “siomai as a street food” you can find them along Jacinto, Claveria and Roxas. With prices ranging from Php10.00 - Php28.00 you can slickly satisfy your dim sum cravings. Well, siomai is made up of either pork or shrimp or beef. Its main ingredient is generally rich in Protein and Vitamins A, B and D.
Kwek-kwek & Proben If you talk about street food, chicken products like kwek-kwek and proben will always be present. Everyone is familiar with kwek-kwek but for those who are not familiar with proben, it is actually grilled chickens’ proventriculus. Proben is sold at Php5.00 per stick while kwek-kwek is also sold at Php5.00 for 3 pcs. You will find these outside the Roxas exit but occasionally they also appear in the Claveria Street during night time. Proben contains iron and is rich in potassium and protein, and the best part is that it is low in sodium and fat. Kwekkwek on the other hand is mainly boiled egg coated with orange flour. Contrary to the belief that taking regular consumptions of egg is bad, there are actually studies that show otherwise. In fact, egg is great for the eyes and contains vitamin D.
Fruits If you are a girl who is nearing the dreaded monthly visit, there is a specific fruit you would crave for, sour green mangoes! You will be able to buy peeled and sliced mangoes for Php5.00 along with guavas and papayas outside the Claveria gate. You can also buy roasted bananas (ginanggang) sold nearby. Fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals. Bananas are rich in potassium; mangoes contain vitamins A and C; guavas contain vitamin C and are rich in fibre; finally papayas contain potassium and vitamins.
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Bello,
Environment, and Science T
here’s another implicit requirement for the financial aid grantees of AdDU. Apart from maintaining good grades, the scholars are required to be environment friendly. The Vicente B. Bello Scholarship Program (VBBSP) and the Daily Bread Program facilitated by the university are two of the scholarship programs that imbibe the value of caring for the environment. We shall find out why and how. Here are articles contributed by scholars of VBBSP and the Daily Bread Program. At first glance, one could ask, “What’s the sense?” Could these words have a relationship to one another? Could it mean that Bello, perceived as the Dr. Vicky Belo, prescribes environment-friendly substances in the manufacture of Belo Essentials or any of her products? Or using scientific methods, did she use the fats she collected from liposuction as fertilizers in farms? Vicky Belo is actually out of the picture. Since I was in first year college, I have been a scholar of the Vicente Bello Scholarship Program. This foundation is sponsored by Shoecut Inc., the manufacturer of products of several brands like Natasha and Marikina Shoe Exchange (MSE). As scholars, we were given supplies from Natasha, living allowance, and even the best-seller inspirational books like “The Road Less Traveled”, “The Lost Boy”, “Tipping Point”, “Five People You Meet in Heaven”, “The Tale of Juliet”, and much more. In return, we were asked to maintain high grades and abide by the regulations of the school. Furthermore, we were also encouraged to perform outreach programs to orphanages, home for the elderly, and even to day care centers. Recently, we had an outreach in “Balay Pasilungan” where we were able to conduct feeding program, games, and even provide some of the children’s basic needs.
By Nathan Ray Alim, BS Chem 4
However, these are not all of the characteristics of the foundation. The foundation is also humanitarian and environment-friendly: humanitarian in the sense that even the vice-president of the foundation is able to have an annual meeting with us just to meet us and ask us regarding our academic or personal concerns affecting our school performance. She always emphasizes the virtue of ‘paying it forward’ and we appreciate it. Next is the foundation’s being environment-friendly. The questions for our reflection papers for the books that were given to us were printed at the back of used papers. At times, I could find humor on the back pages of those papers because they are purchase orders. (For example, one man aging 24 years old ordered 12 pieces of bras and 6 packs of panties; I thought this man could have been so good to his girlfriend or otherwise, to himself). However, one serious realization was that since I am an aspiring scientist, specifically, an aspiring chemist, I must ‘fundamentally’ be humanitarian and environmentalist. I must work and use my scientific expertise for the betterment of mankind and not for its destruction. I must exhibit and live the characteristics of an environmentalist; do more than just recycling papers or planting trees. Since then, my view has never been the same again. A true scientist’s worth is neither just for the profit of corporations nor for the destruction of people by chemical or nuclear means; a true scientist is ‘fundamentally’ a humanitarian and environmentalist. Thanks to ‘Bello’ for this realization. Indeed, three words could summarize this article – Bello, environment, and science. _______________________________________ Nathan is a 19-year-old 4th year BS Chemistry student. He is President of Ateneo de Davao Association of Chemistry Students (AdDACS).
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Lifes Images Photography
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Joey Ayala is a proud Mindanawon. He is a contemporary pop artist in the country. He is the composer of the famous “Haring Ibon” -an advocate in preserving culture and nature. Also, Mr. Ayala is an alumnus in AdDU. He is the recepient of Fr. Neri Satur Award for Environmental Heroism last 2009.
Who can forget the stirring film entitled “An Inconvenient Truth”? This Al Gore-remarkable-movie had raised public awareness on the various environmental issues we have. After its public release, Gore surfaced chances in spearheading numbers of huge ecological ventures worldwide.
One of the most admired TV hosts in the Philippine Media today is the Kuya ng Bayan, Kuya Kim Atienza. Aside from being busy in hosting his own tv show called “Matanglawin” where interesting stories about Mother Earth are featured, Kuya Kim is also busy with his animals! Yes, he is a self-confessed animal lover. Be it wild or tame, he takes good care of these animals in his house, treating them as part of his family. He is known with his causes in providing awareness safeguarding nature’s wealth and taking active role as a good steward.
Green Celebrities on the Go
The world of showbizness is not all about people with scandals, controversial lifestyles, shocking break-up stories and what have you. The industry is also a home of key public figures that are said to be movers for change. These are the passionate renowned icons dubbed as “green celebrities” because of their environmental advocacies. Some of the local and international celebrities are here, profiled just for you! / By Reymond Pepito
George Clooney’s principal contribution to Mother Earth was his act of dawning Oil Change, a campaign that aims to end America’s dependence on foreign oil resources. He was the prime spot of Vanity Fair’s first green issue. Also, Clooney is a pet friendly humanitarian. He even owns and operates an electric hybrid car called the Tango –adding authenticity to his advocacy. He co-founded the Not On Our Watch (NOOW), an advocacy organization, together with Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, and Brad Pitt.
The host of green-themed reality TV show “Living with Ed”, Ed Begley Jr. is another well-known green celebrity. This guy composes his own garbage and make used of solar energy in his residences. Begley is indeed a living testimony of the saying “practice what you preach” .
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Titanic’s heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio is on the list of the most outspoken advocates for green policies in the US. He covered magazines which address the problem on climate change. He also narrated the eye-opening documentary film “The 11th Hour”.
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GREEN DOCUMENTARIES INSTANT KNOW IT ALL BY JAKE ALMANZOR
C
uriosity killed the cat”, and this is why this age will be named as the “cat-less generation”, with more people being curious about their environment, about the world they are living in. Hundreds of years ago, it took Ferdinand Magellan almost a lifetime to prove that the earth is not flat. The knowledge he obtained from this exploration was not widely available at that time, and one can hardly know whether what he had imparted is valid or not. That’s how it was before, but what now? Information Aged Today, everything is just a “google” away. The innovation from the television to the computer, so as the camera brought many changes on how information is served. One might have heard of Al Gore’s “Incovenient Truth”, and how it is geared in raising awareness about global warming. Most documentaries that the television caters right now are raising awareness on the condition of the environment – both tamed and wild –and how the phenomena of global warming makes no difference in changing the course of events on Asia and the rest of the Earth. couch learning at its finest More than the fad of technology in everyone’s lives, one might be in constant watch on National Geographic shows or that of Discovery Channel. These programs are information “reservoir”, and it’s a good start on getting to know the world. It would be a hassle for someone to go 70 knots off Antarctica just to see the action on whaling fleets, or to the depths of the Amazon forest to see the anacondas. This gigantic television channels has more than just a pack of trivia, but brings its viewers to new heights and efficient way of learning – seeing the world through technology like television. Who says learning is impossible by just sitting in front of the television? CURIOSITY... THEY HAVE IT! Discovery Channel is one of the famous informative, comprehensive, and interesting information pools that houses documentaries from “Storm Chasers” in the Tornado Alley of United States to the underwater adventures
of Jeremy Wade that uncovers the world’s largest, strangest and most dangerous fish in “RIVER MONSTERS”. Name your concerns and Discovery will satisfy your interest. storm chasers One of the most popular, the storm chasers made their way not just to see a tornado move and destroy, but to go INSIDE and SURVIVE the devastating blow. With three teams, chasing the tornado each spring is their main goal – crossing the Great Plains known as “Tornado” Valley just to cut across the feared tornadoes. The concern, however, is not just chasing, but seeing what is in the tornado, accounting how many were affected, killed or injured, and helping in ways like early warning and prevention. Epic tornado chase turns to be life-saving, as they dissect the inside and out of a tornado, giving understanding to its viewers. As Ginger Zee says, “the only way out to a perfect storm is cutting through its very core”. ignorance is boring As National Geographic Channel motto says, “Ignorance is boring”, with no offence to Socrates. This statement definitely encapsulates the philosophy behind every show and documentary that this organization has been covering for the last 123 years of its existence. Nat-Geo showcases different perspectives about environment, the people, and how this two correlate, affect, and survive with one another. This organization has the guts to bring knowledge at the doorsteps of everyone – eradicating misconceptions and ignorance. From witnessing disasters first hand to the roots of “wild” justice, Nat-Geo explores the unexplored terrains of the world, the environment, and imparts knowledge and understanding on why and how certain phenomenon works. witness: disaster The first documentary on the list is Witness: Disaster. The documentary revolves around an actual disaster, nature’s wild justice, and sees what’s going on there through a range of photographs, amateur footages, news reports, and real eye-witnesses that brings forth heart-pounding moments from inside
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of the world’s worst natural disasters. No one brings a better biography of a disaster than this show does. It accounted for devastations of Hurricane Katrina and how this ruined thousands of lives in just 72 hours. It is like reconstructing and dramatizing the disaster as it happened. Even the tragic tsunami in Japan is better viewed from the point of view of a witness – of this program. This catastrophic event does not only require a good crew, but the people who experienced the disaster first-hand. Watching this show is like experiencing the disaster without actually going there. matanglawin Being part of the global village, Philippines has its own way of getting to know the environment, animals, and anything about the earth through educational shows. One good example would be Kuya Kim in his show “Matanglawin”. Packed with trivia, Kuya Kim goes beyond the surface of information about animals and the environment as a whole. Now, who says watching television is a bad thing? curiosity=responsibility These programs are going beyond the usual, making every mystery of the world explained. From aerial going terrestrial down fluvial, technology has pacified the complexities of curiosity, so far. One can never say whether this kind of learning is good or bad – or rather out of the question. What stands now as a reality is the fact that the man has overpowered environment. It was now explored and explained, making the environment just the size of our palm – where man is in total dominion over nature. This dominion might explain the existence of global warming, and how nature is abused by the very stewards of it – humans. Equipped with knowledge about the conditions of Earth, the call now is a greater challenge on how one treats the environment – from the simplest waste segregation in the trash bin to the greatest ideas like building a coal power plant in Davao City – this curiosity bears with it a greater responsibility, because knowing is not enough.
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DidYouKnow? In 1923, 60% of of Haiti was covered in trees; now only 2% of the country is forested.
A Nepalese teenager has invented a revolutionary new type of solar panel that uses human hair
Deforestation across the nation increased dramatically after Hurricane Hazel struck in 1954 and continues to this day. There has also been little concern for reforestation by the government. As a result, an estimated 15,000 acres of Haitian topsoil is washed away annually!
18-year-old Milan Karki claims that hair is easy to use as a conductor within the solar panels! This breakthrough could replace silicon, a far more expensive component that drives up the cost of producing solar energy. Milan was originally inspired after reading a book by physicist Stephen Hawking that discussed ways of creating static energy from hair.
A Japanese woman learned that her family survived the recent earthquake from a YouTube video. After nearly half the residents of her hometown went missing, Akiko Kosaka had all but given up the hope of ever seeing her family again. Kosaka had been studying English in California when the earthquake and ensuing tsunami had struck her native land. A tip from a friend caused Akiko to check for news on YouTube.com. There she found a video of local news coverage in her hometown of Minami Sanriku and, lo and behold, her sister wearing a hard hat and calling out to the cameras to let Akiko know the family was all right!
The recent earthquake moved Japan closer to the United States. Geophysicists found that global positioning stations near the quake’s epicenter moved as far as 13 feet eastward! This does not mean that the entire country shifted, but that the nation has actually grown wider. NASA scientists have also found that the earthquake may have shorted the length of the day by a couple of milliseconds and shifted the Earth’s axis!
Cigarette butts present a threat to wildlife. Cigarette filters have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales and other marine creatures who mistake them for food. Composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic, cigarette butts can persist in the environment as long as other forms of plastic.
The island nation of Tuvalu may be completely submerged in 50 years from global warming. In March 2002, the country’s prime minister appealed to leaders in Australia and New Zealand to provide his people with homes if this tragedy did indeed occur. The request was ignored, so it looks as if the 12,000-plus inhabitants must develop another contingency plan. Other island countries in peril include the Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, and Kiribati. In the last ten years, the island of Majuro in the Marshall Islands has lost up to one-fifth of its beachfront.
Dandelions: a new, green source of rubber. Ford and Ohio State researchers are using the milkywhite goo that seeps from dandelion roots to make a type of rubber that could be used in the plastics of cup holders, floor mats, and interior trim of cars. The dandelions are carefully harvested to ensure that the roots remain intact. The roots are ground to extract the milky-white latex and then vulcanized (a chemical process to link the latex polymers more strongly), adding durability and creating a rubber substance from the milky-white liquid.
The Philippines is the 23rd most plant species rich country in the world and the 7th in the Asian Region. There are about 8,000 species of flowering plants in the Philippines One out of eight of these is an orchid and nine out of ten species of these can be found in our country.
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37 “I’m one of the said students who are ignorant when it comes to cleanliness in our habitat. meh meh. if the school wants us to segregate properly, they should provide labeled trash bins. I’m sure, if these trash bins are labeled and made easy to find, I’m gonna participate. and please, show us what happens to the segregated trash. let us know if they are rotten, or recycled.” - Aidx Paredes / AB MC 2 “Actually in the Ground Floor, there are differently colored bins supposedly for waste segregation purposes. While in the comfort rooms, I don’t see such. - Anonymous I guess the school have some measures but they’re not really taking it a notch higher. But this solely doesn’t rely on the school but also of the students. - Anonymous
The Blue Goes Green Campaign of SICO could somehow take part on this campaign for this. Just a suggestion.” - Josol Matalam / AB MC 4 “Ako, personally it’s just like extending what I do at home. Since we do this at home and I’m used to it, I always look for trash bins that are labeled for segregation. pero kung d labeled tapos halo-halo na ang mga basura, tapon lang din ako.” -Tina Vee / AB MC 4
Is proper waste segregation being done in Ateneo, and how do you do your part?
As for the students, as for what I see, they don’t really care. They don’t even follow the segregation measures or the differently colored bins at the Ground Floor. Some students even just leave there trash in the gazeebo and on the tables at the canteen. - Anonymous
I hope the school take the segregation some attention. Because its not only because we have this ordinance but because taking simple steps could help our environment. - Anonymous
“No! Hindi nila ginagawa ng maayos ang pag-tapon ng basura! in my part, hindi ako naga-tapon ng basura sa trash can ... I put my trash in my bag, then when I’m home, I throw my trash in our bins” - Kaiper Morales / BS IT 4
“No, the school isn’t making much of an effort to stress the importance of garbage segregation. People aren’t paying any heed to the labels on the trashbins and the faculty/staff don’t seem to care as they aren’t correcting/informing students who aren’t throwing their trash in the appropriate trashbins. I do my part by segregating my biodegradable and non biodegradable trash before disposing of them.” - Anonymous
IN VER BATI INVERBATI
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HE END TNCE SILE HE OF T GED! GAG