By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
Recently, we have experienced disasters locally and internationally – the landslides in Baguio City, the flash floods of mud, ice, rocks and debris in Northern Nepal. So devastating. And many lives lost and much suffering.
These disasters came about, not just by force of nature, so I wouldn’t call them natural disasters. One of the reasons why many people were affected is because nowadays, people congest in cities and other economic centers like that in Northern Nepal. The villages swept away by the massive river surge in Northern Nepal were, like Baguio, originally small villages where people lived peaceably with nature for the longest time. But then these places with their scenic beauties attracted tourists. As tourists came in, lodging areas and restaurants were also built, roads and bridges were built, creating more jobs and soon, the place is teeming with people.
One major reason for these disasters is global warming. Global warming is the long-term increase of the temperature of the earth’s surface, primarily because of human activities that produce greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. This global warming is a major driver of climate change. Climate change results is extreme rainfall or longer dry periods, extreme weather disturbances, extreme heat, melting glaciers, glacier collapse and loss of snow and ice and rising sea levels. A glacier collapse caused that river surge in Nepal. Extreme rainfall causes landslides in vulnerable areas.
Almost everything that humans do produce greenhouse gases. Every time you burn something, you generate greenhouse gases. Burning wood generates carbon dioxide. Burning plastic is worse- it releases not only carbon dioxide but poisonous gases and particles as well which mixes with the air we breathe. Every time you ride a motor vehicle fuelled by gasoline or diesel, your contribute to global warming because burning these fossil fuels release carbon dioxide and other air pollutants. So each of us have contributed and are contributing to global warming and climate change. And this is happening at a scary fast rate so we cannot afford to just say “anya ngay. Anong magagawa ko diyan?” Our own future and our descendants’ future are at stake.
Each person can do a lot by herself or himself. Each one can do the 5Rs – refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, return.
1. Refuse – Refuse packaging and over packaging. This means that you avoid or minimize buying packaged food or anything. Bring your own reusable bag or bay-ong wherever you go so anytime you see something you need to buy, may lalagyan ka na.
This also means refusing food that is produced with the use of toxic farm inputs. These farm inputs are heavily packaged.
If it is necessary that you buy something naka plastic, nakabottle or nakalata or wrapped na, huwag mo ng padagdag pa ng plastic or bag.
2. Reduce consumption. List to what you need and that’s what you buy. Buy less. We usually buy excess. Use less tissue please. Wash na lang, not wet wipes. Etc.
Reduce use of motor vehicles. If you can walk to your destination, better. If you buy local produce, you reduce travel to the market. If you grow your own food, then that’s the best.
3. Reuse. Reuse plastic packaging in case you got them.
4. Recycle. Recycle plastics, bottles, cans, etc. You can wash plastic wrappers, dry & bottle-brick them. Compost organic wastes. Vegetable and fruit scraps compose much of our generated wastes- compost them in sako or bins.
5. Return. Return bottles or anything that can be returned to the producer.
We start at home so our young people will learn. The good news is that when you do these 5Rs to protect the environment, you also protect and safeguard your health. Think about that.**
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2
