The Philippine Online Chronicles

I recently went to Manila Ocean Park. There was a restaurant inside with large glass windows overlooking Manila Bay. I was dismayed to see clusters of floating garbage. I could easily recognize plastic bags among the floating trash. I can’t believe some people would casually throw plastic and other kinds of trash in the sea unaware it would  pollute the waters I can think of two words to describe those people: uncaring and irresponsible!

According to WWF, the world consumes an estimated 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags each year. Most of these plastic items end up in either landfills or bodies of water.  Plastic bags are harmful to the environment and living creatures of the sea, especially sea turtles, that easily mistake plastic for food. Many unsuspecting turtles have died because of plastic ingestion.

Matt Ford of CNN reported that more than 13 billion plastic bags (around 220 per person) are dispensed annually to shoppers around the world but only a very tiny one percent of these are actually recycled.  Ford said that plastic bags are used for an average of 12 minutes before being discarded.  However, these plastic bags can remain in our environment for thousands of years.

A lot of Filipinos recognize the problem that excessive use of plastic brings to our environment.  There is no shortcoming in terms of awareness campaigns but there is a deficiency when it comes to voluntary action to deal with the situation.

Paper is in. Plastic is out!

It is one thing to be aware of the problem and another to actually do something about it. Sadly, many of us don’t exert effort to do our share in protecting the environment.

Exceptionally, there are communities that have risen to the call of environmental support, like the town of Los Baños (LB).

The local government of Los Banos, Laguna decided it was high time it took action to safeguard the environment from the threat of plastic pollution by passing Municipal Ordinance 2008-752 last June 2, 2008.

For two years now, Los Baños has prohibited the use of plastic bags for dry goods, regulated the use of plastic bags for wet goods, and prohibited the use of styrofoam in the municipality. Strict compliance is enforced and violators face corresponding penalties.

The local government was pushed to implement this policy because of the alarming increase of garbage in the area.

In an interview with Jessica Soho of GMA 7, Mayor Caesar Perez said, "Dito, hi-nit na talaga namin yung main source ng problema. The whole area is puno na ng basura. At talagang very alarming at makikita mo sa gabi, akala mo may fog pero actually yun ay usok na galing dito sa dumpsite." (We hit the main source of the problem. The whole area was filled with garbage.  It was very alarming to see fog-like emission at night coming from the dumpsite.)

Residents of LB have adapted to the No Plastic Policy of the local government. In Jessica Soho’s interview, some residents admitted that it was a little difficult at first but they eventually embraced the policy in their daily life. It’s a common sight to see shoppers carrying brown paper bags and their own fabric shopping bags. This rule is implemented in supermarkets, public markets, convenience stores and  sari-sari stores. When you go shopping in LB, goods are placed in paper bags or in boxes. Plastic can only be used for wet goods like fish, poultry, meat, and ice.

Local residents have gotten used to bringing their own non-plastic bags and containers when going to the market or supermarket.  Even the business sector has adapted to this environment-friendly scheme.

According to a friend who lives in LB, even big fast food chains in the area limit their use of plastic. Fast food chains use washable/reusable plates, glasses, and utensils when serving dine-in customers. Take-out food is placed in paper boxes instead of the usual Styrofoam while drinks are placed in paper cups.

Through the cooperation of residents and establishments, LB has successfully decreased its garbage output, specifically plastic waste. Even the church played a big role in the conservation of the environment. According to Rev. Fr. Thor Villacarlos, parish priest of the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, the church teaches the community about the importance of responsibility and self-discipline when it comes to waste management.

LB, which is made up of 14 barangays and has two public markets and 2,186 commercial establishments, works hand in hand in going plastic-less.

Revenue from recycled plastic

The local government of LB did not only implement the No Plastic Policy but also went the extra mile and converted plastic materials into cash.  A few years ago, Mayor Caesar B. Perez established the Los Baños Ecological Processing Waste Center (EWPC) located at the dumpsite of the municipality.  Perez recognized the need to put up a recycling area for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste products.

Biodegradable waste products are converted into useful compost for the soil. The local government gives the compost to farmers for free.  Non-biodegradable items, specifically plastic, have become an extra source of income for LB.

Mayor Perez introduced the use of fabricating machines in manufacturing useful goods made from plastic wastes such as hollow blocks, panels, corrugated roofing sheets, tables, chairs, slabs, panel boards, and thick pathways.

The hollow blocks made from plastic waste are more durable and lighter than commercially-sold ones. These hollow blocks can also be decorative, multi-colored, and produced in different thickness and densities.

"The properties of plastic can be altered through innovative melting-blending and hot pressing processes," Perez explained in The Philippine Star.

Every effort counts

Los Baños is just a small part of the Philippines but it has played a big role in dealing with the global crisis. Every effort for the benefit of the environment matters.

Kudos to the residents of LB for championing the plastic-less campaign. May you inspire the rest of the country to join this exemplary campaign that you have begun to stop the despoiling of the environment.

Photos:  ‘Ayoko ng Plastik!’ by Province of Los Banos website. / ‘plastic bag nightmare 001’ by Zainub Razvi, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved / ‘DSC01068’ by , c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

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Rachel Yapchiongco, also known as Rach to her friends, is a Psychology and Marketing Management graduate of De La Salle University.  She took up several units of MBA at the same university.  Rachel is a full-time mom to a charming young boy and married to an entrepreneur with a passion for cooking. She shares parenting experiences and slices of everyday life on her personal blog called Heart of Rachel.

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