by Gel Ferrer
I AM GREEN-MINDED and I’m not ashamed to say it. Not the dirty kind of green, but the eco-kind of green. Having come face-to-face with nature’s fury during the Davao flashflood two years ago, I came to realize that really, we are but stewards of the earth. And as karma puts it, what we sow, we reap. We now pay the price for the sins of the past – indiscriminately disposing of our waste, all the chemicals we used and flushed down the drain, abusively using our seemingly unlimited resources. As we see and feel the effects of climate change, we are called to take responsibility for the environment towards a sustainable future.
One of my resolutions for 2013 is to take the greener choice, in everything that I do. Planting 100 trees and joining the coastal clean-up is still in my list, but I thought I can push this advocacy further. Taking my lifestyle in check, I ask myself, is this the green choice? I became more conscious of the products I buy and the services I take. Aside from price and quality, being “eco-friendly” is now a major factor to my everyday choices. It’s really not that hard anymore, I realized, with all the options around. If you want to join the green bandwagon, here are a few simple ways to start with:
GO ORGANIC
Toxic wastes are reduced when we buy organic and chemical-free products. For food, it’s also a healthier choice, knowing that what we take in was not sprayed with pesticides or fertilizers of any kind. Rice, our staple food, has organic variants in different colors – red, brown, black, even pink! We can find fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs grown through natural farming methods around. Check labels for processed food that has no preservatives and the freshness seal.
BUY LOCAL
Patronizing locally produced goods and services takes the trouble (and the cost) for our local growers and businesses to move their products elsewhere, thus reducing fuel consumption and ultimately, the carbon footprint. No need to look far, we have a lot of high-quality products with that are proudly Davao-made. Even as we think of places to spend our summer vacation or just a weekend of rest and recreation, why not consider the eco-tourism sites just around the corner? Go snorkeling, white-water rafting, trekking or bird-watching for a unique nature trip.
RECYCLE, REDUCE, RE-USE
By now, waste segregation should come naturally, with all the facilities and ordinances in place. Aside from recycling at home, consider buying products made of recycled materials that are not only functional, but are beautifully handcrafted. Handmade paper crafts and home décor from TADECO LIVELIHOOD and the SAMAL ECO CRAFTERS ASSOCIATION are produced as community-based livelihood projects, so not only would you be helping the environment, you can also contribute to community building, as well.
