PROMOTING USE OF
BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING
There is an urgent need to reverse environmental degradation. Global warming is having its impact felt by many nations, including the Philippines – unusual weather phenomenon, floods, super typhoons, heat waves, blizzards, landslides, and diseases. Scientists say that man-made heat-trapped carbon gases are disrupting Earth’s climate system. The Philippines is among the countries that now ban the use of non-biodegradable packaging. Some malls and supermarkets no longer give free plastic bags to customers, but instead ask them to bring their own eco-friendly or reusable bags.
The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) urges the cities of manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, Paranaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan, and the municipality of Pateros, to pass ordinances that would make local establishments to use plastic packaging, Muntinlupa City, the first to heed the MMDA call, enacted Ordinance No. 10-109, prohibiting the use of plastic bags on dry goods, regulating their use for wet goods, and banning the use of Styrofoam nor styropor for food. In Quezon City, an ordinance seeks a ban on plastic and polysterene in city buildings and hospitals.
Provinces are also promoting environment-friendly packaging. In Calapan City, as part of “Green Calapan”, the city government orders the use of biodegradable packaging and bagging materials in public and private markets. In Bacolod City, local officials urge the use of alternative packaging such as woven bags (bayong), cloth bags (katsa), paper bags and biodegradable materials such as banana leaves, and taro leaves. Bontoc has declared Sunday a “no plastic and no Styrofoam day” and bans the disposal of plastic wastes on Sunday. In Antipolo City in Rizal, City Ordinance 2009-370 bans the use of Styrofoam as packaging and regulates the use of plastic bags.
There are thousand ways, including tree planting, gardening, recycling, carpooling, that every Filipino could contribute to help Mother Earth recover from its ailing health. Let us do our share to save the Earth and humankind.
Reference: Manila Bulletin, December 28, 2011
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