THE current onslaught of rains are teaching
Filipinos one thing about solid waste management: it’s not being
done enough. Floodwaters now rise where they used to be
nonexistent. While it would be easy to pinpoint responsibility
to garbage collectors, LGUs, and manufacturers, there are
options, too, that every day consumers can take advantage of to
stem the tide of garbage. The question is, are we doing our
part?
In 2000, Republic Act No. 9003, otherwise
known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act was put into
effect. Under it, regulatory bodies that deal with solid waste
management on the national, provincial, and municipal levels
were created. Notably, RA 9003 also required garbage to be
segregated at the source, including households, institutions,
and commercial establishments.
Rewards and incentives are provided to
encourage the public to take effective action in solid waste
management. Since then, there have been some efforts to make
every regular consumer an environmental advocate. However, these
initially did not gain the widespread acceptance every one
hoped.
But last June, a reusable grocery tote called
the GreenBag was launched by corporate giants SM Supermarket and
Hypermarket and Unilever Philippines. The GreenBag encourages
the stores’ millions of customers to do their part in reducing
waste. To date, almost 200,000 GreenBags have been given to
shoppers, and according to SM, the vast majority of those who
have it are avidly reusing it. SM even went as far as rewarding
their SM Advantage Club members with extra points every time
they opt to use the GreenBag instead of the usual plastic bag
upon checking out of its supermarkets and hypermarkets. There is
also a blog consumers can visit (www.green-bagblog.blogspot.com).
These two companies have inculcated a "green" shopping habit
among so many at such a strategic time and venue. Which
household, indeed, does not go to the supermarket at least once
a week?
The program has already inspired other big
local chains to implement something similar. Department stores
and book shops have already followed suit, helping truly spread
environment consciousness among the general public. With SM’s
and Unilever’s GreenBag, concerned consumers have the power to
make a difference and help make excessive flooding, as well as
other disadvantages of overflowing garbage, things of the past.
In a recent survey by the EcoWaste Coalition and Greenpeace,
it was discovered that more than half of the junk found in
Manila Bay is composed of plastic bags, which release pollutants
into our waters, air, and soil, clog our canals, and poison
animals. Each household reusing at least one GreenBag for every
week in two years can cut the need for regular sized plastic
bags by as much 200 pieces. When multiplied by millions of
Filipino shoppers, the projected 2010 figure of 29,000 tons of
generated daily waste may not happen at all. Hopefully, before
the year ends, other members of the retail sector will similarly
address the country’s solid waste management problems as well.
The popularity of local reusable shopping bags were a long time
coming, especially since it has been nearly seven years since RA
9003 was implemented. But it is an encouraging movement. With
such support from the corporate sector, and through places that
people frequent, how indeed can we not do our part?
