Malaysia takes the lead

The Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meeting on September 8 and 9 at Sydney, Australia have invited criticism from Malaysian Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz when the host country stressed that issue on climate change will be at the top of the meeting’s agenda. Mr. Aziz questioned the credential of Australia and US to lead the discussion on the subject. Australia, and US, refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol because they claim that the protocol does not include major developing economies and unfairly punishes energy- rich countries.
“It is unfortunate that people who are talking about climate change like America are not even members of the Kyoto Protocol” the trade minister said.
“If you want to talk about climate change, please join in with the rest of the global community to make commitments about managing climate change” she further stressed.
The commentary from Malaysia could be seconded by many other countries which could pose a threat to Australia and US. The burden of proving their capacities and interest in fighting climate change lies on Australia and America. These countries should present and defend their actions, other than those set by the Kyoto Protocol, to win the confidence of other nations.
It can be recalled that America is the largest producer of carbon dioxide while Australia is a major coal exporter. These facts could lead a conclusion that profit is the above priority of these countries rather than the environment.

GFABlog: GFA: Newcastle (in the scud)

GFABlog: GFA: Newcastle (in the scud)

Recently six hundred nude people posed for a photo shoot in Aletsch Glacier, Switzerland. Artist Spencer Tunick took the photo shoot which was organized by environmental group, Greenpeace. The photo shoot was one of the many ways of the Greenpeace’s way of raising awareness about climate change.
Like a nude human body, the earth is vulnerable to heat. Due to the depletion of the ozone layer, the heat coming from the sun is directly affecting all living things in the biosphere. With continuous human activities contributing to global warming, the earth is at risk to "harms" like extreme heat, sea- level rise, diseases, and dislocation of living things. If Global Warming continues, glaciers eventually melt and the anticipated result will follow.
Prevention from the “harms” that may be brought about by global warming lies in every human being’s hand.

Last night, on my way home, a strong rain poured in a sudden. Fortunately, I was inside the jeep already. The driver had a difficulty driving because the road we’re passing through was a river- like. The water were strongly passing through the roads and rising causing flood to low areas. Many people were caught in the rain, some were chilling already. The unpleasant thing here is that, the rain took only less than an hour but in that span of time, many areas were flooded immediately. Could the rain poured overnight, probably the many places would drawn into water, may families will be affected, and could even kill number of people again. I wonder if the local government is aware of this problem. If this would not be addressed at a most possible time, a tremendous calamity would likely happen. I’ve reached my destination already but my worry still worries me, can’t do anything but sigh. :-(

Kyoto Protocol: a big leap forward

In 1997, more than 160 nation delegates met in Japan to draft an agreement. The agreement was known as the Kyoto Protocol, taking the name from the place where the delegates met- Kyoto, Japan. In 2005, the protocol took effect. Before its effectivity, the agreement had passed through an intensive review and debates. The treaty before it was approved, must be ratified by at least 55 countries. The countries ratifying it must had carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 1990 that equaled at least 55% of the emissions of all 38 industrialized countries in 1990. Awfully, in 2001, the US who is world's largest producer of carbon dioxide rejected the protocol. US in its defense claimed that the protocol would harm the American economy and will create many jobless. It also questioned the protocol for not placing restrictions on developing countries and large polluters such as as India. Nonetheless, in 2004, more than 100 countries, including countries classified as industrialized under the protocol, ratified the agreement. However, the ratification by either Russia or US was necessasry to effect the agreement. Only in Novemeber 2004 that Russia ratified the agreement. In February 2005, the treaty took effect.
Under the protocol the parties have to restrict their emissions of the CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The restriction would run from 2008 through 2012. Greenhouse gas emissions will be restricted to about 95% of their 1990 eissions.
Though the protocol excluded the developing countries from the restriction program, the member nation and industrialized countries are encouraged in helping the developing countries limit their greenhouse gas emissions.
The protocol allows use emission reduction units. In case an industrialized country cut its emission more than what is required in the protocol, that country could sell the emission reduction unit to other nations allowing the buying nation to emit the amount equal to the excess it had cut.
The industrialized nations have started the step, now it's up to us to support them for a remarkable success.

Global warming

Nothing is lost in believing in global warming, nothing is lost helping in saving the planet but all is gain...

Global Warming: Global Warning

Global warming, greenhouse effects… terms I first encountered in my elementary days but never gave so much attention to it. Today, these words are making the world leaders’ jittery and creating world debate. Global Warming has become a world issue sadly, many people are not aware of the existing problem.

Global Warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s surface. Since 1800’s, the global average temperature has increased about 0.7 to 1.4 degrees F and many experts estimated that the average temperature rise an additional 2.5 to 10.4 degrees F. Human activities, according to experts, have contributed much to the global warming by enhancing the Earths’ natural greenhouse effect. Greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere trap energy from the sun. These gases, like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, are referred as greenhouse gases.

Climatologists have concluded that human activities are responsible for the warming. Corollary, recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have reported that human activities have contributed much to the quick warming of the Earth’s surface. The IPCC is a group of scientist from different part of the world, sponsored by the United Nations, whose tasks is to study all about Global Warming.

The main human activities that contributed and are continuously contributing to global warming are population growth the fossil fuel burning and clearing of land. Fossil Fuels are any of a class of materials of biological origin occurring within the Earth’s crust that can be used as a source of energy. It includes coal, petroleum, natural gas, tar sands, and methane. Burning of fossil fuels occurs in factories, automobiles, electric power plant, and even at home. When burning fossil fuels, carbon dioxide (CO2) is created. Eventually, the CO2 goes up into the atmosphere and slows down the escape of heat in the outer space. Clearing of land happens when the rate at which greenhouse gas (CO2) are removed from the atmosphere or by the decomposition of dead vegetation. Trees and other green plants absorb the CO2 from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and give in oxygen that humans and animals breathe in. In other words, when trees and plants are cut down, like illegal logging, and when these plants die and decompose, the rate at which carbon dioxide are absorb is reduced and the building up of CO2 is intensified. When the dead plants are buried into the earth, their remains, after a million of years are turned into coil and oil, also known as fossil fuels.

Climate change may alter the worlds’ habitat and ecosystems. These places depend on a delicate balance of rainfall, temperature, and soil type. A rapid change in climate could upset this balance and seriously endanger many living things. Widespread shift on natural habitat will occur. Species extinction is likely to happen.

Plants may have difficulty to bloom and bear fruit due to insufficient cold weather. Many trees and flower may never be seen again because of intolerable heat. Crops may yield. Shortage on food especially vegetable and rice may come.

Polar bears and other mammals living in the arctic place will be forced to evacuate. Finding a colder place would be a difficulty.

The sea level will rise higher. Glaciers, polar ice may melt due to global warming and would add water to the ocean. Warmer temperature may make water in the ocean expand taking up more space and sea level rise. As a result, many coastal areas would experience flooding, erosion, loss of wetland, and entry of sea water to the fresh water areas. Many coastal cities, small island and nations would be expected to submerged and lost in the map. Those areas that are usually flooded during rainy season might vanish. Farmers will be mostly affected by the high tide.

Through global warming, the surface of the oceans could become warmer increasing the stress on the ocean ecosystem, such as coral reefs.

Global warming would affect the weather pattern, which may lead to flooding, drought, stronger hurricanes and tropical storms. In fact, the storms that caused flood and the hurricanes that swept some part of the world, according to climatologists, are the effects of the climate change.

Through global warming, many disease like malaria, dengue, heat stress and other hear related diseases may spread in larger regions and may speed up mortality rate may speed up.

To sum up, global warming is a phenomenon that affects everything that lives in the biosphere. Nobody is exempted.

Worried? Scared?

The good thing is, global warming is evitable or can be minimized.

In June 1997, delegates from different nations drafted the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol, which was named after Kyoto, Japan where the delegates met, is an agreement that calls for the decrease in the emission of greenhouse gases between the 160 rich nations. The protocol came into effect only on 2005. Member countries have started already their programs combating global warming. This big step against global warming would have a greater impact if every individual will do his part.

Saving energy from watching tv, playing video games, riding a car, using appliances such as stereo, hair dryer, washing machine, air conditioner or microwave will reduce the quantity of greenhouse gases that goes into the air.
Proper waste management, application of the 3R’s (Reduce, Re-use and Recycle), waste segregation will lessen the trash thrown into the landfill. The lesser the trash to be burned the lesser METHANE we create.
Taking a bus, riding a bicycle or walking instead of riding your own car would save energy and minimize the pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Planting a tree will help in the absorption of the carbon dioxide from the air and adds up oxygen for other living things.
Conserving energy will reduce climate change. When purchasing look for the products that bears a logo energy star®. These products are environment friendly.
Sharing facts you know about global warming to family members, friends, co- workers, will fast tract the information drive and encouraging them to participate will strengthen our battle against global warming.

These little things that everyone is capable of doing can be a great leap forward against global warming.

flOOdy flOOD

The typhoon Chedeng that recently visited the Philippines has left an unpleasant memories and souvenirs. Most of the northern part was flooded leaving a hundred of families homeless and temporarily evacuated. These experiences are incomparable or in some other areas same as to the effect of typhoon Milenyo. Milenyo has drowned lots of lives and houses. Flood has always been a dilemma that visits this country every rainy season.

The terrible floods witnessed probably were in 1991, when Isla Verde, Ormoc was engulfed by logs, mud and uprooted trees, the same thing had happened in most part of Quezon. At this time, the affected families are still on the process of recovering. These two floods are just among the many floods that happened in the Philippines. Some places, today, are considered now as the “flood area”. These are just few tremendous effects of the ineffective human activities. The non- stop abuse of the forest, the illegal logging, the uncontrolled puting up of shanties in the river bank, the dumping of garbage in the river, the continued reconstruction of the farms into subdivisions, etc have, undeniably, caused the unwanted phenomenon in the country. This “long ago” problem is getting worse due to the heedlessness of the government to the problem and lack of discipline among Filipinos. The governmental bodies responsible for the problem keeps on blaming each other when flood arise but the eagerness to stop the problem cannot be sensed from them. Years have passed and no better changed have occurred, the contributing factors to flood are continuously being practiced by hard headed individuals. Sadly, most of the less fortunate suffers.

Time has not run out yet. It's not yet late to change for the better. Every individual have a responsibility and each have an obligation. Stop inane suggestions with political interest. Instead, build a stonger combination of a disciplined mind towards waste and a strong government’s political will to effectively solve the problem with flood.

RA 9003 or ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT

Republic Act 9003 or The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act was signed into law on January 2001. It, among others, provides for a comprehensive ecological solid waste management program. It seeks to address the horrendous problem on waste. Such programs will directly relate to public health, protection of environment, resource management, utilization and conservation, waste reduction and public awareness and public involvement.

Types of Wastes identified by RA 9003

1. Solid Wastes- all discarded household, commercial wastes, non- hazardous institutional and industrial wastes, street sweepings, construction debris, agricultural wastes, and other non- hazardous/ non-toxic solid wastes.
2. Special Wastes- these are household hazardous wastes such as paints, thinners, household batteries, lead- acid batteries, spray canisters, and the like. These include wastes from residential and commercial sources that comprise of bulky wastes, consumer electronics, white goods, yard wastes that are collected separately, oil and tires. These wastes are usually handled separately from other residential and commercial wastes.
3. Hazardous Wastes- these are solid, liquid, contained gaseous or semisolid wastes which may cause or contribute to the increase in mortality, or in serious or incapacitating reversible illness, or acute/ chronic effect on the health of people and other organisms.
4. Infectious Wastes- mostly generated by hospitals.
5. Wastes resulting from mining activities including contaminated soil and debris.
6. Agricultural Waste- wastes generated from planting or harvesting of crops, trimming or pruning of plants and wastes or run- off materials from farms or fields

The classification of the waste as abovementioned can be used in waste management such as segregation and recycling. Segregation, as the law states, refer to a solid waste management practice of separating different materials found in solid waste in order to promote recycling and re- use of resources and to reduce the volume of waste for collection and disposal. Recycling refer to the treating of used or waste materials through a process of making them suitable for beneficial use and for other purposes; and includes any process by which solid materials are transformed into new products in such a manner that the original product may lose their identity, and which maybe used as raw materials for the production of other goods or services. With this classification, the law is perceived to be comprehensive enough in taking action on wastes. The law, however, does not provide for exact treatment and absolute management of hazardous, infectious and wastes resulting from mining activities. It merely outlines the policy, institutional mechanism, directives and punishable acts but does not lay down specific ways of treating the wastes. Implementation of the law is laid down to the LGU’s and other governmental bodies.



IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS

In response to the law, the governing body has long started their dissemination drive to educate the public. Signboards and signage have been put up in public places and every individual must attentively read it before getting caught. The said material contains the ways on how to properly segregate the solid wastes and lays down acts punishable under RA 9003.

Kinds of Solid Wastes present at home and at workplace

1. Paper- clean and dry papers like folder, bond papers, newspaper, magazines, etc.
2. Plastic- Softdrink PET bottles, bottles of mineral water, vinegar, soy sauce, cooking oil, shampoo, etc.
3. Steel- aluminum containers like softdrink in cans, ice cream and biscuit cans, etc.
- G.I. sheet , aluminum gutter, brass copper, washer stainless steel, scrap metal, etc.
4. Bottles/ Glasses- bottles of beer, gin, softdrink, juice, vinegar, peanut butter, etc.

These wastes can be recycled and can be sold to junkshops.

What to do:

1. Separate white paper from colored paper.
2. Fold carton to save space.
3. Wash or soak the plastic, cans, bottles and glasses to be disposed in water recycled from washing laundry to prevent infection from insects.
4. Let the plastic dry before placing them in a recyclable container.
5. Fold or cut steel to save space.
6. Place the bottles or broken glasses in a sturdy container.
7. One glass color per container.
8. Don’t let garbage collectors gather garbage when it rains.

Garden waste, like the dried leaves and grass, plant stem, branches, and cut- offs, extracted plants, animal waste and kitchen waste are compostable. These wastes can be disposed by burying them. For leftovers, drain it before putting in a recycled ice cream or biscuit containers.

PROHIBITED ACTS

1. Littering, throwing, and indiscriminate dumping of waste in public places such as in roads, sidewalks, canals, esteros or parks.
2. Open burning of solid wastes.
3. Causing and permitting the collection of non- segregated or unsorted wastes.
4. Open dumping, burying of wastes in flood- prone areas.
5. Unauthorized removal of recyclables intended for collection by authorized persons.
6. Mixing of source- separated recyclable materials with other solid wastes.

The penalty ranges from Php300 to Php1,000 or one to fifteen- day community service or both to Php5,000 + 5% to 10% of net income depending on the gravity of act committed.

CITIZEN’S SUIT

To effectively enforce the Provisions of this Act, a citizen may file an appropriate Civil, Criminal, or Administrative action against any citizen, or any public officer, who violates or fails to comply with the implementing rules and regulations of RA 9003.
A letter of complaint, including the name of the complainant, the time, date and place of the offense, the violation committed, and proof/ pictures, may be sent to any of the following:
1. EMB- NCR, 29 Hizon Bldg., Quezon Ave., Quezon City, Telephone: 781-0497 or 71
2. National Solid Waste Management Commission Secretariat, EMB-DENR, 2nd Floor, HRDS Bldg., DENR Compound Visayas Ave., Quezon City. Telephone: 920-2252/ 920-2279
3. Integrated Bar of the Philippines, National Environmental Action Team, 15 Julia Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Telephone: 631-3018/1158 Fax: 631-3013

Thank God it rained

Yesterday it rained cats and dogs but it only took less than an hour. It is still a great thing that God made that day. From the window, I can see the cloud is dark seems like its going to rain again, hope so.

rain rain come quickly

Yesterday, when the rain pours, I usually sing “rain rain go away come again another day…” It showed how I hated rainy season because it ruined my day. Can’t play outside, Can’t make noise, Can’t dry the laundry and it’s keeping me bored entering school or work.

Today, I hope to sing that song again but it seems odd. It hadn’t rain much since June, the start of rainy season. It seems like that “someday” is not perceivable to come.

At present, Philippines is experiencing a horrendous situation- DROUGHT. Farmers are bothered that someday they may have nothing to harvest due to dry season. Every thirsty individual are frightened by water shortage. Temperature is getting hotter. Seems like climatic change has taken its toll, hailstorm and tornado are being experienced in some parts of the country and leaving a number of families homeless. Though cloud seeding had been done, the expected and needed precipitation has not yet been reached leaving the farmers worried yet hopeful. If this problem persists, certainly many more would suffer.

If today it will rain, I will no longer sing that song instead I’ll praise God for the gift of rain and ask for more so the farmers’ hope be bountifully fulfilled.

Greenpeace

Ever heard of the Greenpeace organization? Who wouldn't know about this active organization working all over the world to advance their adherence in saving the world?

Presently, Greenpeace is campaigning against global warming. One of their activities is inviting people to do the 7- steps campaign against global warming and I am proud to have signed up and now I am on my 4th step campaign. Interested? Log on to to their site, search greenpeace.org now. You can help too!
See yeah!

Waste Segregation- my first step

Waste in its simplest definition is an undesirable or unwanted material. Everyday we produce tons of waste in our house, school, workplace and everywhere. Everyday we see waste. Unnoticeably, generation of waste is part of daily activity. Thus, creation of waste is unavoidable. Sadly, the generation of waste is faster than the proper disposal of the wastes due to inadequate awareness or knowledge on proper waste disposal.

Waste disposal would be effectively carried out by starting with proper waste segregation. A waste segregation is a process by which wastes are categorized according to its type. The commonly used segregation is classifying the wastes as biodegradable, non- biodegradable, and hazardous. Biodegradable are those capable of decaying through the action of living organism. Non- biodegradable are those which its chemical properties does not permit natural decomposition. Hazardous are those which pose unreasonable risk or harm to health and environment due to its contamination.

All unwanted materials made up of paper, cloth and wood or those which are capable of decomposing shall be disposed in the Biodegradable trash bin, e.g. cartons, tissue paper, banana cue stick etc.. All waste which are composed of plastic, metal and glass belongs to Non- Biodegradable trash bin, e.g. plastic bags, emptied canned goods, emptied bottle of drinks, etc. Wastes which could cause injury when swallowed, touched or inhaled shall be properly disposed in the Hazardous trash can, e.g. cloth with grease used in cleaning car, contaminated bottles, etc. a separate trash bin for wastes that can be recycled will be done for future convenience.

With proper segregation, orderliness and cleanliness in the waste area is not impossible to attain. In fact, it will also minimize the bacteria created that jeopardizes health and environment.

"Waste shall not be treated as a waste per se."