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IN 1970,
a senator from the
United States
organized the first Earth Day. His vision was a
nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the
environment.
Since
then, countless Earth Day celebrations and activities
have been planned and executed during April. Some
feature inspiring rhetoric; others are action-based,
such as river and park cleanups, and still others focus
on education.
Whatever
the message or venue, each plays a valuable role in
educating and challenging all Earth’s citizens to be
better stewards of our fragile planet.
Now,
more than ever, climate change is with us. A decade ago,
it was a conjecture. Now, the future is unfolding before
our eyes as scientists are in a mad dash conducting
endless studies to measure its scale and impact.
In the
past, changes in the climate occur as a result of
natural causes, but nowadays, the term is generally used
to refer to human-caused changes in the climate,
particularly from the emission of harmful greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere.
Climate
change is one of the most critical global challenges of
our time because as the Earth’s surface gets warmer,
unpredictable changes are also being experienced.
Recent
events have emphatically demonstrated our growing
vulnerability to climate change as its impacts range
from affecting agriculture—further endangering food
security—sea-level rise and the accelerated erosion of
coastal zones, increasing the intensity of natural
disasters, species extinction and the spread of
vector-borne diseases.
Melting
glaciers and precipitation are causing some rivers to
overflow, while evaporation is emptying others. Diseases
are spreading. Some crops grow faster while others see
yields slashed by disease and drought.
Strong
hurricanes are becoming more frequent and destructive.
Arctic sea ice is melting faster every year, and there
are growing fears of a shutdown of the ocean currents
that keep
Europe warm for its latitude.
People
experience hotter summers and shorter winters, heavier
rains, heat wave and drought. All of these threaten food
and water supplies that often cause conflicts in many
regions.
Habitats
and ecosystems have been collapsing, which places animal
and plant species that cannot quickly adapt on the brink
of extinction.
The
Philippines has not been left out. In the past several
years, strong typhoons wreaked landslides and flash
floods that damaged billions of pesos’ worth of property
and agriculture, disrupted electricity and
transportation and left thousands of people dead.
Dr. Juan
Pulhin, a Filipino who shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
with former US Vice President Al Gore Jr., warned that
the country will be hard hit by “more intense” droughts
and heavier rainfall if Filipinos go on with their
“shoulder shrug” attitude toward climate change.
Thus,
concerted efforts to mitigate climate change cannot be
delayed. There is a need to drastically reduce the
amount of greenhouse gases—particularly in the form of
carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide and
halocarbons such as chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)—that are
released into the atmosphere.
CO2 is
produced from the burning of fossil fuels (oil and coal)
by power plants, manufacturing facilities and vehicles.
Methane is emitted in the decomposition of garbage and
agricultural wastes, while nitrous oxide comes from the
use of nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides. Halocarbons
are used as coolants, solvents and spray-can
propellants.
Fortunately, solutions are already undertaken worldwide
in the form of international treaties, legislation, use
of available and new technologies, education campaign
and individual action.
In the
Philippines, the government responded to the call for
environmental conservation by harnessing renewable-
energy sources, and pushing for the use of biofuels and
auto-LPG vehicles; formulation of land-use planning
policies to protect forests and freshwater sources; and
implementation of waste segregation.
There is
also the stepping up of reforestation through
tree-planting campaigns, which is a big help as trees
absorb CO2 and convert it into oxygen.
Aside
from the government, industries are also finding ways to
make their operations more efficient in order to reduce
fuel consumption and waste. Corporate social
responsibility is being carried out through forest-
rehabilitation projects, production of eco-friendly
products, electricity conservation and investing in
emissions-reducing projects.
But,
most important, individual consumers should also act and
play a part in saving the world by being more conscious
of the impact of their consumption to the environment.
One of
our responsibilities as a consumer is to understand the
environmental consequences of our consumption. We should
recognize our individual and social responsibility to
conserve natural resources and protect the earth for
future generations.
 The
Department of Trade and Industry enjoins the nation in
the celebration of World Earth Day 2008 on April 22,
wherein the nation is again reminded to be responsible
caretakers of the planet. With the theme “Tubig ay Buhay,
Ating Pagyamanin at Linisin,” different sectors are
urged to take action on saving our waters for accessible
and sustainable use.
Our
environment has been greatly abused, thus, everyone is
and will be affected by the results. But it is not too
late. It is every man’s duty to partake in addressing
the crisis and help build a safer and cleaner world for
the coming generations. |
