Making Earth Day an everyday quest

To empower the youth and combat plastic pollution, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will spearhead the signing of the Partnership for the Earth Day Everyday Project today at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Joining the DENR in the initiative are key stakeholders SM Supermalls, Nestlé Philippines Inc., and the Boys and Girls Scouts of the Philippines.

The “Earth Day Every Day” project aims to engage Filipino students nationwide in a “Plastics Collection Competition: Collect, Drop and Win.”

The initiative aims to inculcate a culture of environmental responsibility and the importance of recycling plastics, aligning with scouting values.

The project serves a dual purpose: Promoting youth participation in curbing plastic pollution while encouraging a nationwide shift away from single-use plastics.

The day’s activities will kick off with a plastic weigh-in at 10 a.m. at the SM Mall of Asia’s Materials Recovery Facility.

It will be followed by a signing ceremony with DENR partners like U-INSPIRE-Youth for Resiliency (Y4R), UN Women for Climate Resilient Society, and the Commission on Population Development and Path Foundation -Build Project.

DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs, Atty. Jonas R. Leones, will present the project details, followed by the signing of the Pledge of Commitment by prominent figures.

Among the signatories are DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, SM Supermalls president Steven Yan, SM Prime Holdings Inc. AVP Jessica Bianca Sy-Bell; Nestle Philippines Inc. Corporate Affairs head, SVP Joey Uy; Boy Scouts of the Philippines Secretary General Kim Robert de Leon; and Girl Scouts of the Philippines National President Cristina Lim-Yuson.

“The Earth Day Every Day project advocates for feasible methods to reduce waste, foster a culture of sustainability, and motivate participation through incentives,” DENR Secretary Loyzaga said.

“We are grateful for the invaluable support and collaboration of Nestle, SM Supermalls, and the Boy and Girl Scouts of the Philippines. Their involvement will significantly amplify our advocacy efforts,” she added.