Earth Hour inspires food gardening, sampaguita planting

International Forest Day (IFD) on 21 March was marked by the launching of an ambitious project to plant five million trees by 2028. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is spearheading the undertaking dubbed Forests For Life. DENR, Aboitiz Foundation Inc. and other partners will plant the trees in Ilocos Norte, Rizal, Leyte, Bataan, Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte.

Meanwhile, Earth Hour on 22 March inspired Megaworld Hotels & Resorts’ (MHR) “Petals to Purpose” initiative that involves planting sampaguita in Bocaue, Bulacan to serve as livelihood of beneficiary families. Under the project, MHR hotels are selling 3,000 sampaguita seedlings for P60 each to guests to help establish the sampaguita social enterprises.

Available through online bookings, walk-in guests and in hotels’ bars and restaurants, each seedling will have a personalized tag with the guest’s name, symbolizing their commitment to environmental conservation. MHR will carry out the planting activity, and guests will receive updates online.

“We invite everyone to be part of this transformative movement,” said Loleth So, MHR Group commercial director.

Meanwhile, Savoy Hotel Manila supports the annual Earth Hour and Forest Day with its Vertical Gardening for Sustainability and Food Security program. The hotel’s housekeeping department repurposes laundry chemical containers that would otherwise be thrown away into plant pots for growing herbs, lettuce and tomatoes.

The initiative not only promotes eco-friendly practices but also contributes to food security by providing fresh, homegrown produce for the hotel.

Compliance manager and sustainability advocate Karlo Evangelista shared that over 500 plastic containers have been converted into plant pots.

“At first, we just planted whatever looked good, but then we realized we should plant something consumable,” Evangelista said.

By integrating vertical gardening into its sustainability efforts, Savoy Hotel Manila is not only reducing its carbon footprint but also setting an example for the hospitality industry to embrace greener, more resourceful solutions.