Marine protection group promotes sustainable holiday celebrations

Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year. Filled with hope and joy, it is usually the time when family members gather together over sumptuous feasts, overflowing drinks, and boundless conversations. It's also the time to give back to the people we love through gifts.

Every year, families ante up their celebrations as a symbol of improving lives but how do we celebrate Christmas simply and sustainably? As we send out gifts, how do we ensure wrappers are disposed of properly?

According to Oceana vice president Gloria Estenzo Ramos, celebrating the birth of Christ also needs mindfulness, especially as the Philippines grapples with unsustainable waste production due to the lack of solid waste management infrastructure to help address the issue.

"The true spirit of the Christmas season is best felt through acts of kindness, including being mindful of how our actions impact our planet, especially the ocean. More than the feasts and gifts that abound this time of year, let us also show our gratitude to our natural life support system including the marine ecosystems and the individuals and communities who foster these resources to ensure our food and livelihood," she said in an online interview.

She added: "Let us embrace the season's essence of hope and joy for our fellow Filipinos. Ensuring and mainstreaming ocean protection is one of the best gifts we can bestow on our children, families, communities and the rest of humanity. It is an act of kindness that will reverberate for decades to come and will touch the lives of present and future generations."

Undeniably, Filipinos need to embrace sustainability to ensure that the country will be enjoyed by many generations to come. Easily, they can start limiting their waste, especially plastics, for gift wrappings on holidays like Christmas. Instead of using non-biodegradable plastic wrappers, they should make bringing reusable bags a habit.

Taking small steps

Francis Mariano, not his real name, said his work as an admin officer in a private company in Makati City prompted him to buy a bulk of grocery items for their annual company party. As he pushes for a zero-waste lifestyle, packing the company's items was a challenge.

"It was a challenge for me because as much as I can, I personally limit my use of plastic so this time, I want to do that for this particular task also," he said.

Thus, he said he requested his bosses to issue an Office Notice requiring all employees to bring their bags as a prerequisite to get their goodies. He added that the act may be too small for some, but it would go a long way in cutting plastic waste.

"It can be funny to some, but I really took the time to convince all our executives to be on board with my plan because at first, they were not cool with the idea, insisting that we can always buy disposable bags," he added.

Going green

The World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines or WWF Philippines supports initiatives like this.

In a website post, the group pointed out that printed paper wrappers comprise one of the largest Christmas wastes.

"Ditch the typical gift wrap and pack your gifts in old gift bags, cloth bags, canvas bags, newspapers, magazines, and glass jars. You can even try Furoshiki, a traditional Japanese wrapping technique! All these will further personalize your gifts while reducing your environmental impact," it said.

To those hosting parties, WWF-Philippines said hosts should invest in reusable and washable party plates, cups, and utensils so they don't fill their waste bins to the brim after each party.

The Philippines, according to the United Nations Environment Program, is the fourth-largest generator of solid waste among Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries. Its recent study showed that the country produces an average of 14.66 million tons of trash annually.

The Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR also projected that the country would see its yearly waste increase to about an average of 18.05 MT in 2020 due to the additional waste generated because of the pandemic.

With the rise of online shopping, prompted by the seasonal spike in purchasing during this season, the country's waste is expected to balloon, if people will not start practicing a sustainable lifestyle.