Subtle Bait: GREEN MELTDOWN
The costs of technologies, ecological and industrial development place the earth in a great peril. As we advance to a healthier economy, commercial activities caused the environment to struggle against severe degradation or contamination of land, air and water.
After the explosive period of industrialization, the enormous increase in the use of fossil fuel energy sources and fast growth in the manufacture and use of new synthetic chemicals have largely contributed to the rapid atmospheric builup of greenhouse gases causing the warming of the planet.
The warming of the planet that caused climate change is a very serious threat to all living things.The changes in climate are affecting the ability of the earth to deliver its environmental services.
The continued rape of mother earth brought deep lesions and hemorrhage of our vital life-support systems. Thus, each person has a role to perform the faster healing of earth's fever before it totally meltdowns.
The duty of providing appropriate and effective remedies of preserving the rhythm and harmony of the ecology is everybody's business not only because the fundamental law of the land recognizes every unborn child's right to the full enjoyment of a balanced and healthful ecology, but also because every generation has the solemn responsibilities to God to ensure the protection of the environment.
In the philippines, climate change is true as evidenced by the increasing mean temperature observed over time. For instance, from 1951 to 2006, records of the national weather bureau (PAGASA) show that the warming has occurred in the country.
To combat this problem, we have a number of environmental laws that provide security to our natural resources and empower more our advocates for clean and green environment to migrate the threats of all forms of pollution.
Hope for the Dead Earth
The Presidential Decree 1152 or commonly known as the Philippine Environment Code is one of the many laws that provide security to our natural resources.
Title III Section 22 of PD 1152 enumerates that provisions for the rational, orderly and efficient acquisition, utilization and disposition of land and its resources to avail of land's maximum benefits and to encourage its prudent use and conservation to prevent an imbalance between the nation's need and said resources.
In response to the law's mandate the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board, the country's highest socioeconomic planning body, is highly emphasizing the renewed importance given to land use planning after the elevation of PGMA of the National Land Use Committee (NLUC) to NEDA Board Committee through Executive Order 770.
Land use planning seeks to accommodate the needs on housing, education, jobs and health care by allocating land between competing and sometimes conflicting uses. Thus, it encourages the rational and orderly development of land promoting the sustainability of both human settlements and the environment.
Some of the highlights of land planning are environmental sustainability, rational urban development, equal access and recognition of the rights of the Indigenous People.
Environmental sustainability is focused on the observance of appropriate environmental standards and natural resource management and to effectively promote a balance between demand for land and preservation of ecosystems.
Equal access ensure an equal distribution of physical resources and providing an equal opportunity in using and acquiring them.
NEDA also works on the protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples especially on the right to develop and manage lands within their ancestral domain.
But all these efforts will not be materialized if people will remain passive and uninformed. Thus, NEDA board is working hard on empowering people. The people empowerment feature included by land planning is to encourage ordinary citizens to participate in physical planning.
Filtered Air
The strides toward a better living also created an enemy that is causing the high mortality and morbidity rates due to respiratory related diseases.
The air that breathes you life is already treacherous. A report of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2004 revealed that certain places in the country recorded very high levels of deadly particles, with some even exceeding the National Air Quality (NAAQ) guideline values in the Philippine Clean Air Act.
Philippine Clean Air Act is a comprehensive law formulating holistic national programs of air pollution management to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology.
Despite the long and short strides of the national government to reduce poisonous gases from contaminating the air we breathe, the life, damage vegetation, declining tourism and discouraged foreign investors. The loss of productivity due to pollution-related illness is a direct economic cost; thus, hurting our goal of economic development.
Each of us in our own little ways should help in keeping our air healthy. We can start by minimizing in our homes the use of insecticides, solvents and cleaners.
There Will Be Enough Water for Everyone
The earth is mostly made up of water. But according to Water Organization only less than one (1) percent of the world's fresh water is readily accessible for direct human use. This is very true because it is seen and felt especially in our country.
The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 was created to address the issues regarding water pollution. The act provides for a comprehensive and integrated strategy to prevent and minimize pollution through active involvement of all Filipinos.
Water quality management is either based on watershed, river basin or water resources region. The management will be localized and multi-sectoral boars will be established to manage water quality issues within their jurisdiction.
However, water has been a favorite casualty of illegal miners and other ordinary citizens; thus, leaving thousands of people with water related diseases which constitute 31% of all illnesses in the country.
The story about the illegal mining of manganese ores from the Taguibo Watershed is a concrete example of how human beings pollute our main source of life in exchange for wealth.
To note, manganese is a very dangerous element that can cause toxicity to the nervous system, producing a syndrome that resembles Parkinsonism and other irreversible diseases.
For us to save our race from extinction, we must work hard in hand in preserving our finite water resources. The laws of the land will remain "noted" if we will not faithfully obey it. The solutions are not hidden from us. We are in ourselves the biggest solution to the problems we created.
According to many economic environmental analyst, reducing water pollution is defeating poverty, because saving water is recognizing the intrinsic and economic value of it. Thus, if water pollution is reduced and illegal mining is prevented especially in areas like Taguibo Watershed, we will increase our momentum for a more stabilized economy.
The Start of a Fight against Green Meltdown
The planet is getting warmer. Now is the time to really step up and work towards the preservation of the environment. We need to work steadfastly for the fast recovery of the environment, so the next generation will have a chance to live in a planet that is loving, caring and healthy- this is our inter-generational resposibility.
Sources:
1.Oposa v. Factoran, Jr.224 SCRA 792 GR. No.1010083 July 30, 1993.
2.Ibid.
3.Climate Change and Forest Ecosystem in the Philippines. Vulnerability, Adaptation and Mitigation bu Lasco,et al
4.National framework for physical planning, NEDA; Land use planning methods, strategies and tools, GTZ
5.Air in Peril. DOST
- What you should Know About the Clean Water Act
THANKS FOR READING!
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your story is very good
thank you @erikaa
Cool my friend..
Applause to your story! really nice.
thank you so much for the compliment.
Always welcome :)