Why Cleanups Mean More Than Just Picking Up Litter and Collecting Trash
Each year, the Philippines generates 2.7 million tons of plastic waste and an estimated 20% of these end up polluting bodies of water and coastal areas. This is caused by various factors, including improper waste disposal and management, and low collection and recycling rates in the country.
In line with this, GMA Network and Nestle Philippines in partnership with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) led a cleanup activity last September 30, 2022 at the Las Piñas–Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA). It was participated by 207 volunteers composed of SPARKLE artists and employees from CCC, GMA Network, and Nestlé Philippines. A total of 1,307 kg of wastes were collected during the cleanup.
“It is very important for us to have our employees, our ambassadors, and our partners to physically do it. It is not just about spending the money to retrieve the plastic, but it is for all of us to feel the challenges we have ahead of us when it comes to plastic pollution, when it comes to sustainability, and how together we can make a difference,” said Nestle Philippines Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki.
Looking into it, picking up a plastic bottle or two from the shore doesn’t seem too impactful when backdropped with a literal sea of garbage. However, cleanups serve a purpose that is more than just reducing the amount of waste in the environment and towards finding long term solutions for the plastic waste crisis.
An eye opener
We have always been reminded of the importance of practicing the 3Rs—reduce, reuse, and recycle—when it comes to our plastic waste. It’s also being taught in schools how to segregate trash and why littering is bad for the planet. Despite these and more, not everyone is compelled to put what they learned into action.
Data presented by the United Nations Environment Regional Office in 2019 showed that every Filipino produces 10 kg of plastic waste each year. By volunteering in cleanups, people get to see and experience the magnitude of the plastic problem first-hand. Suddenly, the consequences are more tangible and real compared to just reading or watching about it. Several studies have also shown how cleanups and other participatory activities are more effective in raising public awareness towards environmental problems.
Learning more about plastic waste
Through cleanup activities, there is an opportunity to broaden the body of knowledge about plastic waste in terms of where they came from, where they usually end up, and what items are commonly disposed into the waters. This information is valuable and can be used by companies, organizations, and the government to come up with further efforts to help address the plastic crisis at hand.
Fosters sense of responsibility
At the end of the day, cleanup activities still contribute to improving the state of whatever beach, coastal area or riverbanks you were designated to clean. It helps restore the habitat of fish and marine mammals, and makes the place more attractive to tourism, which, in turn, also helps the communities surrounding it. There will always be a feeling of pride and fulfillment in knowing you got a hand in making it happen and you have the capability to do more.
This cleanup activity is just one of the many initiatives lined up under the partnership forged between GMA Network and Nestlé Philippines. The two companies joined forces as Kapuso at Kasambuhay ng Kalikasan to address the plastic crisis in the country. The partnership aims to highlight the importance of recognizing our individual responsibility in caring for and preserving the planet to a much bigger audience.
