It used to be that the onset of the two seasons in the Philippines is so well defined. The rains would come in June and stop by November. The dry season would then start and culminate in the merry month of May. Many activities were time bound to the two seasons then: rice planting is scheduled in time with the rains, road building is fast tracked during the dry months, even elections were purposely set by the Constitution to be on the second Monday of May just so that the politicians won't be forced to campaign during the muddy season. (I swear that this is true. Honest)
We really never paid attention to weather patterns; we somehow conveniently thought that the rains would come by June. (After all, during the religious fiestas in May we practically prayed for rain everyday!) We also knew that by November, the rains would have abated and we could start looking forward to dry spells.
NOW, NOT ANYMORE.
The rains came down hard on Samar and Leyte the other day. As a result of the off-season rain, flash floods occurred in numerous towns, more than 5000 families were evacuated, at least 8 people died and various infrastructure were severely damaged.
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, (a colleague from the College Editors Guild of the Philippines so many summers back) was quoted as saying that we may be seeing the effects of global warming.
Global warming is the most apparent manifestation of climate change that we know. Environmental studies indicate that such change is human influenced. Putting it rather bluntly, this change that we are now seeing is caused by irresponsible human acts. Increased carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere is being pointed to as the main cause of such increase in global temperatures.
What are the leading causes of such increased carbon dioxide emissions? First is fossil fuel burning, second is land use change including massive deforestation and third is cement manufacturing. (Carbon dioxide is released when calcium carbonate is heated to produce calcium oxide or quicklime. Quicklime is a basic ingredient in cement).
Another factor in rapid global warming is the increase of other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. What is doubly problematic is that the prime contributor of such gases is the livestock industry. Livestock releases nitrous oxide and methane into the atmosphere and these cause chaos in the ozone layer. We need the livestock industry in order to combat hunger but while we are engaging in it we are creating another problem.
The Philippines is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, an output of the Convention on Climate Change, which is intended to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. We should expect to see that our government policies adhere to the provisions of the Protocol and to what we have agreed to in the treaty.
What is more important though is to take individual action on reducing the emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere. Here are some of the things we can do: one, let us reduce the use of motorized vehicles; two, let us be more prudent in the use of energy; three, let us practice recycling and re-using and four, let us plant more trees.
There is an endless list of the little things that we could do in order to slow down the effects of climate change. The key here is to take personal responsibility for the environment so that more results could be effected.
Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Waste Co-Processing
We read with great interest an article ran by Holcim Philippines, Inc. on The Philippine Daily Inquirer last Sunday. The article tackled the company's efforts in utilizing co-processing of waste in cement production in their plants in the Philippines.
About two years ago, while doing research on solid waste management, I read an article about a study being conducted by the Department of Science and Technology on the matter of using industrial waste as fuel for the kilns of the cement industry. The study is intended to serve as a guide for crafting policy on co-processing of wastes taking into consideration the strict provisions of the Clean Air Act. Our research was stopped as it was overtaken by events in the colorful world of provincial politics and I failed to monitor what eventually happened to the DOST initiative.
The announcement (through the PDI article) that four Holcim Philippines plants have already started co-processing is a delightful surprise. Co-processing not only cuts fossil fuel costs, it also provides an environmentally friendly alternative to waste disposal.
In more graphic terms, imagine a mountain of used car and truck tires. If no solution would be found on how to dispose of these tires, they would eventually be dumped onto landfills. (Of course, minus the few thousands burned during the insane New Year Celebrations we have hereabouts) One option is to incinerate these tires but this option is not available anymore in the era of the Clean Air Act. The solution was eventually found in co-processing.
What else can be used in co-processing? Liquid waste such as used oil, sludge, solvents and paint residues and solid waste such as contaminated rags, mould runners and packaging materials. All of these would have been dumped into our landfills if co-processing is not utilized.
This brings me back to my pet peeve. Can we use our unsegregated garbage in the co-processing scheme? The answer is an absolute no! Only specific wastes may be used in co-processing and since our garbage is practically not sorted, there is a big risk that severe pollutants may have been included in it and burning would only result in the release of these pollutants into the air.
Our thoughts on this?
Co-processing provides us a good alternative to waste disposal and it provides a solution to some of the problems that persist in waste management. Yes it relieves us of some of our worries but it is not the cure for all our troubles. Waste, as it is, is brought about by human insensitivity to the ways of nature. If we could only be more responsible for our actions, then we would not have had the problems in the first place.
About two years ago, while doing research on solid waste management, I read an article about a study being conducted by the Department of Science and Technology on the matter of using industrial waste as fuel for the kilns of the cement industry. The study is intended to serve as a guide for crafting policy on co-processing of wastes taking into consideration the strict provisions of the Clean Air Act. Our research was stopped as it was overtaken by events in the colorful world of provincial politics and I failed to monitor what eventually happened to the DOST initiative.
The announcement (through the PDI article) that four Holcim Philippines plants have already started co-processing is a delightful surprise. Co-processing not only cuts fossil fuel costs, it also provides an environmentally friendly alternative to waste disposal.
In more graphic terms, imagine a mountain of used car and truck tires. If no solution would be found on how to dispose of these tires, they would eventually be dumped onto landfills. (Of course, minus the few thousands burned during the insane New Year Celebrations we have hereabouts) One option is to incinerate these tires but this option is not available anymore in the era of the Clean Air Act. The solution was eventually found in co-processing.
What else can be used in co-processing? Liquid waste such as used oil, sludge, solvents and paint residues and solid waste such as contaminated rags, mould runners and packaging materials. All of these would have been dumped into our landfills if co-processing is not utilized.
This brings me back to my pet peeve. Can we use our unsegregated garbage in the co-processing scheme? The answer is an absolute no! Only specific wastes may be used in co-processing and since our garbage is practically not sorted, there is a big risk that severe pollutants may have been included in it and burning would only result in the release of these pollutants into the air.
Our thoughts on this?
Co-processing provides us a good alternative to waste disposal and it provides a solution to some of the problems that persist in waste management. Yes it relieves us of some of our worries but it is not the cure for all our troubles. Waste, as it is, is brought about by human insensitivity to the ways of nature. If we could only be more responsible for our actions, then we would not have had the problems in the first place.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Transport Wishes
A few days back, Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn was seen on national TV testing a prototype of the "Tricycle ng Bayan." The tricycles run on an electric motor using a rechargeable battery. He plans to deploy at least 100 Trikebayans in his City in the next few months.
It caught my attention as the electric tricycle offers a solution to the persistent noise and air pollution that is caused by the multitudes of gas powered ones plying the streets of the Philippines. There are more than two million tricycles running in the towns and cities of our beloved country. All of these are gas powered and noisy. If the operators would be convinced to convert to electric powered tricycles, we could just imagine the reduction of emissions and decibel levels we would be encountering everyday.
Compare this initiative with the Israeli government's move to encourage its citizens to shift to electric cars. Government policy planners and project implementors are focusing their eyes into making this a viable undertaking. Time Magazine quoted Israel President Shimon Peres as saying that this is "an experimental lab, a pilot project, before it's applied to other, bigger industrialized nations." (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1705518,00.html).
What struck me in the plan is that the Israelis are going to build the necessary support infrastructure to ensure that the project will be a success. Battery charging stations are going to be constructed all over Israel so that the problem of running out on charge would be minimized.
Another item that caught my attention was the news bite that quoted the University of the Philippines National Center for Transportation Studies as having said that there is a glut of public utility vehicles in Metro Manila streets.
I think that this is a no brainer.Just take a trip on EDSA and one can easily see the half empty buses chugging along, clogging the roadways. A more efficient system of dispatching these vehicles should be done so that at the very least, the number of vehicles could be minimized.
If only a fairy godmother would appear and give me three wishes, these would be the wishes that I would make: I am wishing that the LRT/MRT link could be started and finished. I am wishing that a subway could be built in Metro Manila. I am wishing that the national railway system could be revived. If my wishes would be granted, maybe the Philippines may still make it.
It caught my attention as the electric tricycle offers a solution to the persistent noise and air pollution that is caused by the multitudes of gas powered ones plying the streets of the Philippines. There are more than two million tricycles running in the towns and cities of our beloved country. All of these are gas powered and noisy. If the operators would be convinced to convert to electric powered tricycles, we could just imagine the reduction of emissions and decibel levels we would be encountering everyday.
Compare this initiative with the Israeli government's move to encourage its citizens to shift to electric cars. Government policy planners and project implementors are focusing their eyes into making this a viable undertaking. Time Magazine quoted Israel President Shimon Peres as saying that this is "an experimental lab, a pilot project, before it's applied to other, bigger industrialized nations." (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1705518,00.html).
What struck me in the plan is that the Israelis are going to build the necessary support infrastructure to ensure that the project will be a success. Battery charging stations are going to be constructed all over Israel so that the problem of running out on charge would be minimized.
Another item that caught my attention was the news bite that quoted the University of the Philippines National Center for Transportation Studies as having said that there is a glut of public utility vehicles in Metro Manila streets.
I think that this is a no brainer.Just take a trip on EDSA and one can easily see the half empty buses chugging along, clogging the roadways. A more efficient system of dispatching these vehicles should be done so that at the very least, the number of vehicles could be minimized.
If only a fairy godmother would appear and give me three wishes, these would be the wishes that I would make: I am wishing that the LRT/MRT link could be started and finished. I am wishing that a subway could be built in Metro Manila. I am wishing that the national railway system could be revived. If my wishes would be granted, maybe the Philippines may still make it.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Reactions to News Items
I watched the late news on Studio 23 tonight and saw two disturbing news items.
One, Boracay regulars are now complaining of the dirty water coming out of pipes that drain onto the sea. Officials of the Municipality of Malay claim that the water coming out of pipes came from a natural spring and is in fact not dirty. Visitors are claiming otherwise. Residents though are saying that there are times that their homes are being flooded and the water that goes inside the houses are murky smelly water.
Just a food for thought: is there already a sewage treatment facility in the island?
Two, hospital waste from a private institution in Bacoor, Cavite are not being collected by the garbagemen for fear that these are contaminated. What was shown on TV is the mound of trash that contains used syringes and dextrose bags, soiled bandages and other hospital trash. Mind you, this was a pile of unsegregated garbage with hospital wastes to boot!
Query: Various laws have obviously been violated in this instance, why are they not being enforced here?
There was a bright spot in the news though; in Norzagaray, Bulacan, a dumpsite (apparently a sanitary landfill) was featured with the manager of the facility being quoted as inviting the people to come and visit the place. He is claiming that they have followed all the requirements set forth in the Solid Waste Law and that they are observing the correct procedures in the disposal of human excesses.
Yes, a sanitary landfill is a vast improvement over the open dumpsite, but as I have earlier said, segregation of wastes is the key to solving the Problem.
One, Boracay regulars are now complaining of the dirty water coming out of pipes that drain onto the sea. Officials of the Municipality of Malay claim that the water coming out of pipes came from a natural spring and is in fact not dirty. Visitors are claiming otherwise. Residents though are saying that there are times that their homes are being flooded and the water that goes inside the houses are murky smelly water.
Just a food for thought: is there already a sewage treatment facility in the island?
Two, hospital waste from a private institution in Bacoor, Cavite are not being collected by the garbagemen for fear that these are contaminated. What was shown on TV is the mound of trash that contains used syringes and dextrose bags, soiled bandages and other hospital trash. Mind you, this was a pile of unsegregated garbage with hospital wastes to boot!
Query: Various laws have obviously been violated in this instance, why are they not being enforced here?
There was a bright spot in the news though; in Norzagaray, Bulacan, a dumpsite (apparently a sanitary landfill) was featured with the manager of the facility being quoted as inviting the people to come and visit the place. He is claiming that they have followed all the requirements set forth in the Solid Waste Law and that they are observing the correct procedures in the disposal of human excesses.
Yes, a sanitary landfill is a vast improvement over the open dumpsite, but as I have earlier said, segregation of wastes is the key to solving the Problem.
The Batangas Bay Experience
Way back 1996, as a member then of the Provincial Board of Batangas, we authored an Ordinance creating the Batangas Bay Region Environmental Protection Council. We thought of creating that Council when we realized just how many Government agencies were somehow directly or indirectly involved in the enforcement of laws pertaining to the unique ecosystem of Batangas Bay.
Consider this: we had the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Maritime Industry Authority, the then Export Processing Zone Authority now Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the Provincial Government, the City Government of Batangas, and the Municipal Governments of Bauan, San Pascual and Tingloy.
Honestly, our sole purpose then was to pass an Ordinance that would create a body that would somehow convince these government agencies to sit down together and talk about Batangas Bay. There is an ulterior motive though and that is by bringing them together, the sustainable development of Batangas Bay may be, even parenthetically, discussed. That would be an achievement.
Meet they did at least four times a year from then on. Eventually, the council became part of the programs of the UNDP and PEMSEA for Batangas Bay.
Fast forward to 2005 and Dr. Kent Carpenter and Victor Springer and their finding that Batangas Bay is the center of the center of Marine biodiversity with the richest concentration of marine life in the entire planet. It has long been known that the Philippines belongs to an ocean region that has the most marine life but it was only after Carpenter and Springer published their study that the significance of Batangas Bay to the world of marine biology became evident.
We never knew this in 1995 when we started the move to pass the Ordinance. Somehow, mother earth managed to have its way and the law that would help in protecting our beloved bay came to be.
Consider this: we had the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Maritime Industry Authority, the then Export Processing Zone Authority now Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the Provincial Government, the City Government of Batangas, and the Municipal Governments of Bauan, San Pascual and Tingloy.
Honestly, our sole purpose then was to pass an Ordinance that would create a body that would somehow convince these government agencies to sit down together and talk about Batangas Bay. There is an ulterior motive though and that is by bringing them together, the sustainable development of Batangas Bay may be, even parenthetically, discussed. That would be an achievement.
Meet they did at least four times a year from then on. Eventually, the council became part of the programs of the UNDP and PEMSEA for Batangas Bay.
Fast forward to 2005 and Dr. Kent Carpenter and Victor Springer and their finding that Batangas Bay is the center of the center of Marine biodiversity with the richest concentration of marine life in the entire planet. It has long been known that the Philippines belongs to an ocean region that has the most marine life but it was only after Carpenter and Springer published their study that the significance of Batangas Bay to the world of marine biology became evident.
We never knew this in 1995 when we started the move to pass the Ordinance. Somehow, mother earth managed to have its way and the law that would help in protecting our beloved bay came to be.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Carbon Fiber Technology for use in Aquatic Environmental Protection
I was watching a TV feature on a Japanese professor who is developing an application for interwoven carbon fibers for aquatic environmental protection. I surfed the Internet afterwards and saw an abstract of the scientific investigation and was further intrigued by it.
One application of carbon fiber is for water purification of sewage in urban areas. The video was quite vivid and the result of the experiment was simply amazing. There was rapid and mass fixation of activated sludge on the carbon fibers. Futhermore, it appears that carbon has an effect on the growth of microorganisms and these microorganisms in turn end up devouring the sludge. Tests conducted after the carbon fiber products were placed in polluted water showed that the water became cleaner after a period of time.
One could just imagine what the effect would be if a series of carbon fiber nets were strategically placed at Pasig River in Manila! Our policy formulators should find a way to acquire the technology from the Japanese professor and apply the same to the polluted fresh water lakes in the Philippines.
If properly used, this technology could help stop the continuing degradation of the quality of our fresh water bodies. Human ingenuity to counteract human excesses.
One application of carbon fiber is for water purification of sewage in urban areas. The video was quite vivid and the result of the experiment was simply amazing. There was rapid and mass fixation of activated sludge on the carbon fibers. Futhermore, it appears that carbon has an effect on the growth of microorganisms and these microorganisms in turn end up devouring the sludge. Tests conducted after the carbon fiber products were placed in polluted water showed that the water became cleaner after a period of time.
One could just imagine what the effect would be if a series of carbon fiber nets were strategically placed at Pasig River in Manila! Our policy formulators should find a way to acquire the technology from the Japanese professor and apply the same to the polluted fresh water lakes in the Philippines.
If properly used, this technology could help stop the continuing degradation of the quality of our fresh water bodies. Human ingenuity to counteract human excesses.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Trash
I watched the early evening news today January 15,2008 and here are some items that I took note of:
In Naples, Italy. residents are complaining because of trash that remain uncollected for the last three weeks. The City dump has been closed and the government has brought in the Army to help. Some of the City's trash were loaded onto trucks and brought by ferry boat to Sicily. As can be expected, protesters angrily met the truckloads of rubbish. City magistrates are still to decide on whether incinerators should be allowed just so to solve the worsening problem.
In Meycauayan City, Bulacan, a few kilometers North of Manila, Philippines, the City dump was closed down due to incessant complaints from residents. According to the manager of the facility, the 3 hectare dumpsite suffered from little or no maintenance at all due limited funds. As a result of this, the trash remained untreated in the open pits and created a stench that affected the nearby village.
In Davao City, Philippines, at least two houses were crushed when a mountain of trash fell on them. The incident happened in the old City dump. No other details were provided.
Theses events were unrelated and they happened hundreds of kilometers away from one another, but a common thread runs through them. Trash! Unsegregated garbage dumped into landfills. Non-biodegradable materials and biodegradable items mixed and thrown into open pits.
Some problems are brought to light. One, absolute failure to undertake segregation. Two, the inefficiency of landfills. Three, the temptation to resort to quick fix solutions that may bring about greater problems like incineration. Four, lack of government funds for proper garbage disposal.
We need to make a collective effort to come up with solutions to these problems. Unless we do that, the incidents narrated above will be repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated ...
In Naples, Italy. residents are complaining because of trash that remain uncollected for the last three weeks. The City dump has been closed and the government has brought in the Army to help. Some of the City's trash were loaded onto trucks and brought by ferry boat to Sicily. As can be expected, protesters angrily met the truckloads of rubbish. City magistrates are still to decide on whether incinerators should be allowed just so to solve the worsening problem.
In Meycauayan City, Bulacan, a few kilometers North of Manila, Philippines, the City dump was closed down due to incessant complaints from residents. According to the manager of the facility, the 3 hectare dumpsite suffered from little or no maintenance at all due limited funds. As a result of this, the trash remained untreated in the open pits and created a stench that affected the nearby village.
In Davao City, Philippines, at least two houses were crushed when a mountain of trash fell on them. The incident happened in the old City dump. No other details were provided.
Theses events were unrelated and they happened hundreds of kilometers away from one another, but a common thread runs through them. Trash! Unsegregated garbage dumped into landfills. Non-biodegradable materials and biodegradable items mixed and thrown into open pits.
Some problems are brought to light. One, absolute failure to undertake segregation. Two, the inefficiency of landfills. Three, the temptation to resort to quick fix solutions that may bring about greater problems like incineration. Four, lack of government funds for proper garbage disposal.
We need to make a collective effort to come up with solutions to these problems. Unless we do that, the incidents narrated above will be repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated ...
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Let Us Start With Paper
I have had enough of the way of the waste. It is time to do things in a better way. Let us start with paper. If only people would learn to segregate paper from all the trash that they throw away, we would be able to reduce the amount that government needs to collect and dispose of by at least twenty percent daily.
Yes, we start with paper. Only paper. We tell this to kids at school, the Moms and Dads who are in their offices, the busy person on the way to somewhere. Let us start with paper. All we have to do at first is to just focus on waste made out of paper.
Don't throw the old newspapers, books, magazines and pamphlets out. Just segregate these and place them on a separate container. Day in day out, leave the paper alone.
Once a substantial amount is segregated and collected, these should be brought to a recycling facility and sold.
We have reduced our waste by twenty percent and earned some cash from the exercise.
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