ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT Articles
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The Green Roof After 2 Years Written by Ianchross N. Vacaro BS Biology 4A Two years ago, the Green Roof project by Jonathan Jaime G. Guerrero was launched in Bicol University College of Science.After two years, let us know what happened in this project which was recognized nationally by BAYER Young Environmental Envoy Program. | Students must be Crazy Written by Ianchross N. Vacaro BS Biology 4A The world is in trouble now. Mother Earth is experiencing Global Warming and other effects of Climate Change. Hundreds of thousands of people all over the world have died recently because of natural calamities like typhoons, hurricanes, landslides and even drought. Here in the Philippines, typhoons seem to become a regular visitor; destroying the farmlands, flooding the lowlands, and killing thousands. Our government is doing its best to help and protect its people and the environment form natural disasters. In our province, Albay, the provincial government headed by Hon. Governor Jose Sarte Salceda, is very active in the advocacy of Climate Change Adaptation. There are so many programs implemented that could help the people on becoming prepared for natural calamities caused by climate change. In our school, the Bicol University College of Science in particular, caring for the environment is one of the primary concerns. In fact, there are several environmental-friendly programs that are being implemented. However, it seems that the students don’t care about this, seems like they really are not aware. Yesterday, a lady guard talked to me about the students’ carelessness and unfriendliness to the environment. According to her, students always forget to switch off the lights and turn off the electric fans inside the classrooms. “I think it’s just a simple instruction, in every room there’s a reminder from CIRCA, that by turning off all the electrical appliances after using the classrooms, we can help for our environment. Because if you leave all the electrical appliances on, you are wasting money and energy; you also contribute to the global warming” she added. Every day, the lady guard turns off the electric fans and unplugs it. She said she didn’t understand why students are acting like crazy. Another story about students’ craziness was told by another guard, also from the College of Science. This guard told me that some students don’t know how to dispose their trash properly. He said he always observed the students coming from the New Student’s Lounge popularly known as “talipapa” beside CSB4, entering the buildings of the college. According to him, “I am tired of shouting to those students who always leave their trash anywhere. There’s a lot of trash-can around with proper labels for proper segregation, why can’t they see it? I hope they know what they are doing.” The guards are right; students should help in protecting our environment. These little things like turning off the electricity when not needed, and proper waste disposal are a big help for our environment. Maybe next time, the BU will implement the “No ID, No Uniform, No Trash-can, No Entry”. Hmm…the security guards will surely like this. |
OOC: Out of Curiosity
Written by Ianchross N. Vacaro
BS Biology 4A
In the past few years, our region (Bicol) experienced a lot of calamities like floods, landslides and volcanic eruptions. In every calamity, the government is always ready to support its people and make sure that all those that are affected will be given help immediately. The calamity funds of every Local Government Units (LGU) are released once the weather worsens and people got affected. Oftentimes, these funds are rendered as relief goods for victims, to provide them one of the basic needs, the food.
I was riding in a jeepney going to my hometown in Jovellar Albay, when a not so great idea came to my mind. When I saw several relocation sites, I wondered about the relief goods they are receiving from the LGU and NGO’s back when they are just starting to live there. I ask myself what are those relief goods that they always received. To answer my queries, I conducted interviews to the people living in the relocation sites, and other people who experienced living in an evacuation centers. I tried to find out what are the most common relief goods given to them. I also included in my interview a question about the relief goods they want to receive.
Based on the result of my interviews, the most common relief goods they receive from LGU’s and NGOs are NFA rice, canned sardines, and instant noodles. They say that all these three are always present inside the plastic bags given to them. The rice usually weighs 3-5 kilograms; the brand of sardines is usually “Swan Sardines”; and for the instant noodles, it is always “Lucky Me”, chicken or beef flavor. Other relief goods often received by families are coffee, washed or brown sugar and powdered filled milk. The families say that these common relief goods given to them are of great help especially when they are just starting to live in the relocation site.
I also asked the families what relief goods they want that they haven’t received yet. All of the families said that they want clean drinking water. Some children are having water-borne diseases because of lack of supply of clean water. On the other hand, some families say that they want bread, which was never given to them as part of the relief goods. Bread like rice, is rich in carbohydrates; and our body needs carbohydrates to give us energy.
That’s all for my interview. At last, I had the answer to my questions…Yahoo!
Maybe this topic about the relief goods received by calamity victims appears to be less serious to some people, but somehow it also has its significance. To the LGU and NGO’s, for them to know the relief goods wanted by the people affected by calamities, that could really gave them a “relief” to one of their basic needs.
P.S. If you think that I am hoping for calamities to come to our region so that this information about relief goods can be applied, of course I’m not. It’s just basically OOC!
