Pinoys urged to do 'one thing' to fight climate change

Who knew that commitment could save the world? However, this kind of commitment won't scare off commitment phobes. Instead, it will amaze them to know that committing to just one thing could actually make a difference. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines on Wednesday launched "My 1 Thing," a campaign which seeks to inspire Filipinos to commit one thing that will lessen their carbon footprint, fight climate change, and eventually preserve the environment. Lawyer Angela Consuelo Ibay, head of WWF-Philippines' climate change and energy program, explained that the campaign aims to convince people to do one thing which could create a positive impact on the environment. But since there are so many ways how this can be achieved, she said people can choose what method is most appealing to them. She said this can be as simple as riding a bike to work, not using plastic bags when shopping, turning off your lights before sleeping, and unplugging your appliances when they are not in use. "What is your one thing? What can you add to this planet to be able to contribute and influence the circle of people that you have? Because it really starts from you and then it gets forwarded, (and) hopefully it becomes a bigger involvement from everyone," Ibay said during Wednesday's campaign launch in Makati City. Even celebrities Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez, who hosted the event, likewise shared that they have committed one thing to the campaign. Nelson has committed to not using plastic bags and said that he has even bought a composter for his home. On the other hand, Fernandez has committed to taking alternative means of transportation like biking and carpooling. 'Climate change is here' Jose Lorenzo Tan, CEO of WWF-Philippines, explained that they initiated the campaign to explain to make Filipinos understand that we cannot always blame disasters on climate change. "Climate change is here. You know it's here (but) doing your thing is going to be critical to adapting to climate change," he said during the launch. "We are not helpless, there are ways by which we can adapt and it is the person who understands these opportunities and translate that into specific action and investment, they will be the Steve Jobs of tomorrow," he added. But Tan said that more than the individual response, it's also important for people to look at how their homes, communities, cities, and corporations are responding to climate change. "The point about my one thing is that cities should stand up and say that this is my one thing, provinces should do the same. Subdivisions, your community, should stand and say this is our one thing. Of course the foundation for all of this is your individual commitment," he said. Tan is also chairman and president of the Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation. And in order to persuade more Filipinos to join their campaign, Ibay said they have set up a website where users can share their "one thing." "We will try to infect everyone so that they will know what to do. They will also be able to share what they do, because we want to learn from them. We believe that people can be solution contributors. Start with yourself and you can influence others," she said. To make it more interesting, winners shall be selected from four categories: individual projects, school projects, community projects, and corporate projects. Earth Hour 2012 According to the WWF website, winners in the comunity and school categories shall receive a P100,000 grant each and a citation from WWF-Philippines. On the other hand, the winner of the corporate category shall receive a citation while the winner of the individual category shall both a citation and a P20,000-grant. The winning projects shall likewise be featured in the Earth Hour 2012 campaign. Aside from the website, Ibay said they also plan to come out with posters, a television commercial, and reading and audiovisual materials regarding the campaign. The "My 1 Thing campaign" is being conducted by WWF-Philippines in partnership with the Yuchengco Group of Companies, Coca-Cola, LG, Honda, and Arthaland. The Yuchengco Group has committed to reduce its power consumption by 10 percent; Coca-Cola has committed to investing in refrigerators that save energy by 35 percent; LG has committed to continuing its nationwide campaign for energy efficiency awareness; Honda has committed to plant 50,000 trees in the next 10 years; and Arthaland has committed to building residences that are environmentally friendly. WWF-Philippines, also known as Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas, has been engaging in environmental conservation and development projects since 1997. It is under the umbrella of the WWF organization. — RSJ, GMA News