Prioritize creative, inclusive/inexpensive waste management instead

Decades back, when our advocacy for alternative waste management campaign started in Cebu, we suggested creative, attractive public trash bins/ garbage receptacles to entice people to have fun, to enjoy disposing waste “happily, voluntarily.”

One suggestion was to design the inexpensive trash bins like basketball goals so people will “shoot,” throw their garbage properly.

Years later and wiser, we know that, more than just simple garbage disposal, waste segregation is KEY.

If only everyone is encouraged/inspired to segregate even just these 3 waste items- kitchen/biowastes, paper and plastics – into clearly designated disposal bins, so much benefits will be reaped by individuals/ households/communities/towns and cities/countries locally/ globally, with the planet and creations protected and sustained across generations!

We are very happy to read the recent article of TF reporter  Caecent No-ot Magsumbol

about  “Limpyo nga Carbon, magsugod kanato” Project that will be launched this Saturday at Carbon Market.

We especially laud the campaign to encourage the Carbon Market vendors “to maintain cleanliness and recycle/repurpose especially pet bottles through ‘Shot for a Cause’ project.”

Our decades-long suggestion of having creative trash bins will finally be implemented!

For the Saturday ceremony, 10 trash bins for pet bottles especially designed like basketball rings will be placed within the Carbon District!

No less than Cebu City’s own basketball giant, Councilor Dondon Hontiveros and Mayor Mike Rama will throw their shots at these trash bins this weekend!

When the creative trash bins will be filled up, the United Continental Eagles Club will collect the pet bottles and the proceeds from the sale of these will be used to make more trash bins to be distributed to other organizations and places.

Segregating and managing, keeping pet bottles from clogging canals and drainage, will definitely be beneficial for people and Cebu City and the planet as well!

This simple but laudable waste segregation, waste management project is inexpensive but inclusive, highly participatory, bringing together various partners, the United Continental Eagles Club, the Cebu2World-Megawide, with the support of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Station 5, the Cebu City government, the Carbon Market Vendors and the public!

Good shot and kudos to all these partners of “Shot for a Cause Project! for this positive step to protect people and planet through their partnership!

We hope Mayor Mike and Kons Dondon will convince the other Cebu City Council members to drop the Waste to Energy (WTE) project, and instead, lead and encourage their colleagues to prioritize more of such creative, inexpensive, inclusive/participatory waste management initiatives for the City!

Is it true that yesterday, Wednesday morning, the WTE proposing company was sponsoring a trip for the Cebu City Solid Waste Committee members with Councilor Joel Garganera to Guba, the proposed site of the proposed WTE?

Some questions please for the Cebu City officials:

One, why is the expensive and environmentally damaging WTE the priority waste management project now?

Two, is energy the PRIORITY need of the Cebu City constituents?

Are the hunger/poverty/ homelessness/ unemployment of millions of Cebu City poor less important than garbage, WTE and energy?

Three, is not Cebu City interested to help avert global warming by 2030?

WTEs have been documented/confirmed to cause health problems and to contribute to air/environmental pollution.

These should be important additional reasons why the Cebu City Council should not entertain this expensive, harmful WTE project for implementation!

Why will the Cebu Council prioritize the expensive, harmful WTE now and provide, among others, 1) hectares of land to waste/facilities (maayo pa basura nay yuta and balay) and

2)huge budget (which would have provided food/houses/jobs/better health and welfare services especially for the Cebu City poor?

Why encourage MORE expensive, MORE waste through WTE, rather than inexpensive, eco-friendly, inclusive/participatory waste reduction/diversion/ conversion into beneficial resources?