It is relatively possible to reduce one’s carbon footprint without sacrificing lifestyle in a practical and realistic way. By adopting new habits, we can save a significant amount of energy and ease our dependence on our planet’s resources. Though I can’t cut back personally my carbon emissions to zero, I can cut back significantly by slowly trimming down my carbon footprint- in my everyday actions and in my sphere of influence as a consumer, voter and global citizen. Following are ways to minimize my personal waste: (1)purchase items that I only need, not want (avoid impulsive buying); (2)avoid fast fashion, but choose well-made and durable clothing and personal effects that I can wear and use for years. Investing in high-quality durable goods is cheaper in the long run, and less wasteful than buying cheap, throwaway versions; (3) prevent use of disposables (cups, paper towels, containers) and take-out food using styrofoam containers; (4)patronize small-time “bote-dyaryo” recyclers who buys used bottles, plastic bottles/containers, newspapers and cans; (5) hold garage sales or sell your old things online. I will encourage myself to purchase locally-made produce, those close to my home so that I can avoid the use of liters of petroleum being used just to transport these products. As for food diet, if it’s really too difficult for me to be a vegan, I’ll try to eat a bit less of meat and less commercial fish- that way I’m not contributing to the large amounts of methane produced by livestock and discourage huge use of fuel for its trawlers. If there also is a way for me to support and advocate a policy of our local governments to prohibit issuance of business permits of plastic products manufacturers and to charge a high tax for this type of manufacturing. I will also promote the support of companies that have switched its products to more compact, biodegradable or recycled packaging. On a bigger picture, activities and events like Earth Day (April 22) and World Car-Free Day-(September 22) will be saved on my calendar.

I am employed in a humanitarian, development and relief organization and works as a fundraiser- which seeks to explore and promote individual and corporate partnerships supporting poverty-alleviation community programs nationwide. The most I can do is forge and secure funding for community projects that promote basic education of residents of barangays and municipalities on cleanliness of surroundings and proper waste disposal which protects our natural environment- averting the incidence of unnecessary man-made disasters (floods and landslides). These simple trainings will help poor people from the community to not worsen their economic situation, making them ready to adapt to natural and man-made calamaties by already applying best practices in disaster-response.