Visiting places where climate change is so real

CHILDREN EVERYWHERE  (our official welcome party)

ADAPTABILITY since water could be just everywhere, even the pigs are secured.  They stay with humans sometimes...

I went to a densely populated isle...  Where climate change is lived and where the people normalized this occurrence. 

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.  But this is nothing when the waters come rushing in.  The king of the island is simply the tides.

THE WATERS...  At least, the waters were not murky.  The ocean tides closed in.

NORMALIZED.  The kids welcome the water with glee (and all other creatures living and non-living). The microbiologists say otherwise.

ANOTHER ORDINARY DAY.  The lady washing her clothes beside the house pig while another kept them company.

WAITING.  Mother and child looking at the water...

Panghagban, Buenavista

At least it is the place called home by my tatay. He was born in the area and knows the place by heart. He is proud to say they domesticated the entire place. Translation: they cut down trees and razed down the grasslands in favor of rice fields and pastures for the livestock.



My early memories of the place was hard work. We used to take the 10 k walk to visit my grandparents. No amount of rationalization as to modern convenience could convince us that the walk was hard but easier now. For kids used to the tricycle, it was truly excruciating. However, we easily forgot how difficult the walk was with the thought of novelty... going to the stream, climbing on hills and being the center of attention.



Last weekend, I returned to Panghagban. Nothing much changed. The hills rolled minus its greenery. It is as if time stood still for the people to ravage the land or forage on it.


May change ever happen...

Melbourne Social Forum

I was at the Melbourne Social Forum today. The theme attracted me 'eating, moving, living: pathways to sustainability'. As usual, very few people came to 'change the world' perhaps, others were too busy to be bothered. Or what?

Just like any other forum, we often feel a need to connect and just simply be. The Conch provided entertainment which truly made my day. I miss the gigs and the jamming session at 6300 but well, we can just dance at any parties. It was an 'intergenerational' gathering of peoples and that alone would speak for itself.

It was also likened to a coming out party of the Young People for Development (YPD) to the engaged groups and individuals of Melbourne. The Green World Youth Day program was shared to those who were there. YPD mostly come for meetings among groups and people but it was the first time for the volunteers to set up a stall.

Attending today's MSF feels like just home. However, I was jolted out of my reverie when I attended the talks. The topics may be very similar but the concerns come from a different vantage point. Food issue for example is not much from the stark reality of food shortage and hunger. I miss the common farmer who can belt out into a litany of complaints and passionately recount stories of being detached from their seeds... But then, hey, this is Melbourne!

What is very important is that people still care and do the best of whatever way we can. I do borrow the line of the Conch: where do the rebels go?

In this type of gatherings, we leave inspired and plan to do more... No, I don't plan to change the world. A quarter perhaps? :-)

Lights off!

The earth hour is a cool way to express one's commitment to reduce carbon emission. Everyone can make a difference. We just have to show it.

Lights off at 8-9 pm, tomorrow night.

Water talk

The Asian Development Bank released a finding that the water quality in the Philippines is worsening. This is nothing new. One will just have to take a look around and things are not getting any better.

What about the question on accessibility of water? Have we gotten ahead out of this?

In grade school, I can still remember how much we suffered of water scarcity. People in the house has to stay up so late just to find water. It was common to knock at a neighbor's door to 'borrow' a container of water for drinking.

I know, the younger ones would find it hard to believe. But it is true... It was only very lately that we experienced a good supply of running water. Mind you, it is not steady!

Looking at the future, water might be a cause for trouble...

Voice of Dissent

Help me understand just what he is saying about climate change...

We do have much room for diversity of opinions and ideas. I try hard to understand the need of looking at the problem at an objective manner. I don't play up guilt and fear when I approach the issue on climate change. It is not just me.

I ended up volunteering for climate change not because of the catastrophic end that we shall soon see. I put my energies on efforts that I know we can still do things together. My cause and my passion is not equated to my religion. Passions are feelings. When you run out of it, the faith that we get as believers are inexhaustible...

That is why, help me see what he is talking about.

Greening your household

Everything in Australia is big. The land area is so vast and the houses are just BIG. When you eat out, you brace yourself to generous portions and horrendous bills awaiting. Yes, am two months old here but I am still into the conversion mode which prevents me from buying anything.

The age made such a big deal on the carbon footprint made last Christmas and it made me feel upset about how slow my project is taking place. However, it gave me the push to work more for next year.

An average Australian household has a carbon emission of 1 ton in a month. The low population rate of the continent is no excuse for such a high emission of carbon in the atmosphere... 'after all, we breath the same air in the same planet.

This leads me to the conviction that carbon offsetting is a logical idea in all these footprints. Next year, bear with me as I go blogging on how green you are and whether or not your household is green already.

We owe it to ourselves and the earth's future to be vigilant. We should do our share of solidarity in all of this.