UP Goes Eco-Active

The ECO-Active Day was about to start and set-up was being completed, as students started to gather around the Grandstand. The Mini Program, the first activity for the day, was underway. It was behind schedule but nonetheless, everything else about the program went well. The participants were welcomed by USC Chairperson Third Bagro’s opening remarks where he explained the ECO-Active Campaign and its four highlight projects: Adopt-a-Tree, Ban the Styro, Dagdag Padyak, and Readings on Recycled. The participants were not kept waiting as the program started right away with no less than the Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia Mr. Von Hernandez. He talked about environmentalism and shared his wisdom from his more than fifteen years of experience as an environmental activist. Afterwards, Mr. Enrique Gallardo of the Solar Electric Company brought excitement to the program with the high-tech eco-friendly gadgets he demonstrated and let students dabble with. The last speaker was the renowned environmentalist and one of Time Magazine’s 2003 Asian Heroes, Ms. Chin-Chin Gutierrez. She inspired the participants by asserting that before having advocacies, we first have to make the advocates, precisely the essence of ECO-Active. All speakers inspired students to continue the practice of being environmentally conscious. The performers from the UP Singing Ambassadors were also instrumental in achieving that. The Mini Program ended with the closing remarks from yours truly as the ECO-Active Project Head.
The perfect weather continued in the afternoon as students lined up to join the second ECO-Active Day activity, the March for the Environment. Participants rushed early in front of the Vinzons Hall to enlist in what would be the biggest march yet in UP dedicated to the environment. In front was the e-jeepney that was lent by the Green Renewable Independent Power Producer (GRIPP). UP Kontra Gapi led the participants to a lively march, chanting “Kalikasan alagaan para sa kinabukasan.” Worthy to note also were the padyak bikes ridden by students and some USC members, which displayed one of the highlight projects of ECO-Active, which is the Dagdag Padyak Project. The march transpired around the Academic Oval, passing through the University Avenue and going to a few stops including the AS Steps at Palma Hall, where participants got more energetic and animated in shouting out loud the chant. The march ended at the same spot where it started, Vinzons Hall. Participants were then invited to join the last of the activities for the ECO-Active Day, the Human Formation.

Immediately after the instructions had been given, the participants proceeded to the Sunken Garden. After several minutes, with approximately 15-20 students per letter, the human formation “BAN STYRO” was formed, the signal that UP will soon be styro-free and a call for other communities to do the same. The end of the ECO-Active day saw the students singing wholeheartedly UP Naming Mahal.

This, my fellow Iskolars para sa Bayan, is only the beginning. Let us collectively show that we truly are also Iskolars para sa Kalikasan by supporting our next projects and by leading an ECO-Active lifestyle.

UP, Are You ECO-Active?

Environmentalism: the advocacy of preservation, restoration, and improvement of the natural environment1. Though the practice has been there for some time, only now do people realize the need to be seriously concerned about the environment. Sadly, it took the melting of glaciers, the rise in sea levels, the heat waves, droughts, severe storms, floods, land slides, food shortage, epidemics and pandemics and other diseases, fast extinction of endangered species, among many others, for environmentalism to prove its point. The good thing is that people have learned, or are starting to learn, as more and more people are swapping their old gas-hustling, mindless wasting and polluting habits for new clean and sustainable practices.

Truly, the world is moving towards an environmental revolution, and UP will not be left behind. The University Student Council, together with AdCore, UP Mountaineers, AISEC, UP Green League and Club Ecotour, is leading the campus to an environmental movement, the ECO-ACTIVE Campaign. The year long campaign is set to prove that everyone can be an environmentalist or environmental activist in their own little but significant way. The line-up of activities that the team has set this year will be the perfect venues to become just that; to release everyone’s inner activist and to join in the efforts of saving our one earth.

The Campaign will start with the Eco-tambayan on November 24 – 28, a one-week exhibit at the AS lobby to introduce the campaigns of the ECO-ACTIVE Program to the UP community. This will also be in preparation for the grand launch of the ECO-ACTIVE Program on December 2, the ECO-ACTIVE Day. Several organizations from all around the country, famous personalities, and other environmentalists are expected to participate in what will be UP’s version of the globally-celebrated Earth Day.

The ECO-ACTIVE Day will start in the morning with a mini program at the Grandstand at the Sunken Garden. It will feature prominent environmentalists as speakers who will share their wisdom to guide UP in this environmental endeavor. Performers are also expected to show up to support the campaign.

In the afternoon, the Academic Oval will be cleared to make way for the March for the Environment. Students, organizations, and other ECO-ACTIVE Day participants will march around, parading their call to promote the use of environment-friendly vehicles and renewable energy. The march will be accompanied by the E-Jeepney, CNG (Compresses Natural Gas) buses, and by UP’s very own padyak, (UP Mountaineers’ bikes for rent). The world’s leading environmental organization, Greenpeace will also be there to make the march even more colorful.

The day will end with the “BAN THE STYRO” Human Formation at the Sunken Garden. The USC, in cooperation with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs, is finalizing the comprehensive plan to ban the use of polystyrene (or Styrofoam) in all food establishments in UP. The human formation will signal the start of the implementation of that ban.

The Campaign will not yet end on the ECO-ACTIVE Day as a handful of other ECO-ACTIVE activities are expected afterwards. One project will be the “Dagdag Padyak”, where the USC plans to supplement the bikes by the UP Mountaineers to address the exceedingly growing demand for these bikes.

Another project is the “Adopt a Tree”, where organizations in UP will be given chance to plant trees around the campus. The project will start with the replacement of trees brought down by the destructive typhoon Milenyo. It will also include the installation of identification plates on the different varieties of trees on campus.

Other campaigns include the use of recycled papers in photocopying machines, which is expected to be launched at the Vinzons Hall by the end of November. There will also be AISEC’s Recycled and Organic Bazaar on December and the University-wide Clean-Up early next year.

These activities though, however big and well planned, will not be complete without the one thing ECO-ACTIVE needs: YOU. The University Student Council is encouraging you to join the move towards giving back to our mother earth. Let us all together be ECO-ACTIVE.

UP PADYAK: An Interview with the UP Mountaineers

Biking has never been big in this part of the world. However, the new “UP PADYAK” project led by the UP Mountaineers may soon change all that. CHE Representative Rinno Camilit (also the Environmental Concerns Committee Chairperson) seeks to unravel the greater implications of this project to the university through a dialogue with the UP Mountaineers.

Last May 9, 2008, Rep. Camilit went to interview Mr. Joselito Gonzales, a member of the UPM for 10 years and a graduate of the UP College of Architecture. As both a mountaineer and as an architectural graduate, Mr. Gonzales is at the crux of the hot issues surrounding the implementation of the One-Way Academic Oval policy and the bike lane. Mr. Gonzales is also one of the strongest advocates of bicycles as alternative form of transportation for the Philippines.

Mr. Gutierrez talks to the UP PADYAK Volunteers

According to Mr. Gutierrez, the UP Padyak project was spearheaded by the alumni members of the UP Mountaineers. Their mission is to promote cycling, environmental protection, and a healthy lifestyle. Currently, they have 16 bikes that are being used by volunteers (all of whom are UP students) to promote the project. Don’t be surprised if you see one of these beautiful bikes roaming around campus:

So far, the project is in it’s infant phase. Mr. Gutierrez claims that with only 16 bikes and no localized bike storage system implemented by the UP administration, the biggest concern of the future UP Padyak bikers is the possibility of theft.

Another problem that they’re facing is the purchase of additional bikes for rent because the project is on a limited budget. Although many private companies have already offered to give funding, the UP Mountaineers insist that its their last option because they want to protect the pure interests of the organization in promoting this project.

How can we make UP PADYAK a successful project?

1.) Encourage the Administrators/Local Councils of each college to build and maintain bike racks.

2.) Encourage student organizations to participate in the biking campaign. They may contact the UP Mountaineers if they want to order bikes*, so that the organization can process the organizations’ cumulative requests (wholesale purchases cost less than single purchases).

*Author’s note: Maybe we can ask the UP Mountaineers if they do custom bikes and if they can organize a bike parade as a culminating activity for the inaugural year of UP Padyak. Imagine American Chopper, only with real bikes this time.

For more information (and photos) on the project, visit www.padyak.org. If you or your organization would like to participate in this project, please do not hesitate to contact any member of the Environmental Concerns Committee or ask to be redirected in the USC Office. Our EnviCom Chair can be contacted at 0906-2218248. You may also write to padyakbikes@gmail.com or text 0916-6001225 if you are interested.