Use Your POWER to CHANGE Climate Change | Earth Hour 2015

"The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity... that's all there is. That's the whole economy. That's where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world."

             I attended Earth Hour event for the past four (4) years already and every year I'm on it, I always love checking out the activities. Now let me share some of the happenings in SM City Cebu last Saturday (March 28, 2015). This year's Earth Hour global theme was "Change Climate Change" and the Cebu City officials led the observance of Earth Hour with its partner establishment, SM City Cebu, turned off 50 percent of its electrical usage.

             Before the light was switched off, Mayor Michael Rama told the residents who attended the Earth Hour activity that extinction of mankind would be the consequence if people ignore the threat of global warming, climate change, and other environmental degradation. And he also added, "If we will not do it now, when? If not us, then who?". Councilor Ma. Nida Cabrera said that energy conservation can be backed by other initiatives like proper waste segregation and waste disposition. Miss Theresa Sederiosa said that information campaign was done and it was time to make it a habit and not just an hour to magnify the result of energy conservation.

             Earth Hour was recognized as the world's largest voluntary action for environment and has reached 154 countries as of 2013, involving more or less 7,000 towns and cities all over the world. I also learned Earth Hour was started in Australia last 2007 and became a worldwide movement which uses the very simple act, turning off lights for 60 minutes. Philippines has been an active participant of Earth Hour since last 2008 and earned the status of being "Earth Hero Country". And I also took note that Cebu first participated in celebrating Earth Hour last 2009 and saved more or less 8 megawatts over the years.

             After counting, a mega outlet where the huge plug was mounted has been unplugged to signal that it was time to switch off the lights. Candles inside a paper cups formed "60+ Earth Hour SM Cebu" viewed the area. The festive tribal music started together with the fire dancers who played the fire amazingly and it did entertain the attendees for how many minutes. The Knapsack Dancer performed a shadow dance that story tell how important our environment was and how are we going to improve it so that our future generations can taste the sweetness of Mother Nature.

             While on the other side of the City, almost 5,000 bicycle enthusiasts gathered for the Earth Hour Night Ride at the Cebu Business Park to promote transportation sans carbon under the very bright moonlit and stars up in the sky. And in connection with the bicycling, SM City Cebu unveiled the newly bike racks located in the parking lot of the mall.

             'Til the next year's Earth Hour fellow citizen and may we all achieve the goal to make Earth Hour a habit and not just annually executed. ^_^

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Environment - the zone of EARTH that is able to sustain LIFE

People tend to think of themselves as the most, if not the only important creatures on earth. We tend to think that all other things are created for our benefit and therefore we can use them in any way we want.


This world is ours. It is our only home in space. As we keep our own homes clean, let us keep our world clean.


The air, water and soil are gifts. Indeed, as a famous song goes, "The best things in LIFE are FREE". In gratitude to the Giver, let us keep these gifts clean and safe for all.

As far as the environment is concerned, the expression "Quality of Life" is meant to describe a state or condition in which: a. air, water and land are free from pollution, b. the supply of natural resources does not fall to critical levels and c. the balance of nature is not disturbed.

This means that we have clean air and water. Human wastes and garbage are properly and efficiently disposed off. Logging, hunting and fishing are regulated so that the supply of wood, forests products and aquatic life does not get depleted. There is no shortage of water and electricity. There are no serious flooding problems. Land use is wisely managed so as to achieve an effective ratio of the areas alloted to forests, agricultural lands, industrial lands and residential lands.


Today we entertain the idea that we are the masters of all things around us. But it also shows us how our activities affect both the other living and non-living things in our environment. It shows us that, if we are crazy, we can harm the very environment of which we are part but, in the last analysis, it will be to our disadvantage. It will be like burning the house where we live, because everything in an environment is, in one way or another, connected to everything else.

No person or group of persons can claim exclusive ownership of planet Earth. This planet belongs to all the people who have been born and will be born on it. The planet Earth is a system shared by all people alive today. All of us breathe and partake of the same air that envelopes the Earth. No person is meant to live on earth forever. Through birth we receive our turn to walk the earth. Through death we will leave everything that is of the earth. Our natural resources are meant not only for the present generation of Filipinos but also for the many generations of Filipinos to come. Let us manage these resources wisely.


When our turn to go comes, the next generations should be able to say: "They left us a good place to live in; They cared!". So the next time we litter or kill the animals or cut trees or do activities that may harm our environment, we must first think what are the disadvantages or bad effects on it then put on out mind that we're not the only one who own this planet. So we must preserve our environment starting today or even on the day you were born and hope to last it forever.

To achieve such quality of life, people have to impose discipline on themselves... ^_^

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