Green Forum

Camiguin Polytechnic State College
Institute of Marine Biology
Ecotourism Department

GREEN Project
(Green Project Volunteer Corps)

Theme: Biodiversity vis-à-vis Ecotourism

Objectives of the GREEN Project:

1. To introduce environmental education in the classroom and campus in a creative eco-friendly approach
2. To join the Island-wide campaign for a Plastic-Free Campus (Camiguin) with a classroom-to-classroom Campaign
3. To conduct a Biodiversity forum for CPSC students
4. To facilitate a World Cinema Earth Film Festival
5. To launch a volunteer organization called Green Project Volunteer Corps in CPSC campus
6. To search for the most creative recycling project in CPSC campus
7. To enhance the level of exposure of CPSC Ecotour students within the context of sustainable tourism

Biodiversity

1. What is Biodiversity?
The totality of all life and its habitat. The web of life. Biodiversity is the variety and variability of life and the ecological systems of which they are part. It refers to the wealth of life forms found on Earth. Biodiversity is a fundamental requisite for life on Earth.

2. Importance of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is very important to human, as well as in maintaining the ecological balance in nature. Even the insignificant organisms can play irreplaceable roles in the ecosystem.

3. Benefits of Biodiversity
Human Benefits
Food
E.g. plants can supply 90% of today’s food crops.
Industrial and commercial products
E.g. lumber, rubber, oils, dyes, etc
Medicines
E.g. penicillin, tetracycline, morphine, etc as well as a number of traditional medicines.
Aesthetic and Recreational Benefits
Ecotourism is a good source of revenue as well, wild species increase our appreciation and enjoyment of the environment.
Ecological Benefits
Maintaining biodiversity is important to sustain the earth’s life support systems for us and other species. Organisms play vital roles in:
Biological cycles
Filtering and detoxifying poisonous substances, decomposing waste.
Controlling crop pests
Controlling disease carrying organisms
Insignificant species may have interactions with significant ones.

4. What Can I do to help the Environment?
Manage your garbage at home and work.

5. What Effect can Garbage Have on Me?
Effects family health
Areas with garbage have been found to be breeding grounds for insects like mosquitoes, germs, viruses, diseases, rodents as well as a variety of breathing ailments (if chemicals have been released). With the variety of materials “thrown out” people in bare feet are liable to step on something sharp, infected, and this infection could be deadly and passed onto other people via other means.

Effects all Aspects of the Environment

Solid waste can plant reducing their ability to photosynthesize and therefore killing it. Animals can mistakes them for biological objects (e.g. Fish mistake cigarette butts as floating food, eat them and die), chemicals leached from household products like bleaches and engine oil can kill a wide variety of plants and animals.

Affects our Aesthetics of our areas
Where would you rather be? What is that smell?

6. Won’t Garbage just break down overtime?
Cigarette butts 1-5 years
Orange peel up to 2 years
Plastic coated paper 5 years
Plastic bags 20-1000 years
Plastic film container20-30 years
Nylon fabric 30-40 years
Tin cans 50 years
Aluminum cans 80-100 years
Glass bottles 1 million years
Plastic bottles indefinitely
Fishing nets 30-40 years
Batteries 100 years

7. Find I will burn it?
In the Philippines burning garbage is illegal and subject to a fine. When we burn plastics, bleached paper or natural, which contain chlorine, we produce Dioxine. Dioxine is a persistent organic pollutant that is carcinogenic and mutagenic and greatly effects your health and can cause birth defects. Also burning increases greenhouse gases and therefore increase global warming.
8. So what can I do?
First thing we can do is segregate our garbage :
Plastics: e.g. plastic bottles
Metals: e.g. tin cans
Paper: e.g. newspaper
Glass: e.g. glass bottles
None-recyclable: e.g. Styrofoam
Hazardous: e.g. batteries

Once your garbage is segregated, you can employ the 3 R’s. The 3 R’s:
Reduce: lessen the amount of garbage you produce
Reuse: reuse items like plastic bottles
Recycle: process waste so it can again enter the material cycle as a raw material.

9. Ways to Reduce
If you have a large bag from another store use it to carry stuff from the new store
Tell shop owners to use only one bag to hold items and not 3
Bring a reusable bag (e.g.: canvas) to carry all items
Buy items with less packaging materials
Avoid non-biodegradable items where possible.

10. Ways to Reuse
Reuse other side of rejected printed papers for taking notes, making sketches, etc.
Reuse items like plastic bottles for storing cooking oil, as floats, etc
Reuse waste products to make ornaments and other craft products

11. Ways to Recycle
In the west there are recycling plants that take plastic and metal products. Only non-shiny paper is recyclable. This seems to only occur in Manila and with a relatively small amount being deposited at the facility.
In rural areas one of the effective ways to recycle is to use the segregated biological waste and convert it into organic fertilizer through composting or animal feed.

12. What about non-biodegradable garbage?
To deal with non-biodegradable wastes first look and see what ordinances your municipacility has for dealing with solid waste. Your municipality might have garbage pick-up in your area.
If no ordinance exists you can lobby your municipality to formulate one, or with the help of LAFCCOD Inc. devise your own waste management plan.

13. What Laws are in place?

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9003 (ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000): An act providing for an ecological solid waste management program creating the necessary institutional mechanisms and incentives, declaring penalties appropriating funds therefore, and for other purposes.

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE: NO. 825 (1975): Providing penalty for improper disposal of garbage and other forms of uncleanliness and for other.
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE: NO. 856 (CODE ON SANITATION) (1975)

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9003
Any person who is found Littering, Throwing, Dumping of waste matters in public such as roads, sidewalks, canals, esteros or parks and establishments, or causing or permitting the same(1) shall, upon conviction, be punished with a fine not less than three hundred pesos (P300.00) but not more than one thousand pesos (P1000.00) or render community service for not less than (1) day to not more than fifteen (15) days to an LGU where such prohibited acts are commited, or both;
Any person who openly burns solid waste shall, upon conviction be punished with a fine of not less than three hundred pesos (P 300.00) but not more than one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) day but not more than fifteen (15) days, or both.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

NIPAS
National Integrated Protected Areas Systems

NIPAS is a classification and administration of all designated protected areas to maintain essential ecological processes and life-support systems, to preserve genetic diversity, to ensure sustainable use of resources found therein, and to maintin their natural conditions to the greatest extent possible.


PLASTIC-FREE Camiguin
August 2000
Provincial Ordinance No. 00-01
“An ordinance declaring Camiguin Island
A Plastic Free Province”
“Whereas, the Province of Camiguin is committed to the protection, preservation and conservation of the ecosystem;
Whereas, it is the responsibility of the local government to effectively and efficiently implement programs/projects and activities that could promote a clean, sanitary an healthful environment for its population;
Whereas, the Province of Camiguin is one of the prime tourist destination in the country and there is a need to eradicate unsightly surroundings polluted by plastics and other plastic-coated materials;


Wild Life Resources
Conservation and Protection Act
R.A. 91 47

•To Conserve And Protect Wildlife And Their Habitats, To Promote Ecological Balance And Enhance Biological Diversity
•To Regulate The Collection And Trade Of Wild Life
•To Pursue With Due Regard To The International Interest, The Philippine Commitment To International Conventions, Protection Of Wildlife And Their Habitat
•To Initiate Or Support Scientific Studies On The Conservation Of Biological Diversity

Categories To Protected Areas

•Strict Natural Reserve
•Natural Park
•Natural Monument
•Wild Sanctuary
•Protected Landscape And Seascape
•Resource Reserve
•Natural Biotic Areas

Protected Landscape and Seascapes

CAMIGUIN PROTECTED AREAS

Proclamation No. 570

Declaring Mt. Timpoong and Hibok-Hibok Mountain Range situated in the municipalities of Mambajao, Mahinog, Sagay and Catarman, Province of Camiguin as a Protected Area and its Peripheral Areas as Buffer Zone pursuant to Republic Act 7536 (NIPAS Act of 1992) and shall be known s Timpoong-Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument

•Organized Protected area Management Board (PAMB)
•Are areas of natural significance which are characterized by the harmonious interaction of man and land while providing opportunities for public enjoyment through recreation and tourism within the normal lifestyle and economic activity of these areas.

Declaring Mt. Timpoong and Hibok-Hibok Mountain Range situated in the municipalities of Mambajao, Mahinog, Sagay and Catarman, Province of Camiguin as a Protected Area and its Peripheral Areas as Buffer Zone pursuant to Republic Act 7536 (NIPAS Act of 1992) and shall be known s Timpoong-Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument

MT. TIMPOONG and HIBOK-HIBOK A NATURAL MONUMENT

Natural Monument is relatively a small area focused on protection of small features to protect or preserve nationally significant natural features on account of their special interests or unique characteristics.

SPECIFIC Conditions for the Mt. Timpoong and Mt. Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument (To be coordinated with the DENR)

1.The group shall provide themselves competent guide(s) who is (are) familiar with the route or trails in the area desired to be visited.

2.Collecting of any plant and animal species inside he protected area without permit is strictly prohibited, punishable under Sec. 21 of R.A. 7586 (NIPAS Law) and Republic Act No. 9147 (Wild Life Resources Conservation and Protection Act).

3.Littering/leaving any non-biodegradable materials such as plastic cups, wrappers and plastic bags is strictly prohibited inside the area.

4.Coodinate with local government units.

5.Sleeping at the Mt. Timpoong and Mt. Hibok-Hibok summit is strictly prohibited instead at the designated camping areas or settlement area in the buffer zone.

6.The leader of the group shall be held responsible for violation of the foregoing terms committed by the members while inside the protected areas.

7.The DENR/PAMB shall not be responsible in any untoward incident that may happen to any member of the group during their stay in the area.

8.Briefing should be done before going to the area.


DO NOT BUY, USE, GATHER, POSSESS, SELL, AND/TRANSPORT!
GIANT CLAMS, HELMET SHELL, TRUMPET SHELL…
Protected under Philippine Laws and International treaty
Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 (Republic Act No. 8550 Sec. 97)
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (all species of giant clam)
Fisheries Administrative Order No. 158

Prohibited Shelled Mollusks
Common name Local name
TRUE GIANT CLAM TAKLOBO
SMOOTH GIANT CLAM TAKLOBO
CROCUS OR BORING GIANT CLAM LETLET, LOTLOT, MANLOT
FLUTED GIANT CLAM HAGDAN-HAGDAN
ELONGATED GIANT CLAM MANLET
STRAWBERRY GIANT CLAM KUKONG KABAYO
CHINA GIANT CLAM PORCELANA
TRITON OR TUMPET SHELL TAMBULI
HELMET SHELL BUDYONG


Prohibited CORALS

MUSHROOM CORAL SLIPPER CORAL
BOWL CORAL LACE CORAL
BRANCE CORAL BIRD’S NEST CORAL
VASE CORAL PAGODA CORAL
CRUST OR BRANCH CORAL MOON CORAL
PRECIOUS CORAL BLACK CORAL
ORGAN PIPE CORAL DENIM CORAL
SEA FAN CORAL ANEMONE CORAL
ASPARAGUS CORAL
BEACH/ AQUARIUM/ WHITE / CORAL/ SAND

Earth Saving Tips

1. SEGREGATE. Avoid disposable products Do the 5 R’s (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Refuse, and Redeem for cash)

How of the stuff we throw can be recycled. Since the things you use are all made from materials that come from the Earth, they are valuable. Reduce the trash you throw everyday.

2. Pick up litter. It takes a month for a piece of paper to become part of the earth again. It takes a cloth a year. A softdrink can lying on the ground won’t disappear for over 200 years.

Help pick up litter that you see as you are walking.

3. Be a paper saver. An average person uses about 580 pounds of paper every year. It takes 500,000 tress just to make the newspapers we read every Sunday. But, we can save 200 million trees a year by recycling paper.

4. Use paper, not plastic. It takes a whole tree to make about 500 brown paper grocery bags, But plastic bags are worse because they can’t be recycled, and the plastic will never decompose. Ask for paper, not plastic, when checking out of grocery store.

5. No to Styrofoam. Styrofoam is permanent garbage! It CAN’T ever be part of the Earth again. Five hundred years from now someone might be digging in his backyard only to find a piece of Styrofoam caup you used last week.

6. Avoid or STOP using Styrofoam. If ever you eat at fast food restaurants, ask for paper cups or plates.

7. Grow a tree. Each tree you plant eats an average of 9 pounds of carbon dioxide each year from the atmosphere and changes it into oxygen. Trees are natural allies of humans in the battle for against global warming.

8. Lights out. Save expensive energy and unnecessary danger.

9. Be a water-leak detective. 97% of the water on our planet us unusable (sea water), another 2% is frozen, so the water we drink has to come from the remaining 1% - mostly ground water from beneath the Earth’s surface. When we turn on the faucet, fresh water flows out from the same reserves in the ground, from the same rivers and streams.

10. TURN-OFF the water. The average person use about 150 gallons of water everyday. Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Turn the faucet on just long enough to rinse your toothbrush or the dishes.

11. DON’t dump petroleum-based products and any other harmful toxins like paints, oil and gasoline on the ground. Be careful of what you spill on Earth.

12. Don’t let go of your ballons. Helium balloons, when released don’t banish into thin air. They are often blown by strong winds into the ocean. Sometimes sea creatures thinks balloons are food and eat them. These can kill them.

13. Talk to your parents, friends, family, schoolmates, teachers about what they can do to save mother earth.

14. Come up with your own way to save mother earth.

Practical Tips To Live-By

1. Live simply
2. Eat natural and fresh food
3. Consume less or not meat
4. Walk
5. Exercise regularly
6. Plant fruit trees to shade your school and home yard
7. Water plants in the morning
8. Do not burn leaves or cuttings from plants instead make a much pile
9. Do not throw garbage into rivers, lakes and seas
10. Avoid using styrofoams/plastics for eating utensils
11. Put products in recyclable containers
12. Recycle cans, newspapers and cardboard
13. Provide trashcans for biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage
14. Compost food and yard debris
15. Do not use aerosol spray with CFCs
16. Turn off lights when not in use
17. Hang clothes in the sun
18. Use public transportation
19. Report smoke belching vehicles
20. Use rags instead of paper towels
21. Use both sides of paper sheets
22. For drafts and scratch – the empty backside of manuscripts
23. Make your own toys from ecology-friendly materials
24. Conserve water
25. Join environmental movement and share knowledge on care for the earth with family and friends.

Total Waste Management

 It is a lifestyle not just a technology
 In nature there is no garbage.
 When there is human, there is garbage.
 Garbage is the greatest failure of the human race.
 Are we the garbage of the earth?
 “If don’t do it now, who will do it for us.