It's Sunday today and its church time! Maaga akong nagising since maaga ang start ng simba namin today, I am actually the leader of our youth here and I am planning to invite everyone for our summer youth camp that will be happening next year summer. It was actually announced in advance since Parish is letting us having a summer youth camp after so long because of lockdown.
Kakatapos ko lang magsimba and tinatapos ko lng 'tong proyekto ko sa Earth Science which is art projects that expresses geological concepts through art, such as paintings, or sculptures. What I'm doing now is impressionism about delicate textures of sandstone cliffs. I'm imitating Camille Pissarro, he was another Impressionist artist who frequently painted landscapes. His works often featured rural scenes with hills, fields, and rivers, capturing the tranquility and beauty of the natural world. If I could just show you my art you will be amaze of it, syempre gawa ko 'to eh dapat proud ako!
"Teh, tapos kana sa project?" tanong pa ng kaklase ko through chat.
"Yes beh, wait picturan ko," sagot ko rito tsaka sinend sa kaniya ang art ko.
"Hala beh, impressionism ba talaga 'yan?" nagtatakang tanong nito.
"Ay hala grabe ka naman ata teh, oo noh impressionism 'yan," sagot ko.
"Parang hindi."
"Anong hindi?!" medyo na-aannoy na ako dito sa baklitang 'to.
"Oh galit agad? Parang hindi kasi sobrang ganda, parang pang worldwide competition na ata 'yang sa'yo. Sobrang real na teh!" medyo nawala yung inis ko pagkabasa ko sa sinabi niya.
"Tse! Thank you ha, patingin nga ng sa'yo?"
"'Yaw ko nga, baka i-bash mo lang eh," sabi nito at natatawa naman ako sa sinabi niya pero nag-send din naman siya. In fairness maganda.
"Not bad beh, maganda sobra sa'yo," compliment ko sa art niya. I'll explain his painting, try to imagine a towering cliff face, bathed in the warm glow of a setting sun. The rock formations, once stark and imposing, are now transformed into a canvas of shifting hues. The sunlight paints the cliff with streaks of orange, pink, and purple, as if nature itself were wielding a giant paintbrush. The shadows cast by the cliff's crevices and overhangs deepen, creating a dramatic contrast against the illuminated areas.
The rock's texture becomes more pronounced under the intense light. The rough, weathered surface appears to come alive, revealing intricate patterns and details that were previously obscured. Some areas may appear smooth and polished, while others may be jagged and uneven. The overall effect is one of a dynamic, ever-changing landscape, where the interplay of light and shadow creates a sense of drama and awe.
"Naku, 'wag ka nga plastic teh," sabi pa nito at ni-haha ko lang yung message niya para last chat siya HAHAHA. Hindi lang jan natapos ang kwentuhan namin kaya 'diko na isasali.
KINABUKASAN
"Ethan, gising kana. Hoi Ethan, gising na kanina pa tunong nang tunog yang alarm mo," rinig kong pagtawag sa'kin tsaka ingay ng alarm ko. Minulat ko ang mata ko at kita kong si mama ang gumigising sa'kin.
"SHET! Alas otso na?!" gulat na tanong ko nang tingnan ko ang phone ko.
"Ayan puyat nang puyat pa kasi. Pumasok ka muna sa klase niyo tas baba ka at kumuha kana ng pagkain doon," sabi pa ni mama sabay tayo sa kinauupuan niya.
"Yes ma susunod po ako sa inyo," sabi ko tsaka mabilis na pumasok sa online class.
"Okay, guys! So, like, welcome to our environmental debate. We're gonna deep dive into, you know, sustainability and everything. Everyone ready?" pagkapasok ko ito agad ang nadatnan ko. Nag-chat muna ako sa GC on what's happening and I got the answer already and it's a debate about ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY AWARENESS.
"Ah kaya pala, Civic Welfare Training Service I kasi 'to na course," nasabi ko nalang sa isipan ko at bumaba muna para kumuha ng pagkain.
"Totally, Tiff! So, like, you know, climate change is a big deal, 'di ba? It's all about those greenhouse gases. It's like we're in a giant oven because of carbon dioxide and methane. It's, like, sobrang init na!" biglang rinig kong sabi ni Miguel. Kakatapos ko lang kumuha ng pagkain at nakikinig lang ako sa kanila. I might butt in later if I have something to oppose, and they are very conyo-like!
"Yah, Miguel! And the weather is, like, sooo weird now! One day it's super sunny, the next, like, baha everywhere! And those poor polar bears—hello?! Saan na sila pupunta with the ice melting?" Bea said.
"Super agree, Bea! But you know what? We can, like, totally fix this if we use renewable energy—solar, wind, hydro—like, hello, have you seen the solar panels in Tagaytay? Super aesthetic pa!" si Josh. Kwela 'tong mga tao na 'to, ang ko-conyo *cry cry*.
"But, guys, what about pollution, naman? Like, every time I see Manila Bay full of trash, I'm like, 'OMG, are we really still like this?' I mean, come on, stricter rules, pls?!" Oh someone I think oppose, it's Chloe.
"True, Chloe! Air pollution pa, bro! It's like everytime you're in EDSA, it's as if you can taste the exhaust, grabe. I mean, let's be real, stricter regulations could, like, fix that." ha? Talaga ba Iñigo?!
"Tamaaa! But also, guys, water pollution is majorly scary. All those plastics in the ocean, it's like, kawawa naman the marine life! And, ugh, people who still throw trash into rivers? So outdated, right?" si Camille.
"And, Camille, with that, we're also losing biodiversity. Like, it's not just about cute animals disappearing—it's the whole ecosystem that suffers! We're messing with the balance, you know?" (Andi)
"True! The food chain gets messed up, bro. Biodiversity loss isn't just, like, tragic—it's also bad for the economy. No fish, no food, no business. As in, you can't just destroy ecosystems tapos expect everything to be okay." (Joaquin)
"But we also have to, like, face the fact that we're using up all our resources. Fossil fuels? Not forever, guys. And water? Super finite! We need to conserve, as in, tipid mode!" (Patricia)
"Exactly! Everyone should, like, recycle and reduce waste. You know, the 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' thing isn't just, like, a Pinterest aesthetic—it actually works, if people would just do it. I mean, composting? Love it. Saves the planet and your garden gets a glow up!" (Xavi)
"Yaaas, love all the insights! Pero, guys, we can't forget transportation. Diba, sobrang daming cars na on the road? Public transpo, biking, walking, carpooling—like, why aren't we doing more of that?" si Tiffany ulit, yung unang nagsalita pagkapasok ko palang.
"I know right, Tiff! But we also need better public transpo, like, duh? More efficient MRTs, buses, etc. Para no excuse na people won't use them. It's, like, a win-win!" (Miguel)
"Okay, so wrapping up: Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, waste management, energy, water conservation—grabe, so much to talk about! But what do you guys think should be, like, the one thing we should all focus on?" si Tiffany ulit, pero 'yun na 'yun? Grabe ang dali lang natapos, nabitin ako 'dun ah.
"For me, it's awareness talaga. Like, let's keep educating people. They can't change what they don't understand, diba?" (Bea)
"Same! Education is key. Workshops, awareness campaigns, community projects—all that, super important!" (Andi)
"I agree! It's about the small steps, making eco-conscious decisions every day. Like, start with yourself and influence others, di ba?" (Josh)
"Yaaas, I love it! So, guys, let's all do our part. Save the Earth, 'cause, like, #ThereIsNoPlanetB! Thanks for joining the debate!" (Tiffany)
*Cough* "Okay class I am going to give my comment about your performance today," pag b-butt in ni sir.
"Well, first of all, class, I have to say that I am really impressed with the level of enthusiasm and engagement I saw in that debate. It's always refreshing to hear you all discuss environmental issues with such passion, albeit in a very modern and—shall I say—conyo manner. But hey, that's your generation's style, and there's value in owning it if it gets people to care about the planet.
Now, your discussion touched on some of the major issues such as climatic change and pollution, biodiversity depletion, resource exploitation, and waste management. Each is an urgent matter, and you did approach them correctly, but what really caught my attention was how you linked these abstract ideas, often scientific ones, to your daily lives. This is the aspect of environmental awareness: something that shouldn't be in the books alone but something we weave into decisions and actions.
Alam n'yo, noong panahon namin, environmental awareness wasn't quite as mainstream as it is now. Wala pa ang mga flashy social media campaigns or hashtags like #ThereIsNoPlanetB. In fact, karamihan ng mga tao noon wala pa alam tungkol sa global warming. To put things into perspective, climate change had only just begun to gain notice, but it wasn't exactly the buzzword that it is today. There weren't Greta Thunbergs to face world leaders then. Environmental activism was niche—not that many cared, and most of us had no idea how dire the situation was.
Environmentalism was still in its infancy, and in my university years, in the late '80s and early '90s, it was still air and water pollution.
Climate change felt like something too far into the future for anyone to worry about. Sure, we had our Earth Day celebrations, but it was as if environmental issues were something that only mattered once a year. It wasn't something people brought into their daily conversation. After all, we were still learning that we couldn't just dump industrial waste into rivers or burn fossil fuels without consequences. I remember being in college. We engaged in tree-planting activities. We thought that was enough—plant a few trees once a year, then get on with it. We were just not so aware of any wide-scale deforestation back then. Now, I see how deforestation leads to climate change and biodiversity loss and even to soil erosion. We were also not as knowledgeable about biodiversity loss.
The early thrust was saving species considered endangered, but we really didn't then appreciate how the disappearance of one species would cause an upset in ecosystems. Now we all hear that if you hurt one part of nature, the rest hurts.
You guys have a huge advantage that we didn't—access to information. You have the internet to instantly see real-time data on carbon emissions, deforestation, and even coral bleaching. Dati, we relied on what was available in books and the occasional news report. Wala kaming satellite images to show us the melting ice caps or the fires in the Amazon. We were more or less blind to the big picture. Fast-forward to today, and your generation has done much to push the boundaries of environmentalism. I seem to remember you mentioning renewable energy sources-solar, wind, and hydro power-as still on the experimental end when I was around. They seemed more like idealistic or impractical solutions. People believed that if we ever had a realistic source of energy, it would come from fossil fuels. Ngayon, renewable energy is no longer just a dream-it's fast becoming a necessity. And the fact that you recognize that shift is a proof of how far we have come. It proves that man understands well now how large an effect energy consumption has on nature.
I also loved the way you focused on sustainable transportation: biking, walking, carpooling, and riding public transportation. During my time, cars represented status; if you had a car, you had arrived. Kapag may sasakyan ka, it meant you were successful.
Sustainability wasn't a buzzword then; neither was efficiency on the radar. It is already very apparent that having fewer cars would better serve the environment, and not just a few of them, especially for congested cities like Metro Manila. What was once unimaginable - reducing car usage as a means to save the planet - is now in everyday conversation. I noticed you also pointed out the community engagement — clean-up drives, tree-planting, campaigns for awareness. That's such a big step forward. In my time, environmentalism really seemed to be something only a few do, which really sounded like an elitist activity on the part of scientists and activists. You people understand that it is everybody's responsibility. And that is important because systemic change happens when whole communities get into the action and not just a few stragglers.
But I'd also like to challenge you. Individual action-by-action, such as recycling, composting, or using renewable energy-is certainly an important step, but the most difficult challenge is getting a change of action for large groups. It's one thing to reduce your carbon footprint, but how do we get industries and governments to do the same? That was part of what my generation struggled with. We did not realize fully that corporations were supposed to take accountability for the harm they cause. Ang malalaking kumpanya at industriya ay dapat tumutulong sa pagbabawas ng polusyon natin. Kapag tayo lang ang gumagawa ng mga maliliit na hakbang, pero ang mga malalaking korporasyon ay patuloy nang nagtatapon ng mga kemikal sa mga ilog at naglalabas ng toxic emissions, doon lang talaga magdurusa ang plano natin. I appreciate the environmental ethics and values that you addressed in the book: stewardship, intergenerational equity, and environmental justice. Those are beyond science ethics that deal really with our moral responsibility. When I am your age, it's all about protecting the environment for its own sake, whereas now we realize it's about protecting human rights and that there must be a healthy planet for the generations that follow us. Intergenerational equity ensures that the world we leave behind is good enough for generations to come. Hindi ito lamang sa pagtatanim ng puno; it's more of ensuring a just, fair, and sustainable future.
So, wrapping things up, I have to say bravo to all of you. You're on the right track but keep going: don't stop here, continue engaging, questioning, and advocating for bigger changes in the system. The environmental challenges are so huge, but I am hopeful because I see young minds like you who care and understand to make a difference. Keep that fire burning, don't be afraid to demand more from those in power. Remember, kayo ang future leaders and the planet is counting on you."
"Grabe ka sir ang haba naman ng speech mo!! Wala akong masabi sa haba!" (cry cry)