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‘Cemetiquette’
EVERY time-honored Filipino “Undas” tradition, environmentalists implore the public to show genuine respect for their departed loved ones by trashing wasteful and toxic habits. Again, we echo such appeal. Please don’t turn cemeteries into pigsties.
Observe some “cemetiquettes” or cemetery etiquettes as a way of showing deep and genuine respect for our departed kindred and friends. Let us promote environmental responsibility and commonsensical good manners and avoid practices that show disrespect for the dead, as well as for the living. Here are some of them:
* Choose lead-free candles that do not yield black fumes or soot. Set alight a limited number of candles to reduce heat and pollution. Be cautious so as not to let candle fire touch plastic receptacles or holders.
* Offer local fresh flowers, not plastic ones, or consider bringing potted plants and flowers instead. Avoid wrapping floral or plant offerings in plastic, which will sooner or later end up as trash.
* Bring your own water jug to avoid purchasing bottled water. Discarded plastic bottles add up to the country’s garbage problem. Plastic bottles, which are petrochemical products, also require lots of oil and chemicals to manufacture.
* Go for waste-free meals. Say yes to reusable carriers, containers, and utensils such as lunchboxes and thermos, cloth napkins and silverwares. Say no to throw-away bags, wraps, foils, Styrofoam packaging, paper napkins, and forks and spoons. Also, refrain from patronizing junk food and go for simple yet nutritious home-prepared baon.
* For food and beverage, buy and bring only what you can consume to avoid spoilage or wastage. Bring bayong or other reusable bags to carry your stuff and purchases, and refuse plastic bags and wrappers from vendors.
* Cut your waste size by not creating trash in the first place such as by purchasing products with the least amount of packaging and avoiding single-use plastic disposables.
* Don’t litter, dump or burn trash in the cemetery. Do not throw cigarette butts, candy wrappers, discarded packaging, fruit peels, and the likes on the ground. Remember to leave the resting place of your loved ones litter-free.
* Put your discards into the recycling bins if available. Better still, bring your own discards bags and bring them home for sorting, reusing, recycling or composting.
* Relieve yourself only in the proper place where one should. Keep the urinal or toilet bowl clean as a courtesy to the next user. Do not defecate or urinate in public places.
* Refrain from smoking in the cemetery. Show consideration for the children, the elderly, pregnant women and others around you who may be saddled with respiratory and heart ailments.
Let us keep cemeteries clean and safe as we remember our departed dear ones.
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