CONTRARY to the profound simplicity of the first Christmas observance in a humble manger in Bethlehem, totally waste-free if we may use the expression, the modern Yuletide season has become one of – if not the most – wasteful, festivity that people celebrate.
With the start yesterday of the traditional nine-day observance of Simbang Gabi across the country leading to Christmas Day, we urge the public to shun plastic bags and wrappers in celebrating the season, and go for reusable ones instead. Spread love, not trash. Yes, we won’t get tired highlighting the issue of disposable plastics as these continue to be the most stubborn and persistent trash generated year in, year out.
Disposable plastic carry bags and wrappers are normally used just once by many of us, and immediately find their way into streets, canals, drainage systems, rivers, the ocean, and dumpsites and landfills to create environmental and health havoc for hundreds of years. This is so sad and annoying.
But there is hope, just as the Christmas season is a season of hope. Some local governments have passed plastic bag ban and/or regulation ordinances. They prohibit the use of any form of plastic bags on dry goods and regulate their use on wet goods. They also prohibit the use of polystyrene and similar materials as containers for food and other products.
The season of love, joy and giving should not be celebrated in a shallow manner by flashing fancy smiles and talking empty greetings, while the One whose birthday we celebrate must be looking down on us sadly as we trash His creation in frenzy with our Christmas trash.
The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act or Republic Act 9003 highlights a provision mandating the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) to make a list, for prohibition, of non-environmentally acceptable products (NEAP), where disposable plastic packaging and containers fit very well. We call on the NSWMC to do its job well by putting disposable plastics in the NEAP list where they belong. We urge the public to join us in pushing the commission to do just that.
Who knows, next year’s Christmas might see a wane in disposable plastics.
