It’s Environment Month: Have responsible eating habits

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

 

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 10, 2013) - Sarangani province has called to action for residents to be mindful of their food preparation and eating habits as the Environment Month celebration opened here Monday (June 10).

 

Observed every month of June pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 237 series of 1988, the celebration this year is themed “Think, Eat, Save” adapted from the United Nations World Environment Day on June 5 which underscored reduction of food wastage - a sequel leading to food shortage, hunger and poverty.

 

Environment regional executive director Datu Tungko Saikol, who graced the Environment Month opening salvo here, pointed out that the focus of this year’s celebration is “instilling consciousness to the various sectors from vendors, consumers to farmers on the importance of reducing food wastage.”

 

Saikol also advocated for more environmentally-responsible consumers by patronizing food grown organically or packaged using recyclable materials “to lessen waste dumped into landfills that generate methane, a relatively potent greenhouse gas.”

 

He cited the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization report that “1.3 billion metric tons of food is wasted every year where on a daily basis one every seven people of the world’s population goes to bed hungry while more than 20,000 children under the age of five die from hunger.”

 

These facts, Saikol said, “are grim reminders for us to prevent food wastage in farms, in markets, in kitchens, and on the table.”

 

He then linked it to Philippine scenario based on the International Rice Research Institute which reported Filipinos waste too much rice “resulting in losses worth more than P23 million a day or about P8.4 billion a year.”

 

The whole production chain of rice, he said, has expended a lot of energy and other resources causing environmental impact.

 

In feeding around seven billion people, it would take a great deal of the earth’s resources thus making it “the single biggest driver of biodiversity loss.”

 

“By now, we should realize that the earth is a living, breathing entity, not something that separate from us,” Saikol said.

 

On June 12, the LGU environment and natural resources office here will lead a tree planting in Bagacay, Alabel as among its lined-up activities for the Environment Month celebration. For more news and updates, please visit the <a href= http://www.sarangani.gov.ph/ > Province of Sarangani </a> (Beverly C. Paoyon/ SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)