Mr Smith said a portion of Zero’s profits were used to fund clean-up efforts around waterways contaminated by marine plastic waste.
The Philippines’ charm is in jeopardy due to unclear rules for ecotourism projects
The Philippines’ charm is in jeopardy due to unclear rules for ecotourism projects
The Philippines is the world’s third largest source of marine waste, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), prompting Smith to launch a long-term campaign to restore Manila’s waters. .
This Southeast Asian country dumps an estimated 3.3 kg of plastic waste into the ocean per person, and more than 350,000 tonnes of non-degradable waste from its more than 4,800 rivers.
“It was a moment where I thought, if we want to have the biggest impact on this issue as possible, let’s get to the root of the problem,” Smith said.
He arrived in the Philippines in 2023 and spent six weeks visiting the most contaminated water systems, identifying potential locations from Google Earth satellite images.
Smith selected rivers and tributaries in Metro Manila for his project to scoop trash from Tanza Marine Arboretum and the San Juan River, one of the longest rivers flowing through the metropolitan area.
He also hired Manila-based project manager Francis Chua to coordinate with DENR officials to dispatch rangers and volunteers for the cleanup effort, but the Taguig-Pateros River Initiative came online in late February. It received little attention until it caught the attention of Filipinos. .
The 2021 water quality report concluded that the river that runs through the back doors of prominent business districts such as Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Makati City is contaminated and contains traces of E. coli.
Smith said the operation was Zero Corps’ longest, taking 16 days to complete, compared to the average 10 days it takes to complete.
“Thank you Mike Smith for showing Filipinos that all it takes to clean our rivers is passion and dedication,” former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said in a Facebook post. Ta.
Another user wrote: “This is shocking. Thank you for this! It’s a shame that foreigners had to take the lead. Where is the heart of the Filipino people?”
Why are two environmental groups at odds over nature reserves in the Philippines?
Why are two environmental groups at odds over nature reserves in the Philippines?
Smith was thrilled to receive positive feedback from the nearby community and to see his online following skyrocket.
“One of the things that inspires me is the conversations I have with local people. They ask us what we are doing and tell us about the fact that the river used to be such a beautiful place. I’ll give it to you.
“People were fishing there. People were going swimming there, and how grateful they were at that time. [they] It is for the work we are doing in collaboration with the government and other organizations,” he said.
Zero Co’s Chua disputed claims criticizing the government’s alleged inaction on the contaminated water system, saying the cleanup would not have been possible without the support of local institutions.
“I want to make it clear that our government is not shirking its responsibility in the Pateros River Cleanup Project. … This was a great example of a successful collaborative effort,” he wrote on Facebook.
the source of garbage
But environmentalists remain unconvinced about the sustainability of these projects, arguing that while they have the potential to stimulate public awareness and action, they do not go far enough.
“We also need solutions that address the causes of the problem and other parts of the system, such as implementing policies and the right infrastructure,” said Riza Sakra Dejukos, regional coordinator for Asia at the High Seas Alliance, a network of ocean NGOs. Told. This week it’s Asia.
Mr. Sacra de Jucos said improper waste management from domestic, industrial and agricultural sources continues to be the biggest cause of marine pollution, with waste flowing into canals and the open sea, negatively impacting freshwater and aquatic life. He said that
He added that with the passage of the Extended Producer Responsibility Act in 2022 in the Philippines, large companies will be responsible for collecting some of their plastic packaging, which is a “step in the right direction.” said.
Microplastics on the coast of Japan are “5,500 times more than in the North Atlantic Ocean”
Microplastics on the coast of Japan are “5,500 times more than in the North Atlantic Ocean”
“meanwhile [criticisms of clean-up drives as Band-Aid solutions] They are effective, but they play an important role in our overall strategy to address plastic waste,” said JK Asturias, board member of the Development Academy of the Philippine Sustainable Human Development Program. I did.
“It is considered the last point of intervention for waste before it enters the ocean.”
Asturias noted that cleanup should be coordinated with other strategies such as pollution prevention, waste diversion and rebuilding healthy river biomes.
“addressing [domestic, industrial, and agricultural] Waste streams are very important if we want to revitalize [our rivers]”And it is up to the people to advocate and demand this holistic approach to waste management from their government,” he said.
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Father and son participate in Rolex China Sea Race to raise awareness of ocean plastic issues
Father and son participate in Rolex China Sea Race to raise awareness of ocean plastic issues
He added that this process also means encouraging authorities and the private sector to seriously address systemic issues in solid waste management.
Marian Ledesma, a zero-waste campaigner with Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said that while projects like Smith’s help communities address existing plastic waste, achieving tangible results requires He said government policies were needed to ban plastic and enable a just transition to reuse and refill systems.
“To effectively solve the problem, we need a global plastics treaty and national legislation to implement a phase-out of plastic production,” she said.
Meanwhile, Smith said he wanted to distance himself from the blame game over the “complex” problem of systemic waste in the Philippines.
“I’m very conscious of the fact that I’m a white guy from a wealthy country, and I don’t want to come and tell people how to do things,” he said.
“This isn’t about blaming or shaming anyone. It’s just about being there and educating people about the problem and trying to be part of the solution.”
