Learning and Living the Green Life in the Philippines

Teaching Green: 100 Tips, Tools, & Resources for Every Kind of Classroom

Here is a useful link for everyone interested in learning how best to teach green: Tips, Tools, and Resources in Teaching Green. Mr. Jesse Young emailed me to suggest this article, which I found worth sharing.

Delivering the Green Message and More the Green Way

I first mentioned them here when I blogged about Messy Bessy, 8 months ago. I was impressed then, but more so now that I know how not-so-easy it is to ride your bike around the metro.

Philippine Green Film Festival

The SM Supermalls will have yet another GREEN FILM FESTIVAL. Do catch it. It will be hard to miss this time, as all SM malls in the Philippines will be part of the project. 
 

one of the featured films -- PLANET EARTH

The Biking Bug That Bit Me

I’ve long been bugged by my mountain biker friends to join them. It wasn’t hard to find excuses:

Power Kick

It's soccer ball for play and more---for electric power. Here's an interesting article, you should read:

Energy-Generating Soccer Ball to Power Lamps, Save Lives in Africa

Cutting out kerosene one kick at a time.

 

It's true: creativity and innovation will save the day for us in this age of climate change.

Visit also the sOccket website for more details. Click on the link.

Sustainable Food to Crave For

Getting into the "green diet" or healthier diet shouldn't take out the fun in eating. I am mighty glad, they emailed me this (see below); now I know where I'll have my next out-of-home meal.

Something to Wish For

Home owners to be paid for generating their own electricity through solar panels and wind turbines. That is the headline news in the UK's Mail OnLine, as written by Mr. Sean Poulter. It's something we can wish for,  pray for, or lobby for. While renewable energy can be tapped and the sources are abundantly available, generally, in the Philippines; the initial costs of equipment for solar panels and wind turbines are prohibitive. Having such an incentive (and some more) from the government, should jumpstart the widespread use of the alternative or greener sources of energy.

NOx NOx

Who's there?
It doesn't matter.

NOx NOx is no laughing matter. It is a chemical compound, which when mixed with VOCs or volatile organic compounds in sunlight form SMOG. NOx spells POLLUTION. It is asthma, emphysema or some other respiratory disease when it reached its human host. NOx is Nitrogen Oxide. It is produced in vehicle combustions. A brief review on our chemistry might help. Check this link: NOx in Wikipedia.

This is not a paid advertisement. Pardon the mention of the brands. Boysen Paints together with Cristal Global produced a paint that acts somewhat like an air purifier, taking out NOx off it. As the VP of Boysen, Mr. Ongking did in the last Building Green Forum, I'll leave the fuller explanation to the lady in the video.

When Green Minds Converge

When green minds come together, good, healthful, and beneficial ideas and decisions spring out. You probably thought I’m referring to the other kind of green. If that were so, perhaps, the ideas will be baser, more depraved and devoid of any profit. I attended 2 Philippine Building Green fora or forums and one Green Architecture Advocacy Philippines orientation in 3 days. Are these not signs of the greening of the Philippines’ real estate and construction industries, or the greening of the country as a whole? It's all looking bright and promising, indeed.

In future posts, I’ll tell you more about what I learned, those which perhaps, you should know. In the meantime, I post here a photo blog of the Building Green Forum.

 

I Just Met the Greenest Man on the Planet

I come to functions and appointments almost always early. Why? I can mention at least 3 benefits to doing so (there are many)  :

1.) one gets time to rest and relax after the travel, 2.) one gets to do more things, like check emails, and 3.) one gets to chat with the Greenest Person on the Planet!

 Herr Matthias Gelber at the Building Green Forum, Makati Shari-La

When you get to a convention room in the Philippines early, chances are you'll be alone, or if you're lucky, you'll be met with smiles from friendly organizers.  I was lucky.  Arch. Christopher Dela Cruz, the hardworking and indefatigable chairman was already there to welcome guests.

Earth-friendlier Apple Gadget: iPad

The Apple of my eye these days, the iPad, thankfully, is green---not totally, but relatively. Known for their superiority in innovation, design and marketing, Apple seem to be showing the world that they want to lead in another arena (for many of us, the arena that truly matters), the arena where the earth survives in the battles.

Many Thanks From the Many Grateful

I am one of the many grateful; and yet also one of those they thanked. There are many thanks that go around in the green community, as many of them, simply, are the most generous and gracious people around.

I got an email earlier today from Amu'in Wellness. It is one of the growing number of Philippine enterprises that:

• patronize the local industries and the local agriculture
• use organic , safe, non-toxic ingredients
• provide jobs to the often ill-opportuned
• give back to the community , and 
• adapts earth-friendly and sustainable practices in their operations

The First Eco-House in Cebu

This 400 sqm -house is so christened Earth, Wind and Sun. After seeing the video below, you'd know why. 

Philippine's Building Green Forum

 

Half a year ago, I missed a green building event, and I posted about it (Missing the Biggest Green Building Event of 2009). I, then, vowed to try not miss anymore of the important green building events.

There's Money in Trash

May pera sa basura or there's money in trash. Do you subscribe to this oft-repeated phrase? 

Apparently, there, indeed, is, and more.

Learn to Fly with the Fireflies

The most amazing, wonderful nature discovery for me as a child, perhaps for many children, way back then, is that of those moving twinkling lights in the night sky. They could've been stars, and I might have wished something, seeing them then shoot so; but no they are not, as one can almost grasp them. They are fireflies, grown-ups told me. How do they produce the light? Do they carry mini flashlights? Have they got electricity in their bodies? Are they not so fair, they could've been the inspiration for the tales on fairies?

I could only relate this to my 4-year old daughter. She has yet to see one. Where have all the fireflies gone?

Progress was good to our cities in many ways; but in many ways as well, in some ways even without us knowing, progress was not good at all. The air that surrounds us is dirtier than it ever was. The fireflies have fled these unclean air as these are not their habitat. Their home is where they can live, fly and breathe freely.  

 

A group of grown-ups, who once upon their childhood, also made the amazing, wonderful discovery of the fireflies, bonded together to form what is now popularly known as the Firefly Brigade.

How to Change the World with Style

Post by the Pinoy Green Mom

 

How to Change the World with Style is actually the subtitle to the book by Tamsin Blanchard, GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK. It is one of the most popular green fashion books on the shelves, my mini research told me, and that's why I grabbed a copy of it. It was a quick read. It was a pleasant,informative, quick read.

Saying something is the "new black" is saying that something is the most fashionable or en vogue. The phrase has its history in Audrey Hepburn's 1957 film, Funny Face. It's a quote from fashion magazine editor character, Maggie Prescott: "Pink is the new black."

Learn to Harvest the Rain

These past days, despite the sprinkling of rains here and there, talk of water shortages being imminent made it to the news media.  Have we not had too much of rain just a few months ago, too much that many areas were inundated for days? Extreme weather conditions that increase rate of evaporation and deliver heavy precipitation are hallmarks of climate change. How should we prepare ourselves for its ill effects? 

For this post, I’ll recommend that we HARVEST THE RAIN. Let's get a briefing from a rainwater harvesting expert, Brad Lancaster. Watch the video of his below.

Do You Know How to Compost

Do you know how to compost? 

I don't. I have some ideas though, but it could be a messy learning experience if I learn by experimenting.  Why not just learn the easy way? Google it. Youtube it. Even Wikipedia it. The thing is I want to learn for I want to practice it; and I want you to learn with me and practice it with me, as well. It's one of the green living practices everybody can do and should do.

This post shall consist of some links that will introduce us to the science and art of composting. What is composting? You will learn that too in some of the links. 

Enjoy. I chose some funny ones too, just for some fun. You may skip some videos if you think, you already got it. 

Let's start light with Wiggly Worm's rap.

U.P. University of Padyak

 

Padyak is Filipino for the verb, pedal, which means stepping on a pedal, the noun. Mere steps taken without the pedal will take you somewhere but not farther. Padyak is also how the project of the UP Mountaineers (University of the Philippines) calls their special project, which for nearly 2 years now, is furthering the cause of greening and healthy living via bicycle riding.