As a nation we are still reeling from the effects of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) and Typhoon Pepeng that have struck our country one after the other. The devastation to life and property has reached billions. Whole families have been lost, the damage to infrastructure, homes and businesses is disheartening, our ricelands have been turned into rushing rivers wiping out what was to be harvested. The amount of rainfall that these two typhoons have poured upon this nation has devastated and displaced thousands of families. And the problems continue to compound. Although we are a resilient people, questions as to the cause of this tragedy have yet to be answered. We need to be informed of the WHY’s so that we can move on to the WHAT do we do to prevent this from happening again. Typhoons have always been a part of our lives. They do not surprise us at all. However, the magnitude of the destruction that we have experienced totally came from left field. Should we brace ourselves for more severe typhoons because the effects of Climate Change have finally caught up with us?
(image courtesy of boston.com)
IMHO, even if we do attribute it to Climate Change, climate change is still caused by men. Men who run corporations. Men who destroy habitats and abuse and misuse our environment. Men who make decisions that may be economically profitable but environmentally harmful. We need to rethink the way we do things today. We need to take action now. Many of us who are fortunate to have survived the disasters that have fallen upon our countrymen might not be spared the next time around. Businesses need to be more responsible and be involved in reducing their carbon footprint. Am not so sure about call center outsourcing, but buying local, manufacturing more earth-friendly products, green architecture, alternative energy sources, recycling and reusing, sustainable lifestyles – we need a paradigm shift in how we conduct our lives. We need to do something now… for the sake of the next generation and generations after that.
Tags: blog action day 2009, Climate change, Current events, global warming, Green Living, Politics
Hi,
This is Gladys Arañez and I’m one of the volunteers for Design Against The Elements. We are asking for your support to please help us spread our message in raising awareness re: Philippine Climate Adaptability Challenge. Please take time to visit the links below and please post comments and ratings. Below also is a message from our Executive Director, Illac Diaz.
Feel free to ask questions. You can reach me on my email: gladys_79@yahoo.com
Many, many thanks!
http://www.spot.ph/2009/11/09/marc-abaya-karl-roy-lead-musicians-in-a-song-about-climate-change/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCxhqROh8q4
Climate change is real. Addressing climate change requires a mix of mitigation and adaptation. This requires more mitigation for industrialized countries and more adaptation for developing countries.
This can be translated into one simple scenario : While the industrialized world continues to send up tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere, whether or not we blur the amounts through carbon credits,
hopes are fading for those who will be receiving the sharp end of the Damocles sword; the developing world. The urgency is to realize that this is not going to stop at 350 ppm, or even double at 600 ppm, the Philippines has to realize that despite all the petitions and feel good campaigns of dreams for a climate stabilized world, real solutions need to be done. We have to get to the part where we learn
to start dealing with this. The country is located right beside the warmest parts of the ocean that is in the perfect storm of vulnerable coastlines, intense winds, and an observation of growing dumping of
large amounts of rain. We need to live in a world where climate will hit the poorest of the poor first, regardless of where they live, it will test our resiliency as a city, as a village, as a community, and
specially as a people. This song is dedicated to the awareness that dealing with one ONDOY is not the victory, but a climate of change will be the battle of this generation.
Illac Diaz
Executive Director
Design Against The Elements
Hi Gladys,
Thanks for the heads up… I’ll definitely check it out.
Now is the time to find new alternative energy sources. We need clean renewable energy sources.