Workshop to produce an information kit on the ideas for action

(November 23-28, 1992)

Many environmental issues involve complex and technical information and processes which are difficult to understand. Majority of the people do not yet understand the very basic issues related to, for example, ozone depletion or global warming or the loss of biodiversity.

The difficult process of simplifying such kinds of information for specific audiences is no/systematically implemented on a large scale in the Philippines.

The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) believes that there is currently a great need for quality educational printed materials which can be used by teachers, trainors, educators, policymakers, key sector leaders and others throughout the Philippines in the area of environmental education. These printed materials will convey the difficult-to-understand concepts into more appropriate information kits for wider dissemination.

IIRR is aware that there are government and non-government organizations (GOs/NGOs) that are currently producing environmental education materials. Therefore, the primary step the Institute took was to network with these GOs and NGOs to establish the state-of-the-art for environmental education materials within the Philippines.

The information kit on the Ideas for Action was produced through the use of a workshop involving technical and communication experts. The workshop approach has been successfully implemented by IIRR to speed up and improve the production of various technology-focused kits, such as the Biointensive Gardening, Regenerative Agriculture Technologies, Agroforestry, Low-input Rice Production and Integrated Agriculture Aquaculture Technologies.

The workshop was held on November 23-28, 1992, at the IIRR Campus in Silang, Cavite, Philippines. The participants came from key organizations involved in environmental work, such as the Bureau of Soil and Water Management, Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), Department of Health, Earth Station, Green Alert, Haribon Foundation, Philippine Wetland and Wildlife Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PWWCFI), International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), International Resource Recovery and Recycling Network (IRREN), Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), SEAFDEC, University of the Philippines at Los Ba(UPLB) and Wildlife Biology Laboratory of UPLB. Because these participants consisted primarily of the practitioner-types, reflective of the intended user-audience, the potential relevance of the kit was improved. In addition, the papers underwent instant critical peer review and revision, a process which normally takes several days or even weeks. Finally, the presence of communication specialists (writers, editors, artists) facilitated the appropriate presentation and design of materials.

This technology information kit focuses on Philippine situation, is designed for learning about basic concepts, issues and problems related to environment and natural resource use and degradation and is intended for nationwide use by students, trainors and GO/NGO policymakers.

Workshop to Produce an Information Kit on the Ideas for Action

(November 23-28, 1992)

Participants

1. Mr. Joselito Baril, Assistant Professor, Wildlife Biology Laboratory, UPLB, College, Laguna

2. Ms. Maribeth Reyes-Baril, Haribon Foundation, 340 Villamor Street, San Juan, Metro Manila

3. Dr. Teodora Bagarinao, Scientist II, SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, Tigbauan, lloilo

4. Mr. Emmanuel Carmona, Broad Initiatives for Negros, Development, Green Alert Negros, Environmental, Network, 2nd Floor, Door 1, Silos Building, Rosario St., Bacolod City 6100

5. Engr. Samuel Contreras, Supervising Agriculturist, Bureau of Soil and Water Management, SRDC Bldg., Elliptical Road con Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City

6. Ms. Dolores Ariadne Diamante, Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR, Silang, Cavite

7. Dr. Sandy Fortuna, Field Operational Research Division, IIRR, Silang, Cavite

8. Dr. Julian F. Gonsalves, Vice-President for Program, IIRR, Silang, Cavite

9. Engr. Antonino Hormillosa, Chief, Policies, Standards and Regulations, Environmental Health, Service, Department of Health, Rizal Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Manila

10. Mr. Greg Ira, Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR, Silang, Cavite

11. Mr. Scott Killough, Director, Appropriate Technology Unit, IIRR, Silang, Cavite

12. Ms. Ma. Lourdes Lauzon-Manrique, Member, Earth Station Writers and, Artists' Collective, Inc., #2-B Masinsinan St., Teachers' Village, Quezon City

13. Ms. Manolita Morales, Philippine Wetland and Wildlife, Conservation Foundation, Inc., (PWWCFI), Unit 2, A. Sing Building, 295 Duterte St., Banawa, Cebu City 6000

14. Dr. Emma Abanes-Pujalte, International Resource Recovery and, Recycling Network, IRRREN), 117 Soliven Avenue con Copenhagen, Green Park Village, Manggahan, Pasig, Metro, Manila

15. Ms. Dolores Rubio Health and Nutrition Center Department of Education, Culture; Sports (DECS) University of Life Complex Meralco Avenue, Pasig Metro Manila

16. Mr. Hector Soliman Tanggol Kalikasan Haribon Foundation Suite 901, Richbelt Tower 17 Annapolis St., Greenhills San Juan, Metro Manila

17. Mr. Manuel Velasco, Branch Manager/Program Manager, Philippine Reconstruction Movement, (Negros Branch), #28, Ochoa-17 St., Capitol Subdivision, Bacolod City

18. Ms. Meng Yaun, Field Operational Research Division, IIRR, Silang, Cavite

Support Staff

Technical/Communication	Dr. Julian Gonsalves, Mr. Greg Ira, Mr. Scott Killough and Specialists Mr. Jaime Ronquillo
Editors	Ms. Lyn Doren, Mr. Greg Ira, Mr. Scott Killough, Ms. Mamet Magno and Mr. Jaime Ronquillo
Artists	Mr. Albert Ba Mr. Boy Belardo, Mr. Ric Cantada, Mr. Henry Cruz, Mr. Mitchell Doren and Mr. Bernie Remoquillo
Logistics/Administrative/Secretarial Staff	Ms. Lhai Kasala, Ms. Angie Poblete, Ms. Jel Montoya, Ms. Gigi Naval, Ms. Mamet Magno, Mr. Ariel Madlangsacay, Ms. Ely Paredes, Ms. Violy Alvez, Ms. Gemma Boado, Ms. Tess Aquino, Ms. Girlie Belen, Ms. Hilda Amon and Mr. Gerry Medina

Save, recycle and do not polute: basic principles of ideas for action

Save

Saving can be applied to almost everything, including energy, electricity, water, gasoline, food and resources. Saving does not mean hoarding, but instead means lessening consumption to a minimum. Maximizing efficiency and doing without the unnecessary are two ways to save so that there will be less need to exploit existing natural resources. The main idea is to maximize consumption rather than to save goods or money. Some actions that reduce consumption may save you pesos but some will not. Some of them will cost time or effort.

Recycle

Recycling is an extension of saving and has many benefits. Instead of throwing an item in the trash, reuse it as much as possible or try to turn it into something useful. By recycling or reusing paper, for example, trees can be saved. Also, recycling a product consumes less energy and resources than producing a new product, so the savings is twofold. Recycling reduces the amount of refuse that goes into the dump, taking up space for decades and leaching harmful substances into the soil and water. Be warned, however, that some things are easier to recycle than others. Some Filipinos may say that we should not recycle since many scavengers derive their livelihood from the garbage. However, most people agree that scavenging is not a practice to be encouraged and that it is not the most efficient way to recycle refuse. If it were, Smokey Mountain would not be so mountainous.

Do not pollute

Minimize the pollution you produce, because some items cannot be recycled and must be disposed of. Avoid plastics and other materials that do not degrade rapidly. Even if properly disposed in a garbage dump, these materials will not degrade and will take up space for years. Eventually, the dump will be filled and another new dump site will have to be found. More importantly, avoid producing toxic refuse or emitting pollutants which are harmful to human health and to the environment. The effects of automobile emissions, pesticides and factory waste are obvious. However, seemingly harmless products can also be very damaging to human health and to the environment. For example, detergents and cleaning fluids poured down a household drain can end up in the water supply. These toxic substances can enter the human body, directly through drinking contaminated water, or through eating animal meats or seafoods that have absorbed these poisons into their system. Also, aerosol sprays contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), substances that deplete or destroy the ozone layer of the atmosphere. This results in increasing amounts of harmful solar radiation passing through the atmosphere and increasing the likelihood of human health problems, especially skin cancer. The easiest way to avoid these harmful pollutants is not to use products which contain these substances. However, this may prove to be harder than one might think.

Source:

Adapted from: Mynardo Macaraig. How Green is Your Home. Earth Station Writers and Artists Collective, Inc.

Quezon City. 1991

Ideas for Action:

A Technology Information Kit November 23 - 28, 1992