EARTH DAY: CELEBRATION OR MOURNING?
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
The Featinean publication
June 1994
Last summer, I was lucky to be one of the Franciscan lay missionaries to go to Basilan in Mindanao for a two-week mission exposure. I had an experience there worth reflecting on. No! It is not the kidnappings. It is not the war. It is all all about Earth Day which is celebrated every 22nd of April.
But what struck me during that celebration of Earth Day?
I, together with my fellow missionaries, went to Isabela, a nearby town from the friar house in Lamitan where we stayed. We met the retired Bishop Jose Ma. Querexeta. That was three days before Earth Day.
After we had been introduced by Bro. Al Villanueva OFM to the bishop, former bishop Querexeta smilingly told us why we were there in Basilan when it was better to stay in Manila. Then, he encouraged us to participate in the funeral march for the upcoming Earth Day. The said funeral march was led by the Basilan Green Movement, Inc.
"Why a funeral march?" we asked. "Are we not commemorating Earth Day?" Then, he told us that there was no reason to celebrate Earth Day because man who should be the protector of Mother Earth destroys his own habitat. He further told us that there would be a power failure, water shortage and black decorations in the town to commemorate man’s destruction of the earth’s natural resources. This was just one of the initiatives they had thought of to awaken not only the people of Basilan but also the people from other region or perhaps the world about the worsening situation of our natural habitat.
Although we did not promise to attend the funeral march because of our schedule of activities, we joined them in their crusade to preserve the environment for each of us. Before I slept that night, I made some reflections about the fascinating ideas about ecology we shared with one another.
Yes, some of us celebrate Earth Day. But do we have the reason to celebrate it? What are we celebrating for? Or should we mourn it?
Sometimes, I want to believe that the progress of some advanced industrialized countries, like the US, is not really progress but destruction. They call progress the existence of nuclear technology and the weapons of mass destruction such as patriot missiles, nuclear warheads, etc. Where shall they put their nuclear wastes? In poor countries like ours? Nuclear waste if not properly managed can kill us and can destroy other living things.
We are heading the road to progress as many people say. It seemed only a materialistic progress satisfies man’s needs. It serves the interest of the minority and not the majority. It seems that progress is just an illusion. It does not care for the whole mankind and its habitat. It serves only the interest of the capitalists who accumulate more wealth while destroying the environment.
One example is the Ormoc tragedy where many of our Filipino brothers and sisters died. Reports said that it was due to the destruction of forest by means of illegal logging. Maybe, those capitalist loggers became blind and deaf about the plight of the people living in the area while they were busy acquiring profit for themselves. It seems that there is no difference between legal and illegal loggers because they are both engaged in destroying and denuding the forest.
The dismal state of our environment is a proof of the reality which our country is in at present. Polluted rivers and air, denuded mountains and forest, flash floods, red tide, dying marine life and drought are just some of these. Nature is abused by private individuals and multinationals who own big logging companies. They pollute, destroy and abuse our habitat. That’s why life is endangered and many people get sick, suffer and die. There’s laxity in implementing laws protecting the environment. Yes, because of greed and selfishness, Mother Earth is soon to vanish. Man kills his fellowmen to acquire more wealth and profit.
Amidst these harsh realities, how should we respond? We just hope that we can do something not only in paper, but we must act. Yes, action is needed. We can support organizations that promote ecological and environmental issues. We can join ecological movement especially for the cause of preserving our natural resources and improving our environment. To start with and to be aware of what is happening to our Mother Earth, we must read books and pamphlets regarding ecology. We can also attend rallies, symposia and forum to promote protection of ecology. We can organize and mobilize people in cleanliness drives and tree planting. We must awaken government officials, students and common folks to act to save Mother Earth. We must stay in solidarity in promoting total log ban and other movements for ecological concern.
Most of all, we can make concrete actions by planting and even supplying seedlings for transplanting, personal discipline, promotion of recycled papers and water, ecologically sound disposal of wastes, commitment to tree planting and organic farming.
Again, we ask the question: Do we have the reason to celebrate Earth Day? Maybe yes if we can do something to save Mother Earth before its too late. We just hope that the future generation will protect and promote ecology and will know what really meant by progress.
The preservation of a quality environment is one of the most urgent calls of our time regardless of one’s economic or social status, belief, religion, age, as we live under one sky, drink the same water, and breathe the same air. Let’s respond to that urgent call.
Remember, we have only one home, our Mother Earth. A little thing that you can do today to save Mother Earth can be a precious legacy to the generations to come.
- June 1994, page 12
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
The Featinean publication
June 1994
Last summer, I was lucky to be one of the Franciscan lay missionaries to go to Basilan in Mindanao for a two-week mission exposure. I had an experience there worth reflecting on. No! It is not the kidnappings. It is not the war. It is all all about Earth Day which is celebrated every 22nd of April.
But what struck me during that celebration of Earth Day?
I, together with my fellow missionaries, went to Isabela, a nearby town from the friar house in Lamitan where we stayed. We met the retired Bishop Jose Ma. Querexeta. That was three days before Earth Day.
After we had been introduced by Bro. Al Villanueva OFM to the bishop, former bishop Querexeta smilingly told us why we were there in Basilan when it was better to stay in Manila. Then, he encouraged us to participate in the funeral march for the upcoming Earth Day. The said funeral march was led by the Basilan Green Movement, Inc.
"Why a funeral march?" we asked. "Are we not commemorating Earth Day?" Then, he told us that there was no reason to celebrate Earth Day because man who should be the protector of Mother Earth destroys his own habitat. He further told us that there would be a power failure, water shortage and black decorations in the town to commemorate man’s destruction of the earth’s natural resources. This was just one of the initiatives they had thought of to awaken not only the people of Basilan but also the people from other region or perhaps the world about the worsening situation of our natural habitat.
Although we did not promise to attend the funeral march because of our schedule of activities, we joined them in their crusade to preserve the environment for each of us. Before I slept that night, I made some reflections about the fascinating ideas about ecology we shared with one another.
Yes, some of us celebrate Earth Day. But do we have the reason to celebrate it? What are we celebrating for? Or should we mourn it?
Sometimes, I want to believe that the progress of some advanced industrialized countries, like the US, is not really progress but destruction. They call progress the existence of nuclear technology and the weapons of mass destruction such as patriot missiles, nuclear warheads, etc. Where shall they put their nuclear wastes? In poor countries like ours? Nuclear waste if not properly managed can kill us and can destroy other living things.
We are heading the road to progress as many people say. It seemed only a materialistic progress satisfies man’s needs. It serves the interest of the minority and not the majority. It seems that progress is just an illusion. It does not care for the whole mankind and its habitat. It serves only the interest of the capitalists who accumulate more wealth while destroying the environment.
One example is the Ormoc tragedy where many of our Filipino brothers and sisters died. Reports said that it was due to the destruction of forest by means of illegal logging. Maybe, those capitalist loggers became blind and deaf about the plight of the people living in the area while they were busy acquiring profit for themselves. It seems that there is no difference between legal and illegal loggers because they are both engaged in destroying and denuding the forest.
The dismal state of our environment is a proof of the reality which our country is in at present. Polluted rivers and air, denuded mountains and forest, flash floods, red tide, dying marine life and drought are just some of these. Nature is abused by private individuals and multinationals who own big logging companies. They pollute, destroy and abuse our habitat. That’s why life is endangered and many people get sick, suffer and die. There’s laxity in implementing laws protecting the environment. Yes, because of greed and selfishness, Mother Earth is soon to vanish. Man kills his fellowmen to acquire more wealth and profit.
Amidst these harsh realities, how should we respond? We just hope that we can do something not only in paper, but we must act. Yes, action is needed. We can support organizations that promote ecological and environmental issues. We can join ecological movement especially for the cause of preserving our natural resources and improving our environment. To start with and to be aware of what is happening to our Mother Earth, we must read books and pamphlets regarding ecology. We can also attend rallies, symposia and forum to promote protection of ecology. We can organize and mobilize people in cleanliness drives and tree planting. We must awaken government officials, students and common folks to act to save Mother Earth. We must stay in solidarity in promoting total log ban and other movements for ecological concern.
Most of all, we can make concrete actions by planting and even supplying seedlings for transplanting, personal discipline, promotion of recycled papers and water, ecologically sound disposal of wastes, commitment to tree planting and organic farming.
Again, we ask the question: Do we have the reason to celebrate Earth Day? Maybe yes if we can do something to save Mother Earth before its too late. We just hope that the future generation will protect and promote ecology and will know what really meant by progress.
The preservation of a quality environment is one of the most urgent calls of our time regardless of one’s economic or social status, belief, religion, age, as we live under one sky, drink the same water, and breathe the same air. Let’s respond to that urgent call.
Remember, we have only one home, our Mother Earth. A little thing that you can do today to save Mother Earth can be a precious legacy to the generations to come.
- June 1994, page 12
No comments:
Post a Comment