The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR0) launched on April 22 the Earth Day Every Day Project to engage the youth in reducing plastic pollution and intensify efforts against plastic usage.
The plastics collection competition encourages young people to understand the importance of recycling plastics and promotes a sense of environmental responsibility.
“The Earth Day Every Day Project advocates the promotion of feasible methods to reduce waste and foster a culture of sustainability among the youth and communities, and motivates participation through incentives. For this, we thank SM Supermalls, Nestle, and the Boy and Girl Scouts of the Philippines for their invaluable support and collaboration. Their robust presence and proactive engagement will serve as a multiplier effect in our advocacy efforts,” said DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga.
To combat plastic pollution in the country, the DENR advocates for a circular economy where all plastic applications are reused, recycled, and responsibly managed during and after use while enabling a lower greenhouse gas emissions plastic economy.
Students may bring the plastics they collect to designated SM Supermalls collection facilities in Pasay, Marikina, Pasig, Manila, and Quezon City in the National Capital Region. Similar collection points are available in Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Cebu, and Davao. This effort complements SM Supermalls’ ongoing plastic waste collection efforts.
Points will be assigned according to the type of plastic collected. Every month, prizes will be awarded to the class with the highest points, and at the end of the year, to the school with the highest-pointer classes.
The project is in line with this year’s Earth Day celebration theme, “Planet vs Plastic,” which “calls to advocate for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, urgently push for a strong UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution, and demand an end to fast fashion, and build a plastic-free planet for generations to come.”
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