Hoping for a Safer Metro Manila for Non-Smokers

See that signage below?  Does it look familiar?  You can usually see this posted in public vehicles.

If you will read what LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2009 – 036 is all about, you will see what this policy wants to achieve:
“This policy aims to promote a healthful environment and to protect the public from second-hand smoke, to which there is no safe level of exposure.”

This is a good way to protect people who do not smoke.  I was actually relieved the first time I saw this posted in a jeepney.  This relief, however, did not last long.

I get to experience the same problem with the one who wrote this blog post.  I do commute going to work and going home.  Every time I ride a public vehicle, I see the same “no smoking” signage.  Apparently, even if this has already been posted inside public vehicles, people still do not comply.  The sad reality is that the primary violators are the drivers themselves.  They are just posting the signage for the sake of complying with the law but not really taking them into action.

Last Sunday, I read an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer regarding another attempt of the government to protect non-smokers.  People will not anymore be allowed to smoke in public places.  These public places are bus and jeepney terminals, loading and unloading bays, pedestrian passes, schools, hospitals, youth recreation centers, government offices and those within the perimeter of Metro Manila’s major and secondary roads.  Violators will be fined Php500.00.  For those who cannot afford to pay, they will render eight hours of community service.

I am not so sure if this would turn out well since a lot of people would get annoyed due to having lesser options of places where they could smoke.  However, since I am a non-smoker, I am really hoping that this could be a good and simple start of having a cleaner air in Metro Manila.  In addition to that, there would be lesser cigarette butts being thrown around. 

The Light from the Sun through a Bottle

Light is an important part of our daily lives.  Count how many light bulbs you have at home.  You will realize how crucial it is to have lights in every room of your home.  You even replace those light bulbs that get busted.  Common scenario is that you get so uneasy whenever there is brownout/blackout in your area.  But for those who are less fortunate, light is a very scarce resource.

In the case of those people living in the shanties, daytime and nighttime could not be distinguished since the small houses are cramped together.  There is just a narrow alley wherein you could go from one house to another.  Light could barely pass through so the whole area remains dark inside.  If you are watching Philippine noontime variety shows (wherein the hosts would visit some random house to give gifts and money to those living in the shanties), you will get what I mean.  There are few residents who have electric lights installed in their houses.

Good thing a 1.5 liter soft drink plastic bottle filled with a simple formulation (water and bleach) could now give a solution to this problem.  How?  I read an article, written by Kara Santos, in Inquirer Sunday Magazine regarding the project of My Shelter Foundation called Isang Litrong Liwanag (A Liter of Light).  It aims to provide eco-friendly solar bottle bulbs to people living in depressed areas.

The bulb is placed in the roof and when the sun hits the formulation inside the bottle, it gives a bright white light that is equivalent to 55 watts of electric light.  Aside from that, the formulation could last up to five years before it needs to be replaced.  This amazing invention was done by students of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  The bulbs are also being used in Brazil and Mexico and it is now being applied as well here in the Philippines.

To know more about the Isang Litrong Liwanag project, visit their website:  http://isanglitrongliwanag.org/.

Here is a picture of how the bottle is placed in the roof (photo courtesy of lifestyle.inquirer.net):

Here is another picture showing that the solar bottle bulb really works (photo courtesy of lifestyle.inquirer.net):

Say bye-bye to plastics and styros in Muntinlupa City

I know this news is quite old already.  However, for the benefit of those who still don’t know, I would like to share this interesting news that has been initiated by the government officials of Muntinlupa City.

At the turn of January 18, 2011, the signed ordinance to fight against “white pollution” has already begun.  White pollution refers to the problems faced in using materials that are made of plastic and polystyrene (Styrofoam).  Almost all establishments, may it be public or private, use them and this has posed a great threat to the environment as these materials contribute to a major percentage of our daily litter.

Muntinlupa City was one of the cities that suffered much when the Typhoon Ondoy hit the Philippines.  As reported to the public regarding the investigation of the issue, the flood was due to the clogging of the waterways and drainage canals with garbage that were mostly made of plastic.  The water should have flowed straight to Laguna de Bay if the waterways and drainages were not clogged.  This has paved the way for Mayor Aldrin San Pedro to ask the city council to create a law regarding the banning of the use of plastic and polystyrene.

When City Ordinance 10-109 was released, the establishments in Muntinlupa City were inspected so as to make sure that they comply with the law.  Violators will be fined and there is also the possibility that businesses would not be allowed to operate for one year if they do not follow.  This is a major step done by the local government in giving an answer to the problem of disposing our garbage.  I hope that other cities in the Philippines would follow this as well.

Good job to Mayor Aldrin San Pedro and to the other officials who worked on making this environmentalist movement possible.  This is just a proud plugging from someone living within your governed vicinity.

I’m “racing” on sunshine, oh, oh!

I don’t know much about cars actually.  However, this post will give emphasis to another accomplishment of the Philippines, that is, harnessing the power of the sun to energize cars.  This provides an avenue for showing Filipinos’ knowledge and creativity in tapping renewable sources of energy.  Due credit is given to some faculty and students from De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila who were behind the success of the Philippine solar cars.

The first two solar cars, Sinag (Rays of the Sun) and Sikat (Sunrise), have been raved over considering their design, functionality, and efficiency.  Sinag is the first ever solar car to represent the Philippines in the World Solar Challenge in Australia last 2007.  According to Paul Garilao of Good News Pilipinas, Sinag was able to finish the race garnering the 12th place out of 40 entries.  Sikat, on the other hand, is built for a nationwide road show to promote the use of solar energy and to prepare for the second time that the Philippines would join the World Solar Challenge in Australia this 2011.

This is a picture of Sinag finishing the race in Adelaide, Australia during the World Solar Challenge in 2007 (photo courtesy of SINAG website).

 

This next picture is Sikat.  This car weighs lighter and can beat the speed of Sinag.  Sikat also has a new wheel setup.  The drive wheel is now in the front as opposed to Sinag’s rear drive wheel (photo courtesy of techie.com.ph).

 

The Philippines’ third solar car, Sikat II, will be the one competing on October 16 – 23, 2011 for the World Solar Challenge race in Australia.  Sikat II is currently under construction but it is expected to be finished by the end of May or early June.  The DLSU-Manila faculty and students have high hopes that Sikat II could win in the next race considering that it has more advantage than the previous two solar cars.  According to an interview with one of the students working on Sikat II, she said that this car could definitely win in the next race.  “Efficiency is its advantage. It’s more aerodynamic, lighter by 20 kg, and the battery produces higher power from solar energy.” For more updates regarding Sikat II, here is the link from Global Nation – Inquirer.net.

This is a picture of Sikat II‘s scale model that I got from Top Gear Philippines.

We did it again!

For three consecutive years, we have topped in our participation for the call of WWF for Earth Hour.  This year, we have even exceeded the number of participants compared to 2009 and 2010.  An article published by Earth Hour Pilipinas stated that 1,661 Filipino towns, cities and municipalities joined in the said event.

Aside from that, more local media partners have cooperated in this global event from television networks to radio stations to newspaper publications.  Also, different public and private sectors have even pledged their commitment for this cause.

This is a picture of the business district of Makati, Philippines that I got from The Daily Edge.

Pictures of other countries that participated in Earth Hour 2011 could be found in this link.

 

I hope that you did participate in this event.  This is one way of showing that you care for something that matters to everyone, our planet.  ‘Til next year’s Earth Hour!

The sun sizzles in the sky but La Consolacion College Manila is way too cool for the heat

Last Sunday (March 19, 2011), I was browsing over the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper while I was having my breakfast. An article, written by Jeannette Andrade, about La Consolacion College Manila caught my eye. A new solar-powered centralized air conditioning system was installed in one of the buildings of their campus. This means that they do not anymore need electricity for their air conditioning units. The trapped heat from the sun would only be the main source of energy needed to power up the cooling system of the whole building. How cool is that?

Here is a picture of how the rooftop of St. Augustine building in La Consolacion College Manila looks like (photo courtesy of inquirer.net).

Reasons why I am happy with this news:

1. This solar-powered cooling system is environment-friendly.  Less carbon emission will be released in the atmosphere since no use of electricity is involved.  Also, water (not Freon) is used as the coolant which would release the cold air from the air conditioning unit.  Freon is a chemical compound which contributes to the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer.  Although this chemical is nontoxic, it is still not good for our environment.
2. The system has made the classrooms more conducive to studying since the surroundings are much quieter than with their previous electric-powered air conditioning system.  The compressor attached to the air conditioning unit is the one producing the noise when it is being used.  Since electricity is not anymore involved, there is no use for the compressor as well.  Thus, no noise will be released coming from the unit.
3. It serves as a good model for other institutions to follow.  As stated in the article, La Consolacion College Manila is the first in Southeast Asia to use this system.  I am even more proud that this has been introduced first in the Philippines.  It gives us more advantage to disseminate this kind of technology in our other local institutions.

To read more about this good news, here is the link of the article published online.