Wastes and climate change

The article “PH and climate change: some areas for progress,” by Julian Doczi and Benjamin Franta (Opinion, 10/24/15) listed several courses of action that could be very useful in mitigating and preparing for the disasters triggered by climate change. One thing, however, was missing. Recent reports indicate that “agriculture fires” in Southeast Asia produce more carbon than the economic activities in the United States. That is an excellent point, and a country like the Philippines, which is so vulnerable to disasters resulting from climate chaos, should take real action to promote the conversion of all organic wastes into fertilizer through various composting regimens.

I live in a very rural community on Samal Island, and people here burn all their wastes, polluting the air and wasting the nutrients. I contacted a local leader of Bottoms-Up Budgeting; he advised me to get the barangay captain involved, and soon we will have a composting seminar from the Department of Agriculture and get some composting facilities and other agricultural equipment to help the small farmers in our area.

The government, via both the DA and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as Bottoms-Up Budgeting, is trying to make a difference. But it really is up to the individuals to press their barangay officials to contact the city agriculture head to get these benefits and learn how to prevent future disasters through careful disposal of wastes.

—ROWLAND LANE ANDERSON, [email protected]