The visit of Pope Francis in January 2015 is a beautiful occasion to roll out a campaign for waste prevention and reduction. His visit will coincide with the first-ever observance of “Zero Waste Month” under Proclamation No. 760, which President Aquino issued last May 5.
It will be very sad and ironic if the activities in the Pope Francis visit, particularly the anticipated outdoor assemblies, will leave tons of garbage behind as the country observes the “Zero Waste Month.”
Having spoken on many occasions against “the culture of waste and disposable,” it’s only fitting that we offer Pope Francis nothing less than an ecological and garbage-free itinerary.
We should avoid a repeat of the massive trash that blighted the closing Mass of the 1995 World Youth Day in Manila, which was presided by then Pope John Paul II and which gathered more than 5 million attendees.
As the Church and society prepare for the arrival of Pope Francis, it’s useful to recall the plea made by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin who exhorted the faithful to make the 4th World Meeting of Families in 2003 a “zero waste celebration of life.”
He promoted these four simple steps to prevent and reduce waste during the huge gathering: “1) minimize the creation of waste by using as few resources as possible at the various events, 2) avoid using plastic and disposable items, 3) separate discards into biodegradable and non-biodegradable, and 4) put them into their proper containers to facilitate recycling and make simpler the work of cleaners and collectors.”
Responding to his call, the Archdiocese of Manila and the EcoWaste Coalition, in partnership with informal recyclers from Smokey Mountain, initiated a zero waste project at the concluding vigil and Mass attended by over 300,000 people in Rizal Park.
Through the project, we retrieved 1,573 kilos of recyclable materials that were sold to recyclers and collected 600 kilos of food waste that were turned into compost, ultimately diverting 90 percent of the discards from being disposed of in dumps and landfills.
Pope Francis, who is known for his simplicity, his preference for public transportation, and his affection and respect for those who recycle such as the waste pickers, would surely exalt efforts to make his forthcoming visit simple, ecological and waste-free.
—AILEEN LUCERO,
coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition,
info@ecowastecoalition.org