Living green in Manila seems difficult in the beginning. All the meat, cars, traffic jams, plastic, people, air pollution
After a bit of confusion, we understood that the same old recipe works here – minimise energy use and spending and you are on a good way.
Housing – housing in Manila is so much more ecological than living in Finland! It’s amazing, no heating is needed! The sun is heating us here! Live in a small house or apartment and get used to the hot weather and keep the AC on minimum. This saves electricity and by getting used to the warm weather you will also enjoy being outside more.
Transport – Manila is jammed and tons of people sit in cars, buses, taxis and jeepneys that are not moving but the engines are humming and roaring. Klaxons screaming! What a waste! Try to live close to your work and travel with public transport as much as possible. Carry your food home and no gym is needed. Especially if you carry home the water. Avoid flying – it’s terrible.
Food – meat is popular in Philippines. Beef, chicken and pork are in high demand and prepared everywhere. Small shacks where chicken heads are fried to restaurants churning out adobo to hungry office workers. Try to reduce the amount of meat and get acquainted with the everyday vegetables that are eaten here. The fruits will make the transition easier.
Lifestyle – the warm weather requires frequent showering. Keep the water cold and the showers short. Avoid consumption and always bring back your waste from the nature. Wake up at six and no lights are needed.
Philippine people may seem uninformed about the environment, ignoring the waste that is piling up at beautiful tourist spots. But the criminal is not the local fisherman or IT-worker. It’s us, living in AC cooled homes and flying to various places around Philippines only for a weekend.
Coral reefs are losing their colours at this very moment and fishermen can’t catch any fish. They eat canned fish and see their sons moving to the cities, crying.
As almost always, save money and you’ll save the environment. That’s one of the most beautiful things in life.
The biggest issue is not the pollution that we are emitting. It is the lack of courage and ignorance that keep prevailing.
Ps. Recycle.
