Earth Hour in the Philippines is done!

So maybe I didn’t get to properly do Earth Hour because I was on the road and on my way home, but it was ever a surprise to see that our mother sorta, kinda observed it; she lit candles and only had an electric fan on because it’s scorching, and she left a light on downstairs so I don’t fall on my face and break all my teeth going in the house. Our clocks at home must be running a few minutes ahead, because when we turned on the TV, the Earth Hour events all over the country were just getting ready to switch on the lights.

Now that right there is my problem. Earth Hour events? People gathering together in brightly-lit places prior to Earth Hour? Broadcasting during the supposed switch-off hour and updating viewers on Earth Hour events in the rest of the Philippines, then keeping up energy-sapping coverage once the lights have been turned back on? Seems like an odd exercise to me.

All in all, it seems like Earth Hour was more widely observed this year, with the cities of Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, among others, taking part.

World Water Week

In honor of World Water Week, here are some tips from Seventh Generationon water conservation:

  • If you have a water meter, check your home for hidden leaks. Take a reading, don’t use the water for several hours, then check the meter again. If your new reading is higher, you’ve got a leak somewhere.
  • Leaky faucets could be the cause so fix any you find. A faucet dripping just once per second will waste an incredible 2,700 gallons per year.
  • Most faucets have aerators that mix air into tap water to reduce usage. If you don’t have one of these inexpensive screw-on attachments, buy one at the hardware store.
  • Retrofit your bathroom: Install low-flow showerheads and if your toilet is a water guzzler, replace it. Older toilets waste as much as 14,000 gallons per year vs. new water-saving models.
  • If a new toilet is not an option, “convert” your commode to a water-saver by sealing a plastic jug of water or two and placing it in your toilet tank to displace some of the water there.
  • Showers use less water than baths. Limit the showers in your home to five minutes each and you’ll save even more!
  • Don’t run your faucet while you shave or brush your teeth. Teach your kids the same conservation ethic.
  • Dishwashers are generally more efficient than hand-washing. If you own one, make sure to run it only when it’s full, and don’t bother rinsing dishes first in the sink. (Research shows this doesn’t help!)
  • Stop using your sink’s garbage disposal. It needs a lot of water to work and wastes perfectly good compost!
  • Rather than run your tap waiting for drinking water to get cold, keep a pitcher in your fridge. Similarly, install an instant hot water tap on your kitchen sink.
  • When it’s time to do laundry, make sure your washing machine is full. If it’s a lightly soiled load, use the shortest wash cycle. Try to use bath towels more than once before washing them.
  • Consider buying an energy-efficient front-loading washing machine.
  • In the yard, cut your grass high in order to keep soil moist and promote deeper roots that will need less watering. Aerate your lawn by poking deep, nail-sized holes in it at roughly six-inch intervals. This will help water soak into the soil rather than run off the surface.
  • Put an empty baking pan in your yard and measure rainfall. If you’re getting at least an inch of rain per week and the weather isn’t scorching, you probably don’t need to water your lawn. If you do, water in the early morning before the day heats up to prevent wasteful evaporation, and make sure your sprinkler is hitting only lawn and not sidewalks or driveways.
  • Use a rain barrel to collect gutter water for garden and houseplant use.
  • Practice xeriscaping, the art of landscaping with regionally indigenous plants that don’t need a lot of water. Use mulch wherever possible to help soils retain moisture and reduce the need for waterings.

2nd Philippine International Motor Show to showcase more green vehicles

CAMPI, or the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, is holding the 2nd Philippine International Motor Show on August 21 to 24. The event promises to focus more on green and fuel-efficient cars as a response to the more sluggish car sales this year, thanks to the increasingly ridiculous fuel prices.

In the motor show, CAMPI will also be featuring concept cars for the future. These include General Motor’s Malibu and Tahoe hybrids. Exactly 15 global auto brands will be represented at the motor show, which will be displayed at an 11,000 square meter area at the World Trade Center.

Methinks another great addition to this car show is to showcase Philippine-made green cars as well, yes?