Foodie Life

Doing this small thing could help our planet– #PickThePackThatGrowsBack

I will never understand how some people can be so dismissive of the environmental problems the world is facing today. There is proof literally everywhere! Sometimes I wonder if people choose to do nothing at all because even though they are aware of the problem, they feel that the solutions are too big or too complex or too beyond their powers. But the truth is helping out doesn’t have to be hard. And as proven by this #PickThePackThatGrowsBack campaign, it doesn’t even have to be outside the realm of our everyday role as consumers.

Responsibility.

That’s the number one thing this campaign wants to promote. We all live and share this planet, and so we are responsible for safekeeping it. We’ve done a terrible job obviously, but it is ALWAYS a good time to start turning things around. It starts with the little things.

For one, the next time we visit the grocery store, we can be more aware of the things we buy. Do they come in a packaging that is marked recyclable? That’s one less piece of waste after all. I think many of us are familiar with the packaging company called Tetra Pak. They make those carton packages milk and other boxed drinks come in. Now this post is not about me telling you to only purchase stuff packaged by Tetra, but they are a good example of a big corporation that has taken steps to become more responsible about how they purchase their raw materials.

Their efforts have resulted in a packaging that is renewable, responsibly sourced, and longer-lasting. Because Tetra Pak cartons are at least 75% paperboard, they are recyclable under the paper category.

Sustainable forest management

This is the name of the game for Tetra Pak. Their brand is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which is an organization that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests whether for social or economical purposes. Being certified by the FSC means that Tetra Pak uses materials from forests (also certified by the FSC) that follow a harvesting schedule and ensures that nobody cuts down more trees than they should. See, there needs to be a proper rotation of growth and harvest so that forests can thrive. Hindi yung bigla na lang kinakalbo ang kakahuyan!

This topic brings back memories of my first ever tree-planting excursion. It was for a class in university. On our way up the mountain to the planting site, it began to pour. The earth turned soft and muddy, making it difficult to walk. Many of my classmates turned back, but I am proud to say I was a part of the handful of people who continued on. On that day, I learned that laying down seeds into the earth is not as simple as one would think. There were a lot of things to consider before you can even begin to plant.

That experience taught me the value of our world’s forests, and the value of the people who choose to protect and maintain them. And up to this day, although I haven’t been able to go on a tree-planting trip for many years now, I try to help out in my small way by sponsoring a number of trees for planting every once in a while.

Imagine, we depend on forests so much— for fresh air, clean water, medicine, wood, and paper products. We clearly can’t live without it, so we have to be more responsible for it! Apart from that, these forests are also wildlife habitats. Just like how we don’t want our own homes destroyed, we can’t just barge in and destroy homes either.

#PickThePackThatGrowsBack

I know this is a departure from my usual posts, but I just thought I would write about it anyway because it’s a cause that is close to my heart. The problem with the environment may be bigger than you or me, but the solution doesn’t have to be gigantic to matter. It can begin with the simplest task of being more aware of the things we buy. Please support companies that promote responsible forest management, as certified by the FSC. (Look for the FSC logo on the packaging!) The future of our earth is literally in our hands.

To learn more about the FSC, visit their website. And to all the people who continue to protect and maintain nature’s gifts in their own ways big or small, I salute you. I hope that one day our world will change for the better.

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