Traveler, why are you so wasteful?

Hey traveler! Where have you been lately? How was your vacation? Today, we are not going to discuss about the places to visit because Sunday is Green day. Today is dedicated to responsible travel, and eco-savvy celebrations.

As a traveler, I’ve realized a long time ago that the cost my vacation is more than just accomodation, plane fare and taxi ride. Most trips also have an environmental price tag. Living in a city where tourism is widely promoted, I cannot help but notice the amount of garbage collected during the holiday season. Baguio residents have always prided themselves as the cleanest and greenest city in the north. is this still true today? A couple of months ago, the city government declared a state of calamity because of the amount of garbage that remained uncollected in the streets as a result of the shutting down of the Irisan dumpsite. Today, our garbage is collected once a week, and dumped in Tarlac, another city which is located 4 hours away from Baguio. Despite this weekly collection, garbages still pile the streets, even in the Central Business District, and has become an eyesore and a health hazard for residents and tourists alike. This is the scene during ordinary days. Now imagine what’s ghoing to happen during the holidays.

The amount of garbage produced in the city during the Panagbenga Festival is equal to a month’s garbage of local families. Now what’s going to happen come February next year? How will the government address this pressing issue? No, finding another dumpsite is not an option. If only Celebrate Green! have been publishe ten years ago, we wouldn’t have this problem.

What is Celebrate Green!? Well, it is a book written by Lynn and Corey which gives us useful ideas in celebrating the holidays with the environment in mind. This mother and daughter tandem have provided a eco-friendly solution to any festivities - a great way of enjoying the holidays without harassing the environment. Having a birthday party? Planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Well, you don’t have to produce so much waste, you see. If you don’t know how, then its best that you read Celebrate Green!

Celebrate Green isn’t asking you to do drastic measures in helping the environment. As a matter of fact, drastic measures do not work at all, or if they do, the results are temporary. What this book is telling us is that we need to start small so we can make a change - changing our lifestyle would be a good start. How about turning off the light when you leave the room? Or perhaps recycling cups and plates? Afterall, these are going to help us - by turning off the lights when you don’t need it, you can lower your energy bills; by recycling cups and plates, then you can save on money that would’ve been spent for paper plates and plastic cups. In the same way, you do not add to the billions of energy wasted daily. 

if we can learn to celebrate every Christmas and the coming year with the eco-friendlt tips described by Corey and Lynn, then we can make this world a much better place. 

If you are planning to go on vacation soon, you too can use the tips outline in Celebrate Green! afterall, it is nature that makes a place beautiful. If you think that its too late, well, you are gravely mistaken. Sure, its a herculean task to reverse the negative effects of previous festivities and travels, but there is wisdom in Lao Tz’u’s words: “Every journey starts with a small step” - there’s hope if you’re willing to start acting now.

Copyright 2007 Holli Dunn

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family. The book can be purchased at www.CelebrateGreen.NET and on Amazon, A Toy Garden and Village Green Gifts.