Pollution and environmental degradation are not new phenomena. Pollution, in reality, has been a concern since the time of our forefathers. God gave nature to His children to utilize and take care of it, not abuse it. We understand that all created things belong to God and that as stewards of the creation, we are responsible to Him. To fulfill the objectives God intended for all of creation, He has given us the task of ruling over everything in a way that supports, protects, and enhances his handiwork. Though, this has been ignored by many. We are too focused on our own desires that we turn a blind eye to the commands of our Lord and the issues of the world. We must manage the environment for the glory of God, not just for our own advantage.

“Zero waste” is a way of living that promotes the objective of lowering the quantity of stuff we throw away. It is an advocacy effort aimed at assisting people ethically, economically, and efficiently transforming their lifestyles and habits toward sustainable systems, as well as ensuring that wastes become beneficial for other purposes. A systematic design and management of products and processes are required to reduce the amount of waste created, eliminate toxicity in the resulting waste, and conserve and recover resources. When it comes to nature, there is no such thing as “waste.” When one system produces a by-product, it becomes feedstock for another. This item called “waste” has solely been created by mankind.

The century’s worth of waste we dumped in this world cannot be cleaned up in a couple of days by a handful of people. It is better for every single one of us as a united community to be sustainable and perform actions that can improve the environment and the lives of every individual.

With their young mind, body, and energy, the youth can do numerous actions to help contribute to the zero-waste lifestyle. They can adapt the habit of using less plastic, recycling old materials, reusing things, and using environmentally-friendly products as an alternative for materials that create more harm to the surroundings. They can also use their creativity to upcycle old garments into something that suits them. This is crucial since the fast fashion industry has created a massive impact on the environment. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the textile industry is responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and according to McKinsey research, the fashion industry contributed 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2018, accounting for 4% of global total emissions [4]. Since fashion takes a big part in how the youth present their personality, it is important that they know how to use them responsibly.

Moreover, the young generation is knowledgeable about technology and can utilize it to spread awareness, as well as innovate. They can conduct experiments, explore, and discover new things that can help nature.

Young individuals, like other people no matter the age, like to have fun. They can utilize their creative minds and active body to make programs and challenges that advocate for caring nature and promote a zero-waste lifestyle. This could include activities like “14 days No plastic challenge”, recycling activities, or “1 week zero waste challenge.” After this, they will reflect on how it changed their lives and how it can help the environment. Leaders and environmentalists will help assist these activities and will assess the youth on how environmentally healthy their lifestyle is.

The young members might also work on reuse projects and assist in the redistribution of usable commodities to people in need, such as surplus food donated to shelters, furniture for refugees, and business clothing for job seekers. Additionally, they can create a compost pit, not just in their home but in the community where they can plant a garden for everyone to use and take care of.

When it comes to the youth’s abilities, the possibilities are limitless. Allowing them to start young will offer them more time to think, invent, act, and leave a legacy of healthy change and wisdom for the subsequent generations to benefit from.

The future of the world is in the hands of the youth- the younger generation and the hope of tomorrow. Teach and lead them at the present, and with the wisdom they accumulated, they will work and change the future for the generations to come. Teach them to love the gifts and blessings God gave to His children, and they’ll take care of the environment- the plants, trees, and animals. Their minds are vast and creative, full of ideas and knowledge. They are problem solvers, inquisitive, and imaginative, and they have the ability to create hundreds of possibilities. These minds need to be fed about the significance of sustainability and nurturing nature since they can live long enough to take a glimpse and live in the future.

About PHINLA’s #YouthCARE essay-writing and poster-making competitions

Students showcase talent and creativity for the environment through PHINLA’s #YouthCARE essay-writing and poster-making competitions.

World Vision, together with EcoWaste Coalition, is implementing a program known as PHINLA Global Program to Develop Livelihood for Poverty-affected Population through a Multi-sectoral Established and Monitored Waste Management System. PHINLA stands for the three countries implementing the program—the Philippines, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.

PHINLA seeks to assist the government in making improvements in the existing solid waste management systems in the target local government units in Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City, Barangay Cugman in Cagayan de Oro, and Barangay Mintal in Davao City. The project also aims to provide livelihood assistance to our beneficiaries in the mentioned areas.

While we engage leaders from the national and local government, PHINLA believes that achieving our goals also requires youth participation. With this, PHINLA launched an essay-writing contest and a poster-making competition with the theme “Towards a sustainable and zero waste future: Doing our share and calling actions to have a greener and healthier environment. The said activities are a part of PHINLA’s #YouthCARE Campaign or Youth Calling Actions for Restoration of the Environment that aims to encourage our students to participate in discussions on addressing environmental concerns and to elevate their opinions on improving our existing solid waste management systems.

The contests were open to students from Barangay Mintal in Davao City, Baranagay Cugman in Cagayan de Oro, and Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City.

First place: YOUTH: The Hope of Tomorrow by ASF Hibaler
Second place: CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE by Odessa Decano
Third place: Creating a Zero-waste Future by Niña Mae Bahian