Choose local, sustainable products over single-use plastics this holiday season

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) encourages the buying public to purchase locally-made and sustainable products over plastics to contribute to efforts to solve the climate crisis.

As the festive season nears, the CCC urges the public to reduce solid waste and the accumulation of unnecessary plastic packaging and excessive purchase of plastic products by buying only those made of sustainable materials, including the ones created by our indigenous peoples (IP) and local communities.

The climate agency stressed that purchasing these products not only boosts the local economy but also increase appreciation of our culture, heritage, and identity which have been passed down through generations.

Moreover, buying IP products ensures quality and promotes sustainability as most of these are made by hand with the absence of harmful chemicals that may pollute our lands and waters, if inappropriately disposed.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastics have been produced over the decades, and 6.3 billion metric tonnes has become plastic wastes.

Only 9% of this has been recycled, while about 12% has been incinerated, while the rest — 79% — are accumulating in landfills, dumps, or the natural environment, particularly our oceans. If the current trend continues, oceans are projected to carry more trash than fish by 2050.

A study by the Center for International Environmental Law states that current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the plastic lifecycle threaten the ability of the global community to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C – the ask of the Paris Agreement. By 2050, the GHG emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons—10-13 percent of the entire remaining carbon budget.

Our IPs are also among the most affected sectors by the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis. The CCC emphasized that purchasing their products contribute to strengthening their resilience to future shocks, and preserve their cultural wealth and indigenous knowledge, systems, and practices that we Filipinos can be proud of.

This holiday season, let us maximize this opportunity to bring pride and joy to our IP brothers and sisters as we ensure that our country’s path to sustainable development is inclusive and equitable.