It's the tote that counts

First, here’s a bagful of news on plastics we received via e-mail:

Dear Consumerline,

I read the letter “Bugged by plastic bags” of Rem Maclang.  What he said is true. We in Sampaloc, Quezon do not use plastic bags anymore, instead we use as packaging materials the bags that our women weave. Buri palm abounds in our area, and we’re proud to share that most of the buri bags being supplied by traders to the different stalls and balikbayan gift shops come from our municipality. 

Let us help reduce garbage, let us use biodegradable bags, made out of indigenous materials, and let’s help augment the income of our women who made those bags. — Emy Balce

Dear Consumerline,

I would like readers of The Philippine STAR to know that our councilors finally voted to ban plastics in Bacolod. It’s a great step forward for the city. This was through the efforts of a group who wanted to go back to the basics and use sustainable products for packaging. The plastic stores have one year to finish their inventory, according to our mayor.

— Manon Hernaez

Surely, these days, it’s the tote that counts! At home, we have been hoarding a wealth of recyclable/eco tote bags bought during trips to supermarkets and department stores. Who can refuse a saleslady who asks, “Would you like to buy an eco bag for only P35?” Yes, why not? It looks chic and sturdy enough to hold your many purchases vis-à-vis a flaccid plastic bag. Besides, you can use it for a future shopping binge. That is, if you remember to bring it with you. So you don’t forget, put your eco totes in the trunk of your car and remember to retrieve them when you step out of your car and make a dash for the supermarket.

Now, here’s food for tote: ’Tis the season for recycling. If you haven’t put up your Christmas tree and décor (we gave away our big tree many Christmases ago because between office work and housework that pile up like the Smokey Mountain during the holiday season, it was too much work to put up one), here are some bright ideas on how to recycle decorations from past Christmases or fashion decorations out of recycled materials.

“It’s the most fitting way to celebrate Christmas amid these austere economic times and the persistent garbage problem during the festive holidays,” says recycling advocate Ofelia Panganiban of the EcoWaste Coalition. 

 Her eyes glow like sparkling Christmas balls when she talks about Makati City’s “3B sa Pasko” recycling project. “3B sa Pasko,” which means “Basura’y Bawasan, Balik-Gamitin at Baguhin ang Anyo sa Pasko,” seeks to reduce the waste volume during the holidays, and at the same time promote recycling awareness among city residents. 

“Making Christmas decorations from common household discards is an eco-friendly way of expressing the Christmas spirit without creating trash,” asserts Panganiban. “It’s earth-friendly as well as wallet-friendly — it will surely not put a dent in the family budget.”

What’s Christmas without a tree? But instead of buying one of those pricey Christmas trees from one of those big department stores, why not turn the frame or skeleton of an old wornout umbrella into a mini-Christmas tree and embellish it with used cake or gift ribbons and ornaments from used aluminum foil and other discards, so Panganiban suggests. Now, here’s a tree like no other and you’ll be proud of the fact that no one else but you made it.

You can also create a Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, out of used cardboard boxes, tin cans, and plastic bottles that can be arranged from big to small sizes to resemble a Christmas tree and fill whatever space is available.  

Here’s more that’ll cost you a lot less: How about a recycled Christmas tree adorned with old Christmas cards, ribbons and wrappers, and even scratched CD disks (surely, you have quite a stash of these)?

Get more happy recycling suggestions at the “3B sa Pasko” exhibit at the old Makati City Hall. For instance, your eyes will light up at the sight of Christmas lanterns ingeniously fashioned out of bottle caps, beverage plastic bottles, drinking straws, and doy packs.

The happy news is that last year, “3B sa Pasko” generated P139,527 in total sales, an eight percent increase from the 2009 sales, Panganiban notes. Now, that’s a lot of cash from so much trash. “We hope our community recyclers will earn more this year and prove once again that may pera sa basura.”

According to Panganiban, the rule of thumb is “to look around your home, find stuff that can be put to creative use, and simply find the time to do it.”

More, recycling is not just good for the purse strings, it’s also good for the heartstrings. It makes for a heartwarming family bonding activity this Christmas.

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We’d love to hear from you. E-mail ching_alano@yahoo.com.