Healthy planet, healthy people!

This year’s July Nutrition Month has “Nutrisyon at Kalikasan, Ating Pangalagaan” as this year’s sub-theme, “emphasizing that protection of natural resources is essential to ensuring sustainable food systems, food security, and good nutrition for present and future generations.”

All of us are reminded to work together in protecting both the health of our people/our environment, that the health of people/our planet are inseparable.

“Safeguarding forests, oceans, agricultural lands, and water resources helps secure our food sources and ensures that future generations will continue to have access to nutritious and sustainable diets. By adopting sustainable food practices, reducing food waste, supporting local and climate-resilient food production, and strengthening nutrition programs, we can build resilient food systems and ensure better nutrition for all Filipinos—while caring for the environment that sustains us.”

Since protecting trees is vital for protecting the health of our people and our planet, the recent tree-cutting in Oslob should be investigated, any further tree cutting in this country and elsewhere disallowed

Trees provide people with daily oxygen supply.

Have you read and do you know that “on average, one mature leafy tree is estimated to produce nearly 260 pounds of oxygen annually, that one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for up to four people?”

Aside from contributing to our well-being, trees help block pollutants from harming people.

Locally/globally, trees significantly help disperse and remove carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM) and other pollutants from the atmosphere.

Amidst accelerating global warming, trees and forests help reduce extreme heat and other risks posed by extreme weather.

Trees are also important for flood control by “anchoring soil and preventing erosion.”

Given the important benefits of trees for people and our environment, and because the deadline for global warming is dangerously close, with adverse impacts for our earth and our people, no tree-cutting should ever be allowed anywhere, from now on!

All should call on governments, businesses especially not to cut trees which negatively affect local and global health of human beings and our earth!

Globally, this month is observed as Plastic Free July.

Plastic pollution continues to be one of the most urgent challenge extremely affecting the health of people and our earth, “disrupts ecosystems and threatens biodiversity across the globe. From oceans and rivers to food and drinking water, plastic waste is now found almost everywhere on Earth.”

Whoever/wherever you are, however you can, all of us here and all over the world should work together NOW, ASAP, given these current dangerously staggering plastic pollution statistics:

“Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year. About 8–11 million tons of plastic enter the ocean annually., nearly 50% of plastic produced is single-use. Only about 9% of plastic waste is recycled worldwide. Around 80% of ocean pollution originates from land-based sources.

Plastic waste in the ocean is one of the most visible /harmful forms of pollution.

An estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic are currently in the ocean. By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish (by weight) if current trends continue.

Plastic makes up about 85% of all marine debris. Over 100,000 marine mammals die each year due to plastic pollution.

Over 700 marine species are affected. Animals often mistake plastic for food, leading to ingestion and entanglement in plastic debris causes injury/death.

The Philippines is top among the 5 largest sources of plastics entering the ocean, along with India, Malaysia, China, and Indonesia.

Plastic in the ocean does not disappear—it breaks down into smaller particles, contributing to the growing microplastics problem.

Microplastics have been found in 90% of seabirds, are present in drinking water worldwide. Humans may ingest tens of thousands of microplastic particles per year. Microplastics have been detected in human blood and lungs.”