SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (Mindanews/Nov. 2) — An eco-friendly initiative spearheaded by the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) is set to transform plastic waste into food on the table.
Starting October 31, residents here can exchange 29 ecobrick bottles for a kilogram of rice.
The MENRO launched the program with the slogan “Gulatin mo sila… sa ecobricks mong gawa, basura na, maging bigas pa” (Surprise them … with the ecobricks that you made, the plastic waste will turn to rice). It is open to all residents of the municipality.
The exchange hub is located at the MENRO stall within the weekly Kadiwa Market, held every Tuesday near the national highway in front of the municipal hall.
An ecobrick is a plastic bottle with densely packed waste plastic inside, which can then be used for other purposes like furniture, garden walls and others. The production of ecobricks, which started in South America about 20 years ago as a recycling effort, has gone global as the world is finding ways to reuse plastic.
According to the MENRO poster for the campaign, each of the 29 bottles, like the 200ml capacity mineral water bottle, should weigh a total of 70 grams when filled with plastic waste. But if you have bigger bottles and can thus stuff more plastic waste inside, you will need less number of bottles for a kilo of rice.
For those unfamiliar with ecobrick creation, MENRO staff will provide live demonstrations during Kadiwa Market days, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate and make a positive impact on the environment.
Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo shared her excitement about the project’s dual benefits. She said the collected ecobricks will be used to construct a guardhouse at the Municipal Ecopark in Sitio Damilag, Barangay Pisaan.
“By participating, you are not only helping the environment but also contributing to your daily food consumption,” the mayor said during an interview with local media on Tuesday.
The mayor has encouraged residents, especially housewives who spend their days at home, to actively engage in the ecobrick-making campaign.
The inspiration for this eco-friendly initiative stems from the Eco Savers Club of Agusan del Sur National High School, which has plans to construct an ecobricks building within school premises.
Paredes-Bravo also extended an invitation to other schools to actively participate in the ecobricks-to-rice exchange program. The rice obtained through this initiative, she said, could support their feeding programs for poor students, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
