MoreFunPH joins ICC 2017
Posted 7 years ago
Subic Bay Freeport – In our ongoing endeavor to support and promote Subic Bay as a worldwide model for sustainable development, the MoreFunPH team participated in this year’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day held on Sept. 16, 2017 at the Boardwalk along Waterfront Road.
 |
| The MoreFunPH Team setting out from the office to the venue |
Started by the non-profit environmental advocacy group Ocean Conservancy in 1986 to engage volunteers in collecting marine debris, the ICC project has been conducted across 153 countries around the world. In total, over 12 million individuals have managed to clear 220 million pounds of trash from the world’s beaches.
Although it is important to recognize that the tourism industry is an integral part of development in the Subic Bay Freeport it is equally critical to understand that tourism is also a major source of pollution. In fact, a study conducted by Paul Peeters & Ghislain Dubois of the Breda University of Applied Sciences and TEC Conseil came to a conclusion that if tourism was a country, it would be the fifth (5th) biggest polluter in the world1.
Given the fact that tourism in the Freeport is at an upward trend and is expected to continue to do so in the years to come, it is of utmost importance to be aware of the threat and pre-empt any additional damage to our ecology. With Subic Bay’s ecosystem being tied inexorably to the ocean, the hazard posed by encroaching masses of garbage to not only marine wildlife but ours (and our livelihood) as well is truly unquestionable. While there is no exact estimate of how many organisms are affected by plastic in the oceans each year, some have estimated the number to be as high as 100,000.
 |
| The team pauses and poses for a bit during the cleanup |
And so, together with the rest of the Freeport community and other volunteers around the globe across coastlines, the MoreFunPH team took a day out in the beach, rolls of garbage bags in hand. With sweat on our brows and smiles on our faces, we cheerfully cleared marine debris from the shores of Subic Bay: from soda containers, to plastic bags, to foam plastic, to tin cans, and even fishing nets.
 |
| SBMA Administrator Eisma with the MoreFunPH Team |
As with most things in life, the most effective way to combat the problem is by being aware of the situation in order to come to an informed decision. After all, it is us humans and our unchecked aspirations for growth and development that started this mess. We are capable of enacting change that at first will seem insignificant but in the end will ultimately, turn things around.
That said; check out the following sites for more information on the subject:
 |
| The team goofing off after a hard morning’s work |
So, how was your experience participating in this year’s clean-up event? Were you able to get a freebie from us? And what do you think are other ways to help address the issue of pollution in Subic Bay?
Share your answers and join in on the discussion.
1. Peeters, P. And Dubois, G. (2010) Tourism travel under climate change mitigation constraints. Journal of Transport Geography, 18 (3),447-457?
Loading Comment