The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here led yesterday an online forum to underscore the importance of biodiversity protection and conservation and the benefits of responsible mining in support of the annual celebration of Earth Day.

 

In his message, Arturo Fadriquela., deputy director for management service of DENR in Central Luzon, stressed that more than being an environmental event, Earth Day’s celebration was fundamental in establishing a local movement to combat biodiversity loss, climate change, and other environmental problems.

 

“Biodiversity loss, climate change, air and water pollution, plastic pollution, and forest degradation have broken our natural systems, leading to new and fatal diseases. These painfully remind us of the harm we’ve caused to our environment, and challenge us at the same time to bring back the integrity of our environment,” Fadriquela said.

 

Earth Day is commemorated every April 22 of each year to promote clean living and a healthy and sustainable habitat for people and wildlife.

 

This year, the theme, “Doing our Fair Share to Restore the Earth,” centers on promoting natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems. It also calls for our collective responsibility to protect and save this only livable planet in the solar system.

 

Fadriquela noted that restoring and replenishing the environment into its healthy state is a necessity.

 

He challenged participants, particularly Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) Ambassadors in Central Luzon, to spread awareness in schools and local communities and to motivate people to adopt ways for sustainable living.

 

“Plant trees, conserve water and energy, reduce, reuse and recycle your wastes are some simple and practical ways we can do to restore our planet, after all the earth is our collective responsibility,” Fadriquela added.

 

The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 in the United States, where more than 20 million people gathered together to push government institutions to legislate laws that promote a clean and safe living environment, thus protecting the Earth on local, state, and national levels.

 

Apart from this virtual forum, the DENR has also put up a booth dubbed as “Community PLANTREE” in its regional office, where 130 seedlings of Avocado, Sampaloc Duhat Mangga, Rambutan, Guyabano, Bignai, Narra, Fire Tree, Molave, and Bitaog seedling were given free to residents of nearby community to promote urban greening and environmental stability, and address issue of food security amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The project is inspired by the famous “community pantry” movement all over the country where people are allowed to donate and get food for free.