Friday, September 10, 2010

One Trash Less






Past midnight.

With a throat parched for a sweet drink, I cross the empty boulevard where the warm lights of C-Mart awaits. Pushing the glass door open, I glide to where refreshments line inside the man-sized fridge to pick my bottled drink. On this melancholic morning, I choose Fit N' Right Grape Flavor. A few weeks ago it was Minute Maid Pulpy Orange. Last month it was C2 Green Tea.

My taste varies from time to time, but like habits meant to be unbroken, I recall what to say before the cashier hands over my change.

Walking towards the droopy lad in front of the cash register, images of trash floating along the river passing under the Sevilla Bridge foul my head. Kalentong, the street after the crossing bear the brunt of face-deep floods when the swollen river bursts its banks. To see how brackish the waterway is as I go to work triggers a repulsion, what more to learn that half the trash forcibly cradled downstream comes from the stores I often haunt.


"Huwag mo na i-plastic kuya..." The droopy lad returns the bag under the desk.


Leaving the store without a word, it has always been like this ever since the world began to act strange. With floods inundating entire countries and fires scorching vast forests; With storms lashing out against battered islands and quakes shaking the earth more violently, relinquishing the free bag might be too little an effort for one person.

But imagine if millions of people embrace the same habit.

Perhaps, it's not too late to save a planet.




12 comments:

Alter said...

applying the same habit esp. when 7-Eleven got all sizes of plastic to offer even for those items that can be carried by our two hands.

Ultraman Mugen: Environmentalist Giant. :)

bien said...

yeah making a difference in our own little way

but come to think of it, all those drinks you've mentioned come in plastic bottles no?

Nimmy said...

nice one kuya! leo and i purchased SM grocery bags. para makatipid and hindi maging part ng envi problem. :)

mabuhay! bwahaha

casado said...

d2 uso na ung shopping bags, tsaka may city na nagbawal ng plastic bags sa mga supermarkets... isa pa ring problema ang plastic ng bottled water, dapat cguro tlaga mag recycle :P

Ms. Chuniverse said...

in Singapore, when you buy a single or 2 items, the cashier would automatically ask you first if you want it placed in a plastic bag.

Dapat ganun din dito sa atin.

SM claims that theirs are biodegradable plastics, it's actually printed on their yellow plastic bags. That i'm not sure of though.

JR said...

hi fafa! dumaan lang para mag recycle haha..how are you? hope all is well

MaginoongBulakenyo said...

Galing galing ni sir mugs.

Kanina lang bumili ko ng bottled water sa 7/11 humingi pa ko ng plastic,,after reading this nahiya tuloy ako.

Masimula na nga ang 3R.

Mugen said...

MB:

Its a force of habit. Masasanay ka rin na hindi gumagamit ng plastic bag. :)

JR:

Ayos naman daddy. Heto langoy langoy lang sa karagatan ng mga bading. Hahaha.

Mugen said...

Ms Chuniverse:

Sana nga ganito sa atin. Minsan, bibili lang ng pack ng Marlboro yung ibang tao, mag-iinsist pa na-iplastic siya.

Soltero:

Plastic Bottles get recycled. :)

Nimmy:

Yan ang mas magaling! Hindi naman ako mahilig mag shopping sa SM kaya okay lang na hindi muna ako bumili.

Mugen said...

Orally:

If only companies would prefer carton containers over plastic bottles lang.

Anyway I think those plastic bottles get recycled.

Alterjon:

Ultraman Mugen ka jan. Nice habit kid.

Yj said...

our school is a no-styro zone...

para lang maiba ihihihihi

last time na nakasama ko si Wiwik kuya, eh kasama din kita nun... birthday ni papa Gripz... hehehehehe at ang ganda kaya ng dibdib mo nun... wala namang taba... yaiy

shot na!

Mugen said...

YJ:

Ah tagal na pala! Weh, may baby fats ako nun no. Kadiri kaya. Hahaha! Its good that your school is a no-styro zone. Sa totoo namimiss ko na yung paper bags. Tingin ko mas mabuti siya for the environment.