Public Service Announcement

You are your trash.

Every passing day, there are actions that we tend to make, consciously and unconsciously that have major repercussions on our environment. And sometimes it’s the little things that we tend to take for granted and ignore completely that make the biggest impact in the grand scheme of things. As inhabitants of this Earth, it is our responsibility to nurture and care for our surroundings; however, with all these environmental problems that are escalating globally, it seems that we may have forgotten that responsibility. Let us look at one of these environmental problems under the microscope, waste. It is no secret that garbage is a pressing problem in our society and despite the efforts and advocacies to solve this issue, complacency and ignorance have played a critical role as to why the problem remains a concern. It has become a psychology of people that tiny pieces of litter and ignorance of abiding to the proper waste disposal practices has no major repercussions on the environment, but it is that way of thinking and complacency with our actions that if we take it on a global-scale, if the 7 billion people have the same way of thinking, all these accumulated pieces of litter will build mounds and mounds of garbage that will be difficult for us to dispose of and with that said, these mounds of garbage will eventually put people’s lives at risk. And so, through our PSA Video we illustrate the significance of being aware with our litter. What we are trying to get across with everybody is that, those small things, those minor details that we take for granted every day, in the long run, will be the cause of our demise. You are your trash. When we realize and we feel the direct repercussions of our faults, it will all be too late. It is the little things, that silver lining, that sliver of a chance that can make the biggest difference, and the biggest difference between hope and demise for our only home, Mother Earth. So the next time you throw that piece of paper, that candy wrapper, that piece of tissue and the next time you ignore throwing your garbage at the right place, think twice, will you be the difference? Or will you be one of the masterminds of our demise? Be the change you want to see in this world. Be informed and dispose your trash properly.

Humans of X Photoseries

        Prevention is better than cure.

A lot has happened over the centuries of the humans’ stay in the Earth, most of them being naturally and economically damaging to Mother Earth and the rest of creation. As humans, we have been striving to revive the Earth with our different advancements and technology, but it would not have been as difficult as it is now if we prevented it from happening in the first place.

The Humans of X Photo Series is an avenue created by five adolescents of the millenial generation to spread awareness through people’s accounts on the state of Mother Earth and of their roles as stewards. People interviewed came from different backgrounds – college students, private workers, public workers – all in one platform. In hopes of promoting unity despite diversity. We are part of one biosphere, and we are all stewards of the same Earth. No differences can hinder us from doing what we can to revive Mother Earth.

Questions ranging from philosophical, emotional, to technical questions relating to Waste were asked for the launch of this project. It is significant that we bring people’s attention to one of the most underrated situations in the country – the accumulation of waste.

Waste has affected a lot of people, may it be in little or impactful ways. It is our turn to let people speak, let people hear, and let people express their stand on waste and how they can save the Earth from it.

Humans of the Biosphere

The Earth is the only planet in the solar system that is known to have the capability to sustain life – and the proof lies in the 7 billion people inhabiting it as of the moment. It doesn’t just provide us shelter, for the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat all come from it. But as time passes, with the society continuously advancing and the population rapidly increasing, the state of our planet becomes affected – in a quite negative way. Noise pollution, water pollution, air pollution: you name it – they are all caused by our reckless behaviors and actions. Let us face the harsh reality we have brought upon us: Our Mother Earth is slowly deteriorating – and it’s time that we do something about it.

           We don’t really need a big plan on saving Mother Earth – doing little actions such as turning lights and appliances off when not in use, riding a bicycle, carpooling, or walking instead of using cars, throwing your trash properly, and practicing the 3R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) all contribute and can have an effect on the betterment of our environment, especially if done collectively. One person alone can’t save us or Mother Earth – everybody needs to help because it is our responsibility and duty to give back to our environment. By raising awareness about the current state of our planet and what we can do about it, we hope to encourage people and get them to commit to taking care of the environment and being mindful of what they can do to help in their own little ways.

           The Humans of the Biosphere project aims to reach out to people all around us – those that we see every day like our teachers, security guards, maintenance, workers, and the like – because they too, can do something to help our environment before it all comes down to the point of destruction. They too, can help make this planet remain habitable, for themselves, their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren to come. Every citizen of the world must help each other hand-in-hand, and we are promoting the need of unity in order to save our home through awareness. Seeing what we have done and realizing what would happen if we keep on living this reckless and abusive lifestyle serves as a wakeup call – if all the natural disasters, the extreme heat brought by global warming, and the health dangers caused by our stubbornness aren’t enough to get us moving to save our planet, our only home. If we’re all in this together – no matter what the age, gender, race, social class, etc. – then we might just be getting nearer and closer to finding the cure for the sickness we have brought upon our Mother Earth.

Humans of the University

Unless one is majoring in something interrelated with the environment, waste management and the environmental concerns that it raises are probably not something at the forefront of many undergraduate students’ minds. However, there comes a time where a university student must look around and see the world the way it is – for Ateneans, it’s walking out of school and into Katipunan.
With so many universities taking proper waste management very seriously and being pioneers of green initiatives, the campuses we spend hours in are very environment-friendly, which makes it understandable that we don’t give waste much thought during the day. Out of sight, out of mind, after all. However, stepping out of campus, you can see very clearly that our surroundings are not as clean as we expect. Sadly, much of the population today have grown desensitized to this issue – most people tend to see it as something that’s merely unsightly, and don’t think of the other problems that improper waste management might cause. However, as always, there are exceptions – and they’ve been found.

Humans of the University is a division of The Petrichor Project, a venture by five communication students from Ateneo for their Environmental Science class. The photo series collates photos of various students from different universities and courses, as well as teaching staff, and gathers each one’s take on the issue of improper waste management and opinion on the state of the environment today.

The project aims to raise awareness of just how big an issue waste can be and hopes to send a message that today’s youth know of and have a desire to change the way we dispose of waste and take care of the environment. Much of the reluctance to step up and do something about the environment comes from the fact that most movements to do so are usually met with indifference and apathy. This project shows that there are people who wish to make a difference about the current state of the environment, and it does not matter who you are or where you’re from.

Universities are often seen as rivals, in academic excellence as well as athletic. However, removing the titles of the schools we attend, we are all the same – human beings, living in a world that is rapidly looking less and less like home. The photo series transcends any boundaries and all prejudice and looks directly into the person whose photo and thoughts are captured. Whether blue-blooded or green-minded, we are all interrelated. We all have the same home despite playing on different sides of the court, and it’s our job to keep the world the way Mother Nature intended for it to be.

"I will you protect you in every way for future generations. I promise to heal you for we have destroyed you. It is our time to make a change and let you stand up again. We still have time before we regret it even more."

"I wasted my chance to tell her. But I will not waste any more of my time if I know that I can do something about it. If I know that I can work for what is right and what is just, then I will take the risk and do it."

Sorry po. Mother Earth is degrading, and it hurts that all we can tell her is sorry. We should do our best to make a difference - and small differences are not enough anymore. Mother Earth, I am sorry, and I am here for you.

"I wish I did not waste my time. I had a lot of time before this moment, and I wish I could have used it to be of better contribution and of help to the world around me. We do not have a lot of time, and I wish that people will start realizing that until it is too late. There is just so much that people can squeeze into their time."

"I wish that I did not waste the opportunities that I have gotten to improve not only myself, but the rest of my community. I have been so focused on excelling and using my time to develop my capabilities for my own interests that I have neglected the fact that there are those who need my help more. These opportunities would have been an avenue to help my fellow citizens improve their ways, their standing, and their situation in life by developing their potential. I vow, that the next opportunity I will get, shall not pass. It is time that I forgot about wasting what I could have spent productively."

"Food. Because there are a lot of people in need of it, and food should not belong in the waste. It should belong to people who need it for survival. It is one’s necessity to eat, and we should not waste our resource for such a necessity. It is our responsibility to be stewards of both our bodies and the environment, and this is simply done by maximizing what we have and taking care of what we have been blessed with."

"My time. Because we can’t bring back time. We should never waste it. We should always make the most out of now because most people take it for granted. They use it for the internet and other things that are less important. Maybe, we should learn how to balance it out and improve on management of time. Because, you cannot take back whatever has been wasted."