NU2 #2 "Carrot" for Plastic by Ed Vargas

Hi Prof. Jorge,

Re-sending my NU12#2 submission just in case it didn't reach you blog.

Regards,

Ed V

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Ed Vargas <ed_vargas08@yahoo.com.ph>
To: "profjorge.entrep.nu12@blogger.com" <profjorge.entrep.nu12@blogger.com>
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 4:02 PM
Subject: NU2 #2 "Carrot" for Plastic

"Carrot" for Plastic

by Ed Vargas 3.5

It's rainy season once again and because of climate change, monsoon rains known locally as Habagat has become longer periods of torrential rains and thunderstorms in the Philippines. Habagat has been dumping large volume of rainfall submerging Metro Manila and affected provinces in floods never seen before; remember Ondoy? But that was nature; we really cannot do so much about it. 

So whom do we blame for this mess we are in that affects the country's productivity and hit us economically. You may point to nature and climate change, you may say government for being inutile or us the citizenry. The DPWH has been putting a lot tax payer's money in flood mitigating infrastructure projects. The DILG and local government units have been clearing the esteros of squatters whose shanties obstruct the free flow of flood waters. MMDA has been dredging our rivers and tributaries. But wait, we've been doing these things for years but it we see no solutions in sight.

But have we identified the true root cause of the problem?  What do you see every time MMDA does dredging operation on esteros and rivers? What do you see floating at Manila Bay, after a thunderstorm? Answer: Garbage. Yes, garbage, garbage, garbage and tons of it. Looking closer you'll see that 99% of this trash is plastic, plastic and plastic. These plastic trashes ranging from candy wrapper, straw, bags, container, caps and bottles and what have you clog our sewers, waterways, esteros and rivers all the way to Manila Bay. With large volume of rainwater nowhere to go, there you are a perfect recipe causing flooding in practically all intersections and making Metro Manila in a stand still.

Okay, how do we then solve a problem like plastic garbage?  Answer: Discipline. Filipinos by nature will only follow if threaten with penalty or will say WIFM (what's in it for me). So I propose a "carrot and stick" approach. 

For the "stick" - the strict implementation of environmental laws like PD 825 which provides penalty for improper disposal of garbage. Government agencies task for the enforcement of these laws should be made accountable for environment disasters we have now like flooding. It's about time, we tax payers file a class suit against this government agencies for sleeping on their job.

For the "carrot"- a Project called "Balik-Palit Plastic" a reward system for the amount of plastic trash recovered, surrendered and recycled. The objective is to marshal the community and reduce the amount of plastic trash going in to the sewers and waterways and we have to start from the grass root: us, all of us.

The mechanics is simple by going back to the old-fashioned "bote-garapa" system. Individuals surrender their plastic trash from the smallest candy wrapper to the biggest plastic wares. The barangay or homeowners association collect these plastic trashes and pay the individual according to the weight and volume of plastic trash surrendered.  That's the immediate "carrot" for the individual.

Schools can also participate by requiring their students to collect their plastic trash and surrender them as part of their environmental protection education.  Students earn additional points and the school earn additional cash. At the end of the school year, the top ten students who have surrendered the most volume of plastic trash gets an "Environmental Hero Award" and cash reward.

Plastic manufacturing companies will then buy the collected plastic trash from the barangays, homeowners associations and the schools to be used as raw materials for producing new plastic products such as school desk and chairs.

An annual "Environmental Hero Award" in individual, community, school and business categories to recognized individuals and groups who have contributed the most to the recovery and recycling of plastic wastes and keeping them from clogging our sewers, waterways, rivers and tributaries.

Will this work? A 50% is reduction is victory enough. The entire supply chain is here. We have the garbage collectors, the junk shops and the plastic manufacturing companies. The barangays, community and the schools may just have to provide space for their plastic recovery stations. Since the plastic companies pays for the recovered plastic, the project is self-sustaining.  The government may just contribute to the cash rewards for the annual awards. The cost of this project may be minimal and self-sustaining compared to the billions of pesos wasted and opportunity loss due to flooding. 

In order to ensure success, an NGO with environmental advocacy will be designated to manage this project.

The proposed "carrot and stick" approach may not solve the flooding problem entirely but would certainly substantially lessen the amount of plastic trash that clogs our waterways. More importantly, it will instill environmental awareness and discipline to the citizens.