700,000 Filipinos using GCash Forest to help save watershed

Tweet

More than 700,000 GCash users have joined the movement to plant trees through GCash Forest, an important carbon tracking feature of GCash, to help save the watershed that supplies water to Metro Manila. 

Ney Villaseñor, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Mynt, which runs the country’s leading mobile wallet, said 756,370 people have signed up to collect green energy through GCash Forest as of August 19. That translates to almost 400,000 people using the new feature every month since its launch on June 25. 

GCash Forest is a personal carbon account that tracks how much emission people have avoided by living more consciously. “Green” activities—such as walking, bringing eco-bags and own utensils, going cashless, reducing paper use—earn users energy points. When they have enough points, they get to plant a virtual tree in GCash Forest, which GCash will match with a real, native tree planted at the Ipo watershed. 

“GCash Forest is the easiest way to help the environment; you don’t even have to go out of the city or to make time outside of work/school to plant a tree. You simply need to make daily choices that will lessen your carbon footprint, such as going cashless when you send money, buy load or pay bills, or walking instead of taking your car. GCash will turn these actions into reforestation efforts,” Villaseñor said. 

GCash, in partnership with WWF Philippines, has adopted 300 hectares for rehabilitation and reforestation inside the Ipo watershed. WWF will monitor and report the growth of trees sponsored by GCash for three years, which is usually how long it takes to see any changes in a reforestation or rehabilitation site. 

The 7,236-ha Ipo watershed, which spans the provinces of Bulacan and Rizal, is part of the Angat-Umiray-Ipo watershed system that supplies 98% of Metro Manila’s water. It has been declared a protected area by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources but forest cover in the watershed is now only at 40%, a drastic drop from 85% several years ago.

“Planting a tree not only helps with carbon reduction but also results in water security and biodiversity conservation. Every decision we make has an impact, whether positive or negative. In helping GCash users to adopt a more environment-conscious lifestyle, we are raising a generation of green heroes,” Villaseñor said.  

Goldilocks initiates widespread recycling project, in partnership with Bantay Kalikasan

Tweet

In line with its ongoing commitment towards more environment-friendly operations, Goldilocks recently established a partnership with Bantay Kalikasan, the environmental arm of ABS-CBN Linkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. (ALKFI)

Under the banner of “Bantay Baterya at Bantay Langis”, the country’s number one bakeshop will donate waste materials on a daily basis, including used oil, acid batteries, egg shells, and even fluorescent bulbs. ALKFI partners Genetron and Motolite will then handle the recycling process, the proceeds of which will be used for various advocacy projects throughout the country.

“Each member of the Goldilocks family is well acquainted with the ‘4R’ principle, which is to Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, and Respect the environment,” noted Goldilocks Supply Chain and Technical Director Lawrence H. Chin. 

“As an industry leader, we have a responsibility to set a good example and take an active role in streamlining our operations for the good of our ecosystem,” he added.

Environmental Conservation is one of the four pillar advocacies of Goldilocks, and as such, the company has a number of future projects lined up with ALKFI. 

“We are currently finalizing plans to establish bakeries located at the various eco-tourism sites of ALKFI,” Chin explained. “This will provide livelihood and income generating opportunities to these communities, and hopefully create a number of positive ripple effects.”

The first of these bakeries is set to open in Lobo, Batangas, with Calapitan City in Oriental Mindoro, Kiamba in General Santos, Romblon, and Saranggani as the most likely areas for the succeeding locations. 

“We are so honored to be working with Goldilocks on our various projects, and we are so optimistic about growth prospects of our partnership,” said ALKFI Managing Director Susan B. Afan. 

“It is heartening to see that corporate social responsibility is deeply embedded in their company culture, and we hope that this encouraging trend continues,” she concluded.

SM City Manila joins “Earth Hour 2015 to Change Climate Change!"

Tweet

SM Supermalls, 52 in the Philippines and 6 in China, joins the world of saving Mother Earth, with the symbolic “Earth Hour 2015.”

Millions of Earth Hour supporters worldwide joined forces to highlight the need for climate action. 

The event which began in Australia eight years ago and since then overseen by the World Wildlife Fund, has gathered momentum in more than 162 countries, in which people turn lights off for 60 minutes to conserve energy, hoping to cut down on planetary carbon overload. 

This year’s Earth Hour was held March 28, began at 8:30 pm.  SM shares its different environmental efforts to inspire the crowd to do their part in Changing Climate Change.

A little program was held in the Entertainment Center, SM City Manila with the SM Cares and advocate guests. Here are some photos when the Earth Hour 2015 happening :

SM City Manila joins the symbolic event, turning off non essential lights for 60 minutes. SM City Manila management is proud to be one of the initiator of this event and give thanks to mall goers for taking part in that momentous event, Earth Hour 2015.

Joining the celebration is Gerardo Toledo, a representative from the Manila Risk Reduction Management, and representative from SIF Care (Science of Identity Foundation), a community building foundation in the Philippines.

When people come together, even small actions can make a huge difference! It showed us how we all came together to celebrate the planet and our potential to Change Climate Change!

DLSU’s Improved Sikat II to compete in 26th World Solar Challenge

Tweet

SIKAT II is a solar and battery-powered electric vehicle. It is specifically built and design to compete in the 2013 World Solar Challenge.

Sikat II, the latest solar-powered race car developed and bullt in the Philippines was launched together with the team who developed and will operate the car in the World Solar race was given a warm send-off as the country’s official participant to the 2013 World Solar Challenge.

Last September 18, a press conference held at De La Salle University (DLSU) Taft Avenue, Manila with a gathering of scientists, environmentalists, media, bloggers, students and members of the DLSU academe.

The team is comprised of 50 mechanical and electrical engineering students plus six faculty members from De La Salle University. Additional improvements, which took a grueling seven months to complete, were applied to Sikat II. The vehicle was subject to test runs at Basa Airbase and SCTEX to ensure optimum performance.

The famed solar car was reported to run with increased speeds at lower power consumption, making it the most efficient version of the vehicle to date. This will help further the team’s goal of landing in the top 3 of the competition.

The improved version of Sikat II runs at an average speed of 80 kph and a maximum speed of 110 kph. The solar car uses Sunpower Silicon with an estimated efficiency of 22%. It also uses a power output of 1300 W.

Mechanical and electrical engineering students from the De La Salle University pose with Sikat II, the solar-powered car they helped design and build for the World Solar Challenge in Australia in October 2013.

Sikat II also boasts of a new battery management system, improved telemetry, upgraded wiring, and cruise control. Its brakes are also newly designed and the solar car has a new suspension system. For aerodynamics, it has a lower coefficient of drag achieved through modifications in fairings. High performance Schwalbe Sleek tires were also used for the car.

First Phil Holdings, First Gen, Energy Development Corporation, Sunpower, Ufreight, Shell, and Motolite helped make the improved Sikat II possible.

The solar car team wishes to further the cause of promoting the use of renewable energy and clean technologies in the field of transportation. The World Solar Challenge, established in 1987, has been a strong platform for young engineers and scientists all over the world for the pursuing the ideals of sustainable transport. 47 teams from 26 countries will be competing this year.