the word “environment” conveys different things to each of us. one person might think of green forests, oceans, and mountains, another of grassy plains, and wildlife. when we consider environmental challenges, we may think of recycling or energy conservation, industrial waste or climate change. we tend to think of issues that are much larger than ourselves as individuals, and they can seem abstract at times.
but for me my environment is what literally surrounds me: the air i breathe, the water i drink, the land i walk on. my environment is my house, my yard, my garden, my street. it is my community, my country, my planet.
the cleanliness of the water in Waras river, or the Buhi lake, or Baao lake (which seems to grow larger or smaller, depending on which month you get a glimpse of it) for that matter, can affect what comes out of our tap. the cleanliness of the air in Naga City or in Iriga City, can and does affect what goes on in my lungs. And what comes out of cars, kitchens, and power plants affect not just me, but persons around the world for generations to come.
environmental concerns are both intensely personal, local and completely global. a garbage-filled “sulong” has the most impact on those who rely on it for drinking water, or for fishing, but it also damages an entire ecosystem. a heavily polluted city hurts the health of its own inhabitants as well as those hundreds of miles downwind. as i learn and understand more about the course of climate change, i become more acutely aware that there are no personal or local decisions. everything i do touches others.
and it makes me think, and think hard, and decide, and decide with conviction. and when i do that, i always remember that my decisions never really concern only me, myself, alone, singly.
i can make a difference. when i work on small projects that help only a few people, it can be hard to step back and see how i really am changing the world. it can be difficult to see how recycling old clothes, and turning the old, tattered fabrics into beautiful quilts that warm my lonely nights, how turning what used to be discontinued lines of beautiful buttons into wearable works of magnificent art, or recycling a letter envelope into pay envelope, of walking instead of driving, or using less water can really bring a better and healthier difference to the next generation.
what i know now, for sure, is that those small changes – these private, individual choices – can add up to something tremendous. the decisions i make may seem small, but they are nothing of the kind.
and i make myself remember that because i am an empowered rural woman (a rural legend, to quote Jun) i am a leader in my own circle, my community, and i have chosen to help lead the way to a better future, in the matter of environmental responsibility, as in all others, i must first lead by living the example, by making the choices that will bring me and you, a healthier tomorrow.
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