International Day of Biodiversity
The United Nations has proclaimed 22 May the International Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The theme of the 2019 edition will be ‘Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health’. “How food is produced, what is consumed, and how much is lost or wasted all heavily shape the health of both people and planet” – Food Planet Health by EAT-Lancet Commission 2019 We can focus on production (sustainable food production) and final consumption (healthy diets) to help protect our forest and agrobiodiversity. Locally produced, organic products support our local farmers and benefit our health and the environment. Hence the Philippines enacted RA 10068 An Act for the Development and Promotion of Organic Agriculture in the Philippines. official zlibrary domain z lib . Find free books
May is the Month of the Ocean
Where does our single-use plastic end up? In March 2019, a cuvier beaked whale was found dead in Compostela Valley containing 40 kilos of garbage: 16 rice sacks, 4 banana plantation bags and multiple shopping bags. Plastics have long lifespans and can travel from the uplands through rivers and downstream into our oceans, where marine animals accidentally mistake them for food, choke or get sick by ingesting them. Plastics then find their way back to us, in less visible form (microplastics), when they are consumed by fish that we in turn eat. The plastics we produce, consume and do not dispose properly pollute our lands, damage our oceans and our health.