■ IN GROUP’S HANDS, EMPTY PLASTIC BOTTLES FIND NEW LIFE AS FURNITURE

A campaign to convert plastic into building materials, as well as persuade people to use plastic less, was launched Saturday in the Banilad Town Center. The Save the Environment One Ecobrick at a Time is the Tutoring Club’s response to reports that the Philippines ranks among the top three sources of plastic wastes in the world’s oceans. As part of the campaign, plastic bottles are struffed with dry, non-biodegradable materials (straw, sachets) to make these sturdy and stable. These are then used to make furniture. Ecobrick founder Russell Maier first thought of the campaign after seeing trash in the rivers during a visit to Sagada.

With the Philippines ranking third worst ocean polluter in the world, the Save the Environment One Ecobrick at a Time campaign was launched in Cebu last Saturday.

The event, held at the Banilad Town Centre, was spearheaded by the Tutoring Club Cebu, with the support of Engineering for Kids and Banilad Town Centre.

Ecobricks are made from recycled plastic bottle containers stuffed with dry non-biodegradable materials cut out in small pieces, such as wrappers, sachets, straws and other materials.

They are used to make pieces of furniture and other items.

The plastic bottles used in making an ecobrick come in various sizes, each of which has a corresponding weight requirement for it to be sturdy, firm and stable.

Jogen Mil, director of Tutoring Club, said that the project contributes to the community by promoting creativity among its members.

Mil said making ecobricks started as an activity for teachers’ day this year.

After she learned more about it and after becoming a member of Global Ecobrick Alliance, her desire in spreading the project grew.

Ecobrick began in the Philippines when Ecobrick founder Russell Maier went to Sagada for a vacation. There he was saddened by the sight of trash in rivers that destroyed the scenery.

He then worked with a local and came up with the idea of making ecobricks to address the pollution problem that plastics cause in the environment.

Mil said the core message of the Ecobrick campaign is not just to make more ecobricks but to use plastics less.

She said the campaign hopes to make people reflect, be more conscious and more aware of what is happening to the environment.

“We have to do our share by reducing plastic use,” Mil said.

Before the Ecobrick Green campaign was launched, they held an ecobrick group challenge that was attended by representatives from Apas National High School, Tulay National High School, Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), and the University of San Jose–Recoletos.

The first Litter-Letter project in Asia also took place during the event.

Plastic bottles containing messages are thrown into trash bins that form the initials BTC Cares.

The plastic bottles will be used in making ecobricks.