Green future for the youth
IdeaNation centers on Nestle Philippines’ three net zero areas: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing virgin plastics consumption and sustainable logistics.
Climate change remains one of the world’s most crucial social issues. The youth play an important role in preventing it to be. The University of the Philippines Los Baños, in partnership with Nestle Philippines, launched IdeaNation, a project that challenges students to produce innovative business concepts and solutions to climate change.
It centers on Nestle Philippines’ three net zero areas: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing virgin plastics consumption and sustainable logistics.
The IdeaNation awarding ceremony was held last 15 July via Zoom. Over 90 finalists competed, 18 of which are from UPLB’s Accounting and Business Management (ABM) strand. Top three business ideas in addition to Nestle’s Choice were awarded.
Winners were given cash prizes of P15,000, P10,000 and P5,000 respectively to support the start-up of their proposed projects.
During the awarding ceremony, Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco emphasized the importance of the youth’s engagement in environmental conservation.
“The youth plays an important role. You will have an impact. That is why promising minds like yours are worth investing in creating sustainable and innovative solutions that would benefit the planet and the future generation.
“Results may not be immediately felt, but making solutions now and taking actions afterward and continuing what has started is essential to a worthwhile impact,” she said.
The ceremony honored teams Hijo Hija Enerhiya (Step Energy) for the Nestle’s Choice Award; Cris’ Angels (Coffee Cubes) as second placer; Trailblazer (BayanBiogas) for first place; and ACENV as champions (solar vehicles).
“[We] can serve fresh ideas from different perspectives whether you’re from a different societal class. I think we can share these with the older generations to make our future better and everyone else’s as well,” Cris’ team’s Aneka Abarientos said.
Only through the collective efforts of everyone can the change be done. Let the social action for the young start from the young.