OPINION: Ritual for the Environment

This Earth day, it is fitting that we bring to light one of the long-standing concerns of contemporary society – environmental problems. Certainly, many among us have always been aware of this. However, awareness does not always translate to social actions that bring about societal transformation. It is high-time that we look beyond ideas and ideals, and decide to do something, no matter how big or small the action is. Because of its all-encompassing impact, facing climate change is everyone’s responsibility. Each of us should be involved in our fight for climate justice. 

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In this article, we zoom in on what we can do as individuals to help build a sustainable Earth that ensures life not just for us but for the succeeding generations. There are three things we can do to partake in this task of saving our race from total eradication: 

1. Educate yourself and others. 

There is no excuse. The digital age has given us access to a lot of data which can help us navigate our days and our lives. One can simply type in “climate change” and see the gravity of what’s happening nowadays. But we should not settle merely for information. We have to educate ourselves and commit to do something about what we know. One way to do this is to look at the efforts of NGOs and other institutions that regard the planet as our only home. Apart from educating ourselves, we should also engage with others to raise awareness and eagerness to help us in our endeavor. 

2. Minimize your waste. 

We have always been taught about the three Rs – reduce, reuse, and recycle. These three are disseminated to the public because these are actually doable in every household. Consistently doing even just one of these help solve the problems. No action is too little that it will not create an impact. The battle with single-use plastics can start at our homes. Segregation can be practiced by our children. Caring about the environment can be a daily grind. But first, we have to decide that we will. 

3. Be a mindful consumer. 

The human life in a society such as ours is inherently tied with consumption. We are presented with plethora of choices on what to buy, where to buy, how to buy, and when to buy. The key to helping the Earth is being mindful of what businesses we support and promote. 

In line with the celebration of the Earth day, we looked for a store that might just help and inspire you live out the aforementioned touch points to sustainable living.

We found a small store in Makati where you can purchase local products from different provinces. Their offerings include Sukang Sasa from Quezon, Black Rice from Laguna, Malunggay Leaf Powder from Ilocos Norte, Tableya from Davao, among many others. Moreover, the store also brings to the Metro lemongrass liquid soaps, argan-elemi anti-aging serum, and malunggay seed oil packaged in recycled bottles. These are just few of the local and natural selections you can get from the one-of-a-kind store. Products are categorized so you can easily find the items you want and need. Ritual undeniably showcases the richness of the Philippine agriculture. Indeed, its founders remain true to their commitment to sell “local, eco-friendly, preferably organic products not enclosed in plastic bags.”

I guess the reason why the small store is now about to open their branch in Dumaguete is that the owners are very clear about their raison d’ etre: “Local producers need our support, and we need their quality products.” It is because of this recognition of the value of our local farmers and sustainable living that Ritual continues to be a relevant business. As the pandemic continues, the store along Arnaiz Ave. in Makati is closed. It is a good thing that they have a website where one can order online. 

In this ever-changing world, one thing that does not change is the fact that we are all living in one home. Realizing this, we have to have a shared sense of responsibility and destiny as we live our lives on the planet. Educating ourselves and others, minimizing our waste, and being a mindful consumer are just few ways for us to be proactive in creating a sustainable Earth. We can always do more if we are willing to do so. But I think that bottom line is this – we cannot outlive the Earth. We can either care for it or watch its wrath come upon us. We still have time. Make eco-friendly living your ritual now.