It is our hope that the seminar participants will leave with the knowledge and a common understanding
that will enable them to provide their inputs to the deliberations of the Joint Congressional Oversight
Committee (JCOC) on the Philippine Clean Air Act (RA 8749), as the legislators deliberate and decide on the appropriate amendments to the Clean Air Act. Invited are: DENR, NGOs, Academe, Industry Association members, and the Technical Working Group (TWG) members of the JCOC.

This Seminar is limited to discussion of the Sections on Stationary Sources of the Clean Air Act. Discussion of the Sections on Mobile Sources will not be included.

Objectives

• To reach a common understanding of the definition of terms used, requirements and procedures described in the ACT,

• Similarly, for concepts such as ambient air concentration and stack emissions readings (what they mean, how emission standards per class of industry are arrived at, and how they are used),

• Identify areas of agreements and disagreements (as there inevitably will continue to be some),

• Documentation of proceedings to be submitted to the JCOC, as input from the seminar participants, as they deliberate amendments to the Clean Air Act.

Mother Earth just got healthier as twenty four eager volunteers led by AnimoSibil’s president, Jason Ongpeng, journeyed to Barangay Talisay, Calatagan, Batangas aiming to plant as many mangrove propagules as they could.

AnimoSibil, a De La Salle Alumni Association (DLSAA) – College of Engineering subchapter, donated fifteen thousand pesos to the Lasallian Institute for the Environment (LIFE) and played its role in the Green for Life: One Million Trees and Beyond project last September 6, 2008 by successfully planting 2,000 out of the total of 10,000 propagules planted on that day.

In addition to AnimoSibil, other De La Salle Institutions (De La Salle - Lipa, De La Salle - College of St. Benilde, De La Salle - Heath & Sciences Inc., De La Salle - Zobel, and La Salle Green Hills) were present in creating a feat of working as One La Salle towards one million… and beyond.

The project was in cooperation with the Samahan ng mga Mangingisda ng Calatagan (SAMACA) and the DENR. The successful event was led by LSGH headed by Ver Antiqueno. Ms. Christy Arciaga and Bernard Lunar of DLS-LIPA coordinated with the SAMACA and DENR to make the mangrove planting possible.

]]> http://life.net.ph/archives/animosibil-goes-gtreen-planting/feed/ http://life.net.ph/archives/lifes-multiply-website/ http://life.net.ph/archives/lifes-multiply-website/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:59:56 +0000 dan mercado http://life.net.ph/?p=29 Please Click on this link http://08life.multiply.com/ and http://profiles.friendster.com/77273899 or copy paste it on your web browser to visit our multiply site and Friendster Account

Higher energy and water costs, hurricane losses would add up; Congress to take up legislation next month.

By Bob Keefe

WEST COAST BUREAU
Friday, May 23, 2008

If the United States doesn’t do something soon to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it could cost the country $3.8 trillion annually from higher energy and water costs, real estate losses from hurricanes, rising sea levels and other problems, an environmental group predicted Thursday. Southern states could bear the highest costs.

The study by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Tufts University comes as Congress is set to take up controversial global warming legislation next month.

The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008, sponsored by Sens. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn. and John Warner, R-Va., would create a carbon “cap and trade” system that would force power companies, manufacturers and the transportation industry to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 4 percent below 2005 levels by 2012, and 71 percent by 2050.

Opponents of the bill, led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and petroleum producers, say it would be disastrous for the economy.

“Any way you look at it, Lieberman-Warner will result in major disruptions of our economy, soaring energy prices and millions of lost jobs,” Keith McCoy, vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, said in a statement this month.

McCoy’s group estimates the Lieberman-Warner bill would reduce the nation’s economic output by as much as $669 billion annually and result in up to 4 million job losses. Other studies by government and business groups predict that such legislation would cost U.S. businesses and consumers anywhere from $444 billion to $4.8 trillion by the year 2030.

Last month, the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicted that consumers’ average annual home energy bills could rise by $30 to $723, in part because the proposed legislation would force power companies to use more expensive alternative energy sources.

Authors of the new study, however, say that not enacting the Lieberman-Warner proposal would be costlier.

“If you think it’s expensive to do something about climate change, this tells you how expensive it will be to do nothing about climate change,” said Tufts economist Frank Ackerman, who conducted the study.

Losses from Atlantic and Gulf Coast hurricanes would result in $422 billion in economic losses annually, the study predicts.

Increased energy and water costs related to droughts and higher air conditioning costs in Georgia, Florida, Texas and other Southern states could take another $1 trillion annually out of the economy, the study also predicts.
source:http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/05/23/0523warming.html

Giving Back What has Given Us
Green for Life: One Million Trees and Beyond
For the past several decades, the world has been a witness to the wanton destruction of the environment brought about by man’s greed and pride. Many a time, reports hog the broadsheets and newscasts about floods, landslides, global warming, and the like due to the progression of the imbalance of the earth’s ecosystem. In the Philippines alone, less than a quarter remains of our old-growth forests. Deforestation seems to have taken its toll and Filipinos at large are faced with a tall order of saving whatever is left and of reviving the existing, haply depleting, terrestrial and coastal ecosystems.

Faced with these environmental issues, the Philippine Lasallian Family has identified the need to respond to the calling as stewards of the earth. One of the concrete responses to the Lasallian Ministry Action Plan (LS MAP) #7 of Stewardship of God’s Creation, and to the Philippine Lasallian Family Convocation Resolution 2.4 on Environmental Concerns and Advocacy is the birth of Green for Life: One Million Trees and Beyond under the auspices of the Lasallian Institute For the Environment (LIFE). With the Green for Life: One Million Trees and Beyond Project, De La Salle Philippines, with the eventual collaboration of the 18 different schools in the District, endeavors to plant One Million trees by the year 2011 in celebration of 100 years of Lasallian presence in the Philippines.

Mount Palay-palay was a fitting choice to launch this noteworthy venture on 23 September 2006. The sprawling view of lush greenery can still house seedlings to benefit the next generation of Filipinos. Br. Armin Luistro FSC, President of the De La Salle Philippines, led the entire delegation which numbered close to 400 volunteers consisting of students, employees, family and friends of La Salle schools in Luzon. Very notable was the participation of non-Lasallian volunteers. Indeed, the gathering was a definite proof that every good motive partnered with good deeds produces good results.

The Green for Life: One Million Trees and Beyond Project serves to provide a venue for more pro-active responses to environmental issues through tree-planting activities and reforestation programs that promote the propagation and caring for indigenous species. It also draws out mechanisms that will systematically involve the Lasallian Family in sustainable reforestation and greening efforts in close partnership and coordination with local communities. The project likewise aims to educate and raise the awareness of the Lasallian community as well as the members of their partner communities on the importance of natural ecosystems through a more practical learning-by-doing approach. Hence, the movers of this project make it a point to underscore the need to care for every single seedling planted to ensure its growth into a tree of life, both literally and figuratively. This concern is always echoed to the local partner communities by way of drafting and signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the host community and the team of OMT.

Green for Life: One Million Trees and Beyond has successfully identified several campus sites for this project to be carried out. These are De La Salle Canlubang, De La Salle University – Dasmariñas, De La Salle Araneta University, De La Salle Lipa and the other Lasallian schools in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Off-campus sites are also eyed, such as: Mt. Palay-palay, Calatagan Mangrove in Batangas, LSVP mission areas, Agos River in Quezon, Angat Watershed in Bulacan and Pagsanjan sub-basins.

As envisioned by Mr. Jorge Buenaventura, OMT Project Director, LIFE hopes to form a team for the development of educational materials, map out identified sites, and develop GIS layering to better identify the area in the sites where planting is conducive. In addition, LIFE aims to design monitoring and tracking procedures that will allow the Institute to serve as a hub to all the data concerning tree planting and reforestation activities. To achieve this, digitized forms will have to be utilized to keep a record of essential aspects, like tree code, name of planter, when and where the tree was planted, and the like in carrying out related activities and programs.

As stated in the project’s mission-vision, LIFE endeavors to see one million trees planted by the year 2011. A big project to many, but LIFE believes that through sheer dedicated service and the strong will to preserve and safeguard God’s creation, they know that this project is worth all the time and effort unceasingly shared by people of the same firm conviction and faith.

The work has commenced. A tall order to the pessimist but a flicker of light to the optimist. The Founder had done the same – given back what his community needed that time, an education for the poor. This time, as part of the need to educate the marginalized, the Philippine Lasallian Family saw the need to give back what Mother Earth has been entrusted to our care. May the flicker of light turn into a blazing flame of celebration. A resounding YES! to take part in this advocacy to give back what we have so long enjoyed, albeit abused and taken for granted.

One institution started it. The rest will follow. One tree. One person. One LIFE.