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Zero Waste at the World Meeting
of Families 2003
, Philippines
Read Press
Release>
Read Archbishop Jaime Cardinal
Sin's Letter>>
On 22-26 January 2003, some 5,000 delegates from the Philippines and abroad
will converge in Metro Manila for the 4th World Meeting of Families (WMF) to
“pray, dialogue, learn, share and deepen their understanding and appreciation
of how the Christian family fulfils its role as a domestic Church.” Participants
of the 4th WMF will reflect on the theme “The Christian Family: Good News
for the Third Millennium.”
The WMF, which has been called by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, is consists
of five main events: the International Theological and Pastoral Congress-ITPC
(22-24 January), Sons and Daughters Congress-SDC (23-24 January), Eucharistic
Celebrations for Families on Pilgrimage (25 January), Festive Meeting with Testimonies
from Families (25 January) and the Closing Mass (26 January).
Large gatherings of this kind pose serious environmental challenges, particularly
on how to deal with the waste to be created in a proactive, non-health threatening
and sustainable manner. The Closing Mass in Luneta, in particular, is expected
to attract at least a million people and generate tons of mixed waste.
Recognizing the key role of the family in moving our society towards a sustainable
future and seeing the WMF as an exceptional platform for informing and mobilizing
citizens to work towards reducing waste to zero or darn close, groups belonging
to the Ecological Waste Coalition (EcoWaste Coalition) decided to work together
in order to influence the organization of the WMF. On 4 December 2002, the Core
Group met at the GAIA Secretariat to brainstorm on the feasibility of minimizing
waste at the WMF and optimizing the recovery of discards for recycling and composting.
For the Core Group and the EcoWaste Coalition, a wasteless WMF is strategically
important for many reasons:
- · A Zero Waste WMF is in keeping with the Church ministry of caring
for the earth (Genesis 2:19-20, CBCP 1988 Pastoral Letter on Ecology)
- · A Zero Waste WMF, which seeks to minimize waste and optimize resource
recovery through segregation at source, is line with R.A. 9003 (Ecological
Solid Waste Management Act, Phlippines).
- · A Zero Waste WMF is in the public interest. Reduced waste volume
means less pollution. Separated waste means simpler and cleaner recycling
operation. Recycled waste means employment and food for haulers and recyclers.
- · A Zero Waste WMF will increase public awareness of the problems
linked with wasteful consumption and will stimulate debate and action on sustainable
alternatives.
- · A Zero Waste WMF will set an example for other events – big
or small, local or international, Church-sponsored or not – to be environmentally
sensitive and use as much Zero Waste principles and practices as possible.
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