Sustainability is in focus at the City of Firsts
In photo: The dazzling Gateway Mall in the Araneta City vows to continue to take part in the Earth Hour and will join the Global Lights Off (Photo from THEPHILBIZNEWS/MAS)
The effects of man-made climate change continue to loom large over our country. With the Philippines at a high level of risk from the climate crisis, all of us must be involved in the drive to be more responsible in protecting our environment.
Earth Hour is being celebrated every last Saturday of March since 2007 through the symbolic switching off of lights to raise awareness about climate change and inspire action to address it. This year, Araneta City will once again participate through the #TogetherONEarth campaign. On March 26, 8:30 to 9:30 PM, establishments at the City of Firsts will join the global Lights Off event to stand united with the world in marking Earth Hour.
“Araneta City is always supportive of the annual Earth Hour observance. This is our way of involving our community in a meaningful cause for the environment,” Marjorie Go, AVP for Marketing of Araneta City, said.
The City of Firsts is doubling down on its commitment to the environment by launching other programs under the #TogetherONEarth campaign. One is the We Want Your Recyclables, a program that is part of Quezon City’s Trash to Cashback project. Recyclables such as used PET bottles, old newspapers, and aluminum beverage cans can be deposited every Wednesday and Friday of March in exchange for essential items! Just visit the “We Want Your Recyclables” booth at the Araneta City Bus Station.
Araneta City is also blogging about its sustainability efforts through the Araneta BiodiverCity series. Throughout March, stories focused on projects that enable Araneta City to lessen its impact on the environment will be posted online. Check out blog.aranetacity.com and read interesting stories about Araneta City’s Sewage Treatment Plant, plant life-forms, and green development initiatives.
Another program is the Araneta City Pledge Tree. The public is encouraged to tie a green ribbon in one of the branches of the “leafless tree” installation at Farmers Plaza to symbolize their pledge to the environment. Each ribbon will correspond to a bamboo sapling that Araneta City will donate to the Green Project, the annual tree planting activity of the J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF). Ribbons will be provided for free upon scanning of the QR code at the venue. The installation will be accessible from March 25 to 31.
Netizens can also show their Earth Hour support through the Araneta City Plant Parents digital contest. To join, they will need to post a photo of their plant babies on Facebook and use the hashtags #AranetaPlantParent, #TogetherONEarth, and #CityofFirsts. Entries will be accepted from March 25 to 31, and lucky participants will get a chance to win cash and merchandise items from Farmers Garden.
“We have a responsibility to keep our planet healthy for future generations. That’s why we are actively taking part in this year’s Earth Hour and launching all these programs geared towards sustainability. We still have time to save Mother Earth, we just need to work together,” Go concluded.