EARTH Day celebrations in Cagayan de Oro City will take center stage right after the observance of the Holy Week.
Advocacies concerning environmental issues, such as awareness and education on how to lessen the waste disposal and proper segregation, will be at forefront for discussion, with several activities lined up from April 21 to 27.
To kick-off the celebration, there will be a fun and healthy activity called "plogging," which involves picking up trash while jogging, this coming Easter Sunday, April 21, at 5 a.m.
The plogging route starts from Lane 101 along Masterson Avenue to Xavier Heights then back to Lane 101. The trash collected during plogging will be audited, taking into account what kind of trash are they (plastic, paper, etc.) and will be turn over to the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro).
At around 9 a.m. there will be the launching of the Zero Waste CDO Eco Run and will be followed by an Easter Egg Painting activity using plant-based pigments at the Lane 101 Acacia Grounds.
On April 22, the Earth Day, non-government organizations, such as Eco Art Farm by Lihuk, JCI Kagayhaan Gold and the Modern Nanays of Mindanao, and stakeholders in Cagayan de Oro will converge in Centrio Ayala Mall for a week-long activity of interactions, workshops, learning sessions and promotional campaigns on issues that concern the environment.
With the theme: "Kinabuhi [Kinaiyahan Buhion]," the celebration aims to impart a message that life is for everyone and protecting the wildlife.
"If you want to protect the wildlife, (and) local biodiversity, you need to start from your homes, (by) cutting down your trash. You cut down production of your trash, it’s not enough that you ban the use of plastic but then you're still producing waste," Nadine Angelica Casiño, the founder of Modern Nanays of Mindanao, said.
From April 22 to 27, activities lined up include: week-long Eco Trade Fair, Earth Day Forum on April 22, Zero Waste Scavenger Hunt on April 26, Green Parenting GCDC Nanay Meet Up and Earth Jam on April 27.
Around the world, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
It started in 1970, through the efforts of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, and is now celebrated in more than 193 countries each year.