One of the challenges in the new millennium is enabling our budding generation to avoid the perils of environmental catastrophe. We need to act now before it is too late.
RA 9003 a.k.a. the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, the nation’s positive legislative response, yet few LGUs are familiar with it. Source reduction/segregation at the local level is sporadic and uneven. Little active public participation beset the community. The law awaits serious implementation. Many clamored that the global ecological waste management statements shall be translated into simple and easy to understand family statements so that there will be mutual ownership and accountability among the implementers at the household/family level. And there should be a renewed mindset towards seeing waste as dirty, useless and valueless but a resource, full of value and increased income.
Inspired by a 92-yer old man named Mang PEDRO who despite his age still segregates and collects garbage for income, the Family-based Ecological Diversion and Recycling Of Waste (FEDROW) System was conceived. FEDROW System advocates that “each one is responsible for the current state of the environment in the country, and we cannot wait for someone else to solve it.” The best way to clean the environment is to make the process profitable and income generating. FEDROW System is a set of home-based livelihood skills training that mobilizes the households to address RA 9003 particularly the biodegradables at their level. It mobilizes and equips one family at a time. It popularizes “Basura ko, Kayamanan ko” or “Zero basura ko sa bahay” or “Zero Waste Zero Pest” at the community level. The equipping is hands-on using starter kits that would allow the participants to experience first hand the operational process, monitor the progress and start a small enterprise at home.
FEDROW System envisions to equip low income families to become entrepreneurs in converting the biodegradable and the non-biodegradable garbage generated at home, from trash to cash or waste to wealth using the 7Fs approach. Just remove the F from REFUSE, it can be REUSEd to produce Food, Feeds, Fermentable flavors, Fertilizer, Fuel, Filtration Media, and Fine Arts Making/Handicrafts. Offered as a livelihood/entrepreneurship skills training module, graduates can put up their own income generating activities at home benefiting the people, planet/environment while enjoying the profit. The home-based livelihood modules are:
Food: Urban hydroponics, mushroom production, organic vertical gardening, aquaponics.
Feeds: Vermi-farming/composting, Larvae eco system technology
Fermented Flavors/Products: Juice/wine concoction, herbicides/fungicide making. Pest control and anti-dengue products
Fertilizer: Bokashi making/kitchen waste composting, animal waste composting.
Fuel: Biogas, biodiesel, charcoal
Filtration: charcoaled filter for purifying water/air
Fine Arts: slippers, necklaces, bags, mats making, styrocrete, solar drier
FEDROW System offered each module with seminar fees. Practicing the module’s starter kit equips the potential entrepreneur to produce and sell. The raw materials are low costs and recyclables. RA 9003 makes the modules and products in demand in the community.
FEDROWS potential clients are individuals, LGUs, barangays, associations, NGO’s youth organizations, cooperatives, MFI’s, schools and other institutions. (pasay.gov.ph/ MARCH 24, 2011)
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