Planet Earth is about 4.6 billion years old already, according to Smithsonian.com. On April 22, the world will be turning a year older based on the global celebration of Earth Day. Age is not the concern, but rather what the planet has been going through, and will be facing in years to come, as an effect of global warming.
It is for this reason that SM Supermalls, through its CSR arm SM Cares, is enjoining the public to join its various activities lined up in celebration of Earth Day. On April 22, all SM malls nationwide will hold a special Trash to Cash Recycling Market from 10AM until 4PM. The public may bring used plastic and PET bottles, aluminum and tin cans, scrap paper, old wood furniture, and kitchen metal items to any SM mall in exchange for cash or useful household items. All the collected items will be turned over to a waste management facility for recycling. This project is regularly done every first Fridays and Saturdays of every month.
The music scene is also in on the celebration, with SM City Marilao holding a concert entitled “Green Guitars A Concert for the Planet” featuring Spongecola, Ebe Dancel, and DJ Arra Pascual. What makes the show unique is the use of renewable energy to provide power during the artists’ performances. The audience will be treated to a short audio-visual presentation that will explain renewable energy and how this system works for the concert. Also part of this project is a chance for customers to sign up as a “Partner of the Planet”.
In replacement of a concert fee, those interested to watch will instead be required to make a small donation for the benefit of the Jubilee Shelter Program (JSP) of the Diocese of Malolos, Bulacan. The collected fund will be used to provide solar energy system for the JSP’s livelihood activities.
On April 30, the SM Mall of Asia will be the host venue for the 3rd Pro-Earth Run. This is the second straight time that SM MOA has supported the event organized by Earth Day Network Philippines (EDPI), which is the local counterpart of the global Earth Day Network International and frontrunner of the annual April 22nd Earth Day celebration in the Philippines. Registration for the run is still ongoing through www.earthdayphilippines.org.
Whichever activity the public chooses in celebration of Earth Day, the one thing that will win is the collaborative attempt to care for a sustainable future. More people can join the cause for as long as public places like SM malls are here to provide the opportunity to help.