TO spur behavioral change towards the environment and enlist public support, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Friday launched its nationwide Solid Waste Management Advocacy Campaign.
The program is especially designed to educate children and young people, on the importance of proper handling and disposal of solid waste.
The DENR's Strategic Communication Initiatives Service (SCIS) said the campaign was developed to fast track its collective and ultimate objective of a healthier, greener, and cleaner Philippines amid the growing environmental threats in the country and the world.
"Creating a better and healthier environment through efficient solid waste management is one of the biggest challenges that we, at the DENR, are facing today," Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said.
"We really need the support of the people, especially our youth sector. It is important, therefore, to impress to them that unless we do something right today by diligently practicing sound solid waste management, the future will be bleak," he added.
Meanwhile, to spread awareness and encourage public support to the campaign, the DENR has also strengthened partnerships and collaborations, technology, as well as information, education and communication with various stakeholders and partners from the private sector.
"While this program is intended to be a whole-of-nation approach, we designed this to be more focused on the youth who would later serve as our environmental champions," said Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units (LGUs) Concerns and SCIS Supervising Undersecretary Benny D. Antiporda.
Included in the DENR's solid waste management campaign is the Basura Buster, a free, web-based game application for children ages 5 to 8 years old.
Basura Buster photo DENR
The application, which can be downloaded on Android devices through the Google Play Store, allows players to earn points by properly segregating different kinds of trash in an educational and entertaining way.
Likewise through its social media accounts, the DENR also hopes to influence behavioral change through a series of videos that show proper solid waste management practices in day-to-day situations.
These include segregating garbage, bringing of own eating utensils in restaurants, and selling trash for cash or “Pera sa Basura."