Environmental Management

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

by Antonio C. Antonio

November 22, 2012

Environmental Management refers to the deliberate human action to influence a certain number of conditions of the environment usually to favor particular human needs.  As all resources are finite, they need to be managed, protected and carefully nurtured to ensure that they continue to provide long-term and sustainable support to man.  To be more effective, there should be a partnership between government and private sector.  This partnership could be compared to a bird in flight… both left and right wings working together for a specific purpose.  Anything less will simply not work at all.

Environmental management is universal… meaning, a global concern and not only a particular country. All countries in the world must have an environmental management agenda (like the Philippine Agenda 21[PA 21])…

§  On the global level, all countries could adopt the principles and objectives of the Earth Summit;

§  On the country level, like in the Philippines, PA 21 was adopted.  Political will would play a pivotal role in the effective implementation of environment laws, rules and regulation.  Unfortunately, in the Philippines where political patronage and considerations seem to take precedence over the national good, PA 21 is just another not-to-be-given-proper-attention national agenda and sustainable development is just another oratorical punch line;

§  Local government units could implement their own environmental management ordinances towards in their own areas of responsibilities as the Cities of Las Pinas, Davao and Puerto Princesa are currently doing.  Again, the success or failure of such ordinances will depend largely on political will.  Given the 3-year electoral term of office of local government officials, nothing much could be accomplished as most environment-related projects and programs take decades to be realized;

§  Communities (neighborhood associations) could also formulate their own rules and regulations on the most mundane activities such as garbage collection, segregation and disposal; and,

§  Getting closer to man, environmental management should be an individual concern.  If everyone, with the capacity to discern, becomes aware of his/her environment and do whatever little thing to manage it, this world would be a better place to live in.  People have a tendency to think of spitting, peeing or throwing of candy wrappers anywhere will not harm the environment… but if everybody adopted the same mindset, we are certainly in for a major environmental disaster.

Carbon dioxide emission from the burning of fossil fuel is the primary cause of global warming and the greenhouse effect.  Governments must infuse more funds in developing projects and programs towards climate change mitigation.  To boost the environmental management effort exponentially, alternative sources of energy should be tapped like:

1.     Solar (Example of which could be solar panels presently being used to power street lights in Puerto Princesa City. As a future prospect, the Philippines being an agricultural country, has miles upon miles of irrigation canals.  Solar panels could be installed on top of these canal systems to: a) Make better land use rather than use grazing lands for this purpose; and, b) Prevent loss of water through evaporation as the solar panels will also function as a canopy for the irrigation canals.);

2.     Wind (Example of which are the windmills in Bangui, Ilocos Norte which produces electricity for the communities there.); and,

3.     Hydro/Water (Examples of which are the hydro-electric dams like Maria Cristina Falls, etc.  More hydro-electric-producing facilities should be planned in the national infrastructure program.

Sustainable Development (SD) is the framework for both the Earth Summit and PA 21.  It was in the Earth Summit where initial awareness of SD started to spread and, henceforth, have been used (oftentimes, loosely) as the general solution statement for environmental management.  SD is development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  SD, as defined in the PA 21, is “harmonious integration of a sound and viable economy, responsible governance, social cohesion and ecological integrity, to ensure that development is a life-sustaining process.”

On the “how” and “what” of Environmental Management, there are templates provided by worldwide organizations as well as individual nations such as:

1.     Earth Summit or the United Nations’ Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 3 to 14, 1992 reached a consensus that the environment should be viewed as a support system for society and its economy.  This system, however, should be carefully studied to prevent and mitigate the ill effects of human intervention towards the environment for social and economic gains.  The concept of sustainable development was highlighted in this summit.

2.     Philippine Agenda 21 (PA 21) was approved by Pres. Fidel V. Ramos in September 1996.  PA 21 calls for the ecological and social resources found in the environment to be utilized to meet society’s higher economic needs but only to within the ability of the resource to keep their original characteristics.

The Earth Summit (1992) resulted in the following documents:

a)    Rio Declaration on Environment and Development;

b)    Agenda 21; and,

c)     Forest Principles.

Moreover, two important legally binding agreements were opened for signature:

a)    Convention on Biological Diversity; and,

b)    Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The Principles contained in PA 21 are:

1. Efficiency:  Resources are not to be over-exploited; Resources should not remain unutilized; Utilization must prescribe full restoration; and, Must be aimed at achieving a high marginal return sufficient to “pay back” the cost of utilization and the value of the resources being utilized.
2. Sufficiency:  Resources are to be used only for absolutely necessary ends; Use of the resources must entail the use of a minimum unit of the resource; and, Must not exceed the minimum requirement to support a necessary end.
3. Consistency:  Ecosystems are to be managed to be compatible with each other;  A “landscape” (or system of ecosystems) approach is preferred to a “single ecosystem” management style; and,  Require that the use of resources be based on strengths and weaknesses of the ecosystem with emphasis on the weakness of the weakest ecosystem.
4. Precaution:  If the potential threat posed by an economic activity to ecosystems is serious, or where environmental damage due to it is expected to be irreversible, precautionary or mitigating measures should be undertaken.

Purpose of the Principles Contained in PA21:  Efficiency, Sufficiency, Consistence and Precaution are anticipated to lower the obtrusions of economic production and consumption on ecology and society.  The ecological and social costs of creating economic opportunities would be minimized.  This would be sound environmental management which promotes sustainable development.

The Goals of PA 21 are as follows:

1.     Poverty Reduction:  Poverty is a central concern of sustainable development. Poverty reduction includes measure to create enabling economic environment for sustained and broad-based growth; improve employment, productivity and income; and attain food security.

2.     Social Equity:  Social equity means the allocation of resources on the bases of efficiency and equity to achieve balanced development. Efficiency and equity mean the channeling of resources to developing areas where greater economic benefits accumulate and where there is greater need, distribution being dependent on the practicality and urgency of needs.

3.     Empowerment and Good Governance:  Empowerment is a precondition of informal choices and good governance is a necessary precondition to empowerment. These two are a defining element of each other.

4.     Peace and Solidarity:  The cycle of poverty and conflict goes on as the costs of war escalate in terms of various kinds of destruction while withholding funds for basic services, resulting in more poverty and underdevelopment.

5.     Ecological Integrity:   Enhancing the integrity of the ecological domain of the country will have to involve heightened and sustained implementation of environmental laws, as well as the continued pursuit of resource conservation, and environmental restoration/enhancement programs.

Just my little thoughts…

Environmental Goods and Services

ENVIRONMENTAL GOODS AND SERVICES

by Antonio C. Antonio

QUESTION:  “What are the environmental goods and services provided by our earth?” (Dr. Consuelo De Luna-Habito)

A service is an intangible and insubstantial commodity; therefore, cannot be touched, gripped, handled, looked at, smelled or tasted.  Services, however, can be sold, resold and owned by individuals or groups which could be called service providers. 

Mother earth too is a service provider although it is very hard to quantify it in terms of monetary value.  There are those, however, who think that a monetary value can actually be estimated for the goods and services the earth gives to humanity.  Collectively, the value of these goods and services has been estimated at US$33 trillion, higher than the entire world gross national product. (http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/protected_areas/arguments_for_protection/goods_services/) 

My research also brought me to even more estimated figures:

·         $2 trillion to $4.5 trillion per year – estimated losses in the forestry industry;

·         $100 billion per year – estimated losses in the fishery industry;

·         $240 to $310 billion per year – estimated losses in fossil fuel subsidies;

·         $255 to $275 billion per year – estimated losses in agricultural subsidies;

·         $27 billion per year – estimated losses in fisheries subsidies;

·         $50 billion per year – estimated losses due to unsustainable fishing;

·         $3 trillion per year – estimated losses from potential output from Fisheries;

·         $5  to 10 billion per year – estimated cost for strictly managed forest areas in developing countries; and,

·         $45 billion per year – estimated cost in effective management, compensation for direct costs, and payment of opportunity costs for acquiring new land.

Services from Mother Earth could be classified into the following categories: 

1.     Supporting Services which make possible all other ecosystem services;

2.     Cultural Services that meet our aesthetic, spiritual and intellectual needs;

3.     Provisioning Services like supplying food, fuel and medicines; and,

4.     Regulating Services like purifying air and water, mitigating floods, and detoxifying soils. 

Examples of ecosystem services are:

1.     Pollination – Honey bee populations pollinating many agricultural crops contribute to the distribution and spread of plants.

2.     Photosynthesis – Photosynthesis in plants capturing carbon and provides oxygen for human and animal consumption.

3.     Shoreline Stabilization – Keeping shorelines equilibrium.

4.     Flood and Storm Protection – Mitigation and attenuation of the effects of wind, waves and flood waters to downstream communities.

5.     Water Flow Regulation – Retention and storage of fresh water.

6.     Water Quality – Filtering and purification of water.

7.     Human Disease Control – Undisturbed ecosystems keep in check organism which can cause disease in humans.

8.     Water Processing – Detoxification or absorption of natural or human-made contaminants.

9.     Carbon Sequestration – The capture and long-term storage of carbon is part of the global carbon cycle.

10.  Nutrient Regulation and Cycling – Transfer of nutrients from one place to another, transformation of critical nutrients from unusable to usable forms.

11.  Primary Productivity – Fixing of carbon by plants; provides basis of all terrestrial and most marine food chains.

12.  Scientific and Educational – Ecosystems are the subject of much scientific study and public education for both basic knowledge and for understanding the contribution of functioning ecosystems to human well-being.

13.  Tourism – The explicit role that intact land and seascapes play in attracting people to areas for vacationing.  Tourists and campers enjoying the beauty of natural ecosystems.

14.  Aesthetic – The role which natural beauty plays in attracting people to live, work and recreate in an area.  Mother Nature inspiring people in their artistic expressions… Vincent Van Gogh created flowers and natural sceneries in most of his paintings.

15.  Recreation – The contribution of ecosystem features like biological diversity and clean water play in attracting people to engage in recreational activities.  Nature playing a vital role in preserving people’s spiritual well-being.

On the other hand, the following are examples of goods Mother Earth provides:

1.     Water – Water provided by the water cycle, climate, topography, ecology and geology of natural systems.

2.     Food – Biomass for human consumption, provided by a web of marine organisms and a functioning marine ecosystem.

3.     Materials – Biological materials used for medicines, fuel and building.  The forests not only absorb carbons but also provide timber for shelter and heating.  Animals, like sheep, do not only supply food but clothing and transport as well.  Naturally occurring substances from plants form the basis of more than 50% of prescription medicines.

4.     Habitat – Providing for the life history needs of plants and animals.

There are different ways and methods classifying/categorizing natural resources.  These include (a) source of origin, (b) stage of development, and (c) their renewability.  On the basis of origin alone, resources may be clustered into:

1.     Biotic resources (living and organic materials) which are obtained from the biosphere, such as animals and forests and subsequent materials that can be obtained from them.  Fossil fuels (such as coal and petroleum) are also included in this category since they are products from decayed organic matter; and,

2.     Abiotic resources are those which come from non-living and non-organic materials such as air, land and water.  Heavy metals, including ores, like gold, iron, copper, nickel, silver, etc. are also included in this category.

Natural resources could also be classified depending on their stage of development:

1.     Potential resources are those that are available in a particular area and may be used in the future like fossil fuel.

2.     Actual resources are those that have been measured in quantity and quality and are presently being used.

3.     Reserve resources are part of actual resources which can be developed and utilized in the future.

4.     Stock resources are those that have already been measured but cannot yet be utilized because the technology for their use is not yet available.

Natural resources are commonly labeled and classified as renewable and non-renewable.  Renewable resources are resources that can be replenished naturally like sunlight, water and air.  Non-renewable resources, on the other hand, are resources that formed in an extremely slow process and those that do not naturally form in the environment like minerals and fossil fuels.

Just my little thoughts…

REFERENCES:

·         http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/node/823

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_(economics)

·         http://www.eartheconomics.org/Page24.aspx

·         http://chge.med.harvard.edu/topic/ecosystem-services

·         http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/protected_areas/arguments_for_protection/goods_services/

·         http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/info/pubs/docs/ecosystem.pdf

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resource

·         http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_resource

Listening With Our Hearts

LISTENING WITH OUR HEARTS

by Antonio C. Antonio

May 3, 2014

In this day and age of rapid development in tele-communications, we can only wonder how our forefathers utilized smoke signals and drums to convey messages across visual and earshot distances.  Today, aside from the regular mailing system, facsimile machines, electronic mail, etc., we also have the mighty cellular phone.  Some of the cellphones available in the market lately do not only have the SMS (short message service) and MMS (multi-media message service) but also internet access capabilities.  Using these lightweight gadgets, we could not only send alphabetical, graphic and picture messages but talk and see the person on the other end of the line as well.

Communication is so critically important in our lives that the absence or lack of it most certainly leads to disasters and confusion at the very least.  The following short story dwells, not only communications per se, but communicating with a purpose… communicating effectively… and, communicating intelligently.

It’s a Christmas eve dinner at the Dela Cruz Family home.  Papa Pedro and Mama Nena, their sons Pedrito and Junior, and daughter Nenita were all animatedly exchanging notes about the new stuff they bought from the mall earlier that day.  Junior, the youngest Dela Cruz, complained that his newly bought pair of blue jeans was a little long and needed to be trimmed by 2 inches.

After dinner, Junior left his denim pants on the sofa and went downstairs to see his playmates… Pedrito entered his room and started checking on Facebook… Nenita went to the family room to make telebabad… Papa Pedro went to the living room for his usual coffee and newpaper… and, Mama Nena went on to clear the table and wash the dishes.

Thirty minutes passed and Papa Pedro, having finished his coffee and reading his newspaper, saw Junior’s pants, cut-off 2 inches and retired to the master’s bedroom to sleep.  Pedrito got out of his room for a drink and, on his way to the fridge, saw Junior’s pants and remembering his younger brother’s request, cut 2 inches off the pants.  Nenita finally ran out of things to talk about on the phone, got out of the family room, saw Junior’s pants on the sofa… cut 2 inches more.  As if the irony wouldn’t end… when Mama Nena finished tidying-up the kitchen, she proceeded to the living room and do her youngest son his favor.  Needless to say, the story ended in a disaster… and Junior cried a bucket-full of tears that night.

Everyone would agree that the Dela Cruz Family members meant well for little Junior.  However, their failure to communicate with each other in a seemingly simple undertaking proved to be a very painful experience, not only for Junior but, for the rest of the family as well. 

This sort of experience can also happen to us.  We live in a community of people we need to interact and communicate with on a daily basis.  The Filipino social structure is even more challenging because of the extended and expanded family ties we have.  We can always choose our friends but not our family and relatives.  There is no doubt though that all of us mean well and no one will deliberately mean harm to anyone under normal circumstances.  But ideal human interaction entails communication… effective communications.  But do we really know what communications is?

It has been said that communications is not the art of talking but the art of listening.  Effective communications, however, is not limited to listening alone… but, rather, listening with our hearts.

Just my little thoughts… 

Four Generations of Iskolars ng Bayan

FOUR GENERATIONS OF ISKOLARS NG BAYAN

by Antonio C. Antonio

May 2, 2014

A 3^rd Generation Antonio (Anneka Marie A. Antonio) will be graduating tomorrow at UP Los Banos and a 4^th Generation Antonio (Zechariah Bethany Marie Antonio Perez) has just been accepted to the University of the Philippines (UP).  Why is this such a big deal?  To the Antonio Tribe of Tarlac, this is a matter of perpetuating a tradition.

Most, if not all, graduating high school students entertain thoughts of entering the University of the Philippines for their college education.  The UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test) is one of the most challenging tests that a majority of highschool graduates swing through.  Students who make it to UP are called “Iskolars ng Bayan”.  Why?... because they pay minimal tuition and matriculation fees on account of government subsidies and scholarship.  This, however, does not mean inferior education.  The University of the Philippines (UP) was ranked among the best university in the South East Asian region in 2013, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asian University Rankings showed.  UP, the country’s premiere university was ranked 9^th and the lone Philippine university in the top 10 best SEA universities.

The Antonio Tribe of Tarlac are descendants of the family matriarch Eugenia Dancel Antonio.  She had two sons:

• Marcos who married Dalmacia Driza had the following children:  Maximo, Manuel, Fructuosa, Gregoria, Marcelino, Maria, Francisco, Mariano and Clarita; and,
• Julio who married Petra Pangalangan had the following children: Gliceria, Cosmo, Felix and Eligia.

“Iskolars ng Bayan” is a loved moniker by the Antonio Tribe of Tarlac and the clan’s pride and blooming tradition.  It all started when Cosmo P. Antonio became the Antonio family’s first “Iskolar ng Bayan”.  Lately, a 4^th Generation Antonio also made it to UP… the great granddaughter of Cosmo, Zechariah Bethany Marie Antonio Perez.  With this, Four Generations of Antonios managed to walk through the gates of UP as “Iskolars ng Bayan”.  They are:

1.     Cosmo P. Antonio – Civil Engineering (1^st Generation)

2.     Aleta C. Antonio-Lozada – Business Administration (2^nd Generation)

3.     Antonio C. Antonio – Environment and Natural Resources Management (2^nd Generation)

4.     Emmanuel D. Antonio – Economics (2^nd Generation)

5.     Francisco D. Antonio, Jr. – Fisheries (2^nd Generation)

6.     Ramon D. Antonio – Mining Engineering (2^nd Generation)

7.     Anneka Marie A. Antonio – Associate in Arts (3^rd Generation)

8.     April Marie A. Antonio-Perez – Sociology (3^rd Generation)

9.     Jo Rachelle Antonio Baula-Gonzales – Veterinary Medicine (3^rd Generation)

10.  Martin Lloyd U. Antonio – Exercise and Sports Sciences (3^rd Generation)

11.  Regatta Marie A. Antonio – Philippine Arts (3^rd Generation)

12.  Rodolfo Enrico Antonio Lozada – Tourism (3^rd Generation)

13.  Roeanne Marie A. Antonio – Communication Arts (3^rd Generation)

14.  Zechariah Bethany Marie Antonio Perez – Sociology (4^th Generation)

I took the liberty of arranging the names according to (a) generation and (b) alphabetically… lest someone complains.  “Iskolars ng Bayan” possess the smarts and ability to make issues even out of seemingly insignificant things.  Hahaha!  Joke lang, mga ka-tribo!

Just my little thoughts…

Ecosystem and Agroecosystem

ECOSYSTEM AND AGROECOSYSTEM

by Antonio C. Antonio

March 3, 2014

Here are three questions that will give us additional information and perhaps a better understanding of ecosystems and agroecosystems…

QUESTION NO. 1:  “What are the similarities and differences of an ecosystem and an agroecosystem?”

Similarities:

1. Both include the biotic and abiotic components and their interaction with one another.
2. Both are spatially and functionally coherent units of agricultural activity.

Differences:

1. An ecosystem has a more dynamic and complex composition of species and a more complex energy and nutrient flow.
2. An agroecosystem has simpler species composition and simpler energy and nutrient flows.
3. Additional to an agroecosystem is its operative component anchored on agricultural activities.
4. An agroecosystem is just a subset of a conventional ecosystem.

QUESTION NO. 2:  How can the holistic agroecosystem approach be applicable to a community of farmers and what are the hindrances?

In the Philippine upland setting, the most visible community or association of farmers can be found in the different Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) organizations.  Knowing the purpose and objectives the CBFMs were organized, I should say that the holistic agroecosystem approach is applicable.  The hindrances, however, are in the post-organization and actual production period.  More often, CBFMs are left to fend for themselves after they are organized.  This is where the major problem of funding their production operations sets in.  For those who are lucky enough to access funds (through grants, loans, financial assistance, etc.), they, more often, are prone to fiscal mismanagement.  Financial support and sound management therefore should be key elements that would define success for the CBFMs.

The 3Ms (therefore: [1] Market; [2] Manpower and Management; and, [3] Money and Material) for a successful business endeavour comes in play in this situation.  The 3Ms could be likened to a 3-legged stool that will certainly fall if at least one of its legs is absent.  We could argue that “market” and “money” have synergistic relationships… that “market” equals “money” and vice versa… and that one can produce the other.  But only sound “management” can create this “market-money” synergy.  Therefore, all the three “M”s should really work in perfect harmony for a successful business venture from a purely management standpoint.

QUESTION NO. 3:  “Can an agroecosystem approach help encourage sustainability and equitability to primary production systems?”

In ecology, sustainability concept refers to the process by which biological systems survive and remain diverse.  On the other hand, equitability (also as an ecological term) pertains to the extent of the composition and representation by an equal number of individuals of the different species of a given community.  From the production viewpoint, the agroecosystem approach should encourage sustainability and equitability.  In the case of forestlands for example, the health of the forest is the primary consideration.  Although an agroecosystem entails human intervention, proper care (reforestation, timber stand improvement and enhancement planting programs) should be emphasized to strike a balance between human activities and the health of the forest itself.  Special concern should be made on maintaining a balance in the number of individual species (flora and fauna) that are present in the forest community. This way, sustainability and equitability could be achieved.

Long term sustainability in the forest agroecosystem is widely viewed from the vantagepoint of four domains: Ecology, Economics, Politics and Culture.  For the agroecosystem approach to succeed, these four domains should be geared towards the (1) attainment of environmental resiliency, (2) cater to economic demands, and (3) guarantee social equity.  Anything less will simply not work.

Just my little thoughts…

REFERENCES:

·         Equitability (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/equitability)

·         Sustainability (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability)

·         Ecosystem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem)

·         Agroecosystem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agroecosystem)