Created at 07:49 on February 14, 2022
Environmental campaigner: Anna Oposa
Anna Oposa, an environmental activist, says that island nations must play a significant role in protecting the marine environment.
Ms. Oposa, cofounder of Save the Philippine SeasAlthough smaller countries may not be able make the same impact as their larger neighbours on the global stage, everyone must do their part to protect the environment.
She said that although we are small, we must put in the effort. I consider myself an optimist an impatient optimist.
I believe everyone has a responsibility and we can push and use our momentum for positive change in other countries and policies.
We do the same in the oceans as we do in our own.
Ms Oposa is scheduled to speak as part a Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institutes Island SOS conference series. She said that potential solutions to environmental problems have not been implemented since stakeholders are unwilling to sit down together to address them.
She said, “There is a lot of work to do and we need to get everybody together to listen to one another.”
Ms. Oposa explained that although she did not intend to pursue a career involving environmental activism, she was aware of the challenges facing our oceans.
She stated, “My dad is an environmental attorney so I was exposed to environmental problems growing up.”
I always say that my environmental education came from the dinner table.
It has always been a part me, but it is not something I expected to pursue as a career.
Ms. Oposa stated that she became interested in environmental advocacy because of the stories about illegal wildlife trade as she was preparing for her graduation from the University of the Philippines in 2011.
She launched a social media campaign with others that led to SPS, a non profit organisation dedicated to marine waste management.
SPS has taken on one problem: plastic waste, especially containers used for beauty and health products like shampoo and bodywash.
She stated that the charity had intended to encourage refillable bottles for such products but had been met with resistance.
Although the Covid-19 pandemic brought additional challenges, she stated that the charity was still committed to the initiative.
Ms Oposa stated that the charity also produced A variety of online toolkits are availableThese documents cover a range of environmental threats and help the public advocate for issues that matter to them.
The Shark Shelter Project was also initiated by the SPS. This project aims to protect the nation’s whale shark population and threshers.
Ms Oposa explained that shark conservation in Philippines is important not just for the environment but also for tourism, with tourists traveling to have the chance to swim with whales sharks.
Ms. Oposa will give a presentation at BUEI, February 26, at 2pm. Tickets can be bought at BUEI on Crow Lane near Hamilton or by e mail to [email protected]. You can also purchase them by calling the BUEI Gift Shop at 294-0204. Tickets for non-members start from $20, while members can purchase tickets for $15.