When people want change

February brings memories of the historical EDSA revolution that put Corazon Aquino as Philippine's first woman president, throwing out of office Ferdinand Marcos who ruled the country under dictatorship. This makes me realize that when people put their mind and hearts together towards a specific goal, they can get the change they want. People can be the change they want to be.

Two weeks ago, I went to order my lunch at a fastfood in front of DLS-CSB. I was craving for salad. I wanted to take out a pack of it along with some chicken and fries. I was aware of the Zero-styro campaign of the school, so I checked with the service crew if their salad is packed with styro. Unfortunately it is.

The manager approached me, and offered her apology, although she told me, that they have fully noted the school's campaign. I notice that their cupboards are filled with boxes for the chicken and their other products. The manager explained that they are still exploring other packaging products for the salad in accomodation of the school's zero-styro campaign.

I left the fastfood with products not packed in styro. Although I was starving, I could not stop thinking that people have the power to create the change they want. I ask: "how come the school can have influence to the stores around the campus?" Then I realized that majority of these stores' customers are students, faculty and personnel of the two La Sallian Schools. While there were no legislations on zero-styro use, the stores were just compelled by the simple law of supply and demand.

The schools may have not demanded anything from these stores, but the La Sallians took a strong stand against styro-use. The stores adjusted to that. This is the same with the fastfoods in Muntinlupa City. However, it was because of a city ordinance that stores were compelled to stop using plastic bags. Stores in this city now use paper bags instead of plastic. There was change in the stores practices that have implications to how people think about the environment, and so in their consuming behavior.

In my illustrations, power to change consumer behavior resulted from a community commitment and legal dispositions. Even without a legislation, a community can be organized and committed to change that have impact on businesses and our personal behaviors. Through legislation, the larger community can benefit from change in our daily practices. In both illustrations, commitment to change for protecting our environment becomes possible.

When people want to change, change can happen. People must want that change first and make sure that the change they want will benefit the community. How I wish to see that more people will commit to change their wrong mindsets about the environment and be more active in stirring the change towards a more positive attitude and relevant actions for the environment.