Entry for National Geographic 's #PlanetorPlastic Writing Contest.
As of now, the Philippines is the third largest contributor to plastic in the ocean. We are a country that, despite being a smaller country compared to China and In...
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the photos in this story except for the book cover.
Note: This is a children's story. It may not contain a very extensive vocabulary, but it is for the benefit of younger readers who may not understand complicated words just yet.
My reason for writing a children's story is because the youth are the future. Us who are part of the world now have to take part also, I agree. However, there is the fact that despite the many people who already know what we should do to stop plastic pollution from spreading, there is almost no change in the habits of those people.
I am guilty of this, and I am ashamed to say that I only recently took this matter seriously about a few months ago. The thing is, what's important is that I eventually realized the error of my ways, and I'm trying to do something about it now by writing this story.
This children's story is for young readers who may still not yet realize the gravity of the situation. It is also a wake-up call for adult readers that plastic pollution is a thing, and it's serious. If children can realize that it's a problem after hearing such a simplified version of it, what more of adults who understand the complications of the situation and the fact that there is a solution? The bigger issue here might not actually be the pollution itself, but our unwillingness to cooperate and sacrifice a little bit of time and effort to do what we must to help save the planet.
If all you had to do was to use an eco bag and your own tumbler for a day, would you be able to do it? My answer is: Yes, I could. And if I could do that for a day, then I could do it for the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that...
It's a conscious decision we must make every day, and nothing will happen without DAY ONE. You've got to start sometime, and if that time is tomorrow, then make the effort for the sake of our planet. #PlanetorPlastic
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Here are some pictures of what the Philippine waters look like right now:
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Cebu City, Philippines
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Pasig River, Philippines
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