Aside from the initiatives that must come from private sectors, it is also important that

each person must practice and build habits that are environment-friendly. We can do
simple acts such as picking up thrashes, throwing garbages at the trash can,
maintaining our surroundings and environment clean, practicing the 3rs (reduce, reuse,
recycle), using eco-friendly products (such as eco-bags instead of plastic bags, metal
straws or reusable straws instead of single-use plastic straws, metal utensils instead of
single-use plastic utensils), turning off the faucet and lights when it is not in use,
planting more trees (to help in solving the problem of deforestation, flooding, soil
erosion, and low clean oxygen levels), and walking or using bicycles instead of vehicles
as much as possible to minimize the emission of air pollution. These actions may look
simple and small, but we must remember that these small steps will always be a step
forward to our goal of preserving the health of our environment.
 
To strengthen these actions that must be practiced by each individual, our laws that aim
to protect our environment must be implemented very strictly. Additionally, my proposed
solution is to strictly implement at the national level the ban of single-use plastics and to
have large fines for littering. As someone who resides in Quezon City, wherein littering
and using of plastics such as plastic bags and plastic or styrofoam containers for take-
out food are strictly prohibited, I think that it will be better if these kinds of laws will be
implemented at the national government level. This is because if only a particular area
practices these kinds of laws, we will just be able to minimize our wastes. But if we
strictly implement these at the national government level, instead of just at the local
government level, our whole country will be able to massively cut the wastes that we
produce, and additionally, all the citizens in the Philippines will be able to naturally build
habits that are environmentally-friendly. An example of this is the country Singapore,
which is known to be a very clean and ordered country because they have strict laws
regarding cleanliness that promote practicing environment-friendly habits. My next
proposed solution is that drinks that are in single-use plastic bottles such as soft drinks,
water, and energy drinks may use glass bottles that can still be refilled and reused. In
provinces, it is common in sari-sari stores to sell soft drinks in refillable and reusable
glass bottles. Additionally, if we will closely observe the beverage area/section in
supermarkets, it is noticeable that only liquors such as wines and beers are the only
beverages that are sold in refillable and reusable glass bottles. So why not also sell
other drinks such as soft drinks, water, and energy drinks in refillable and reusable
glass bottles nationwide? If a law requires manufacturers of all kinds of drinks to use
refillable and reusable glass bottles will be passed, this can massively cut the production of our
wastes in our country.