7.

1 Global Warming and Climate

Change
Global Warming
Human exploitation of the environment leads to the increasing amount of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere. Along with other pollutants, carbon dioxide traps the sun's heat and
causes the Earth to warm up. Global Warming is "an increase in the average
temperature of the Earth's atmosphere" (Markham, 2009).

Climate Change
Climate Change is the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, significantly
changing the normal or expected weather patterns and conditions in specific regions of
the Earth. If a particular region's climate unpredictably changes from what it ought to be
to what it should not be, dire consequences occur.
 

The effects of global warming

Climate Change is the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, significantly
changing the normal or expected weather patterns and conditions in specific regions of
the Earth. If a particular region's climate unpredictably changes from what it ought to be
to what it should not be, dire consequences occur.

7.2 Environmental laws

Environmental law is the collection of laws, regulations, agreements and common law
that governs how humans interact with their environment. The purpose of environmental
law is to protect the environment and create rules for how people can use natural
resources. Environmental laws not only aim to protect the environment from harm, but
they also determine who can use natural resources and on what terms. Laws may
regulate pollution, the use of natural resources, forest protection, mineral harvesting and
animal and fish populations.

7.2.1 Philippine environmental

laws
Presidential Decree (PD) 1586: Philippine Environmental Impact
Statement System
This law requires private corporations, firms or entities including agencies and
instrumentalities of the government to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS)
for every project and undertaking which significantly affect the quality of the
environment.

Republic Act (RA) 8749: CLEAN AIR ACT (CAA) OF 1999

Provides for a comprehensive air quality management policy and program which aims
to achieve and maintain healthy air for all Filipinos.

RA 9275: Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004

The law aims to protect the country’s water bodies from land-based pollution sources
(industries and commercial establishments, agriculture and community/household
activities) it provides for a comprehensive and integrated strategy to prevent and
minimize pollution through a multi-sectoral and participatory approach involving all the
stakeholders.

RA 6969: Philippine Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear

Waste Act
The Act provides the legal framework for the Philippines to control and manage the
importation, manufacture, processing, distribution, use, transport, treatment and
disposal of toxic substances and hazardous and nuclear wastes.

RA 9512: Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008

It’s an Act to promote environmental awareness through Environmental Education (EE)
and cover the integration of EE in the school curricula at all levels, be it public or private,
including day care, preschool, non-formal, technical, vocational, indigenous learning,
and out-of-school youth courses or programs.
REPUBLIC ACT 9003 ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000
In partnership with stakeholders, the law aims to adopt a systematic, comprehensive
and ecological solid waste management program that shall ensure the protection of
public health and environment. The law ensures proper segregation, collection, storage,
treatment and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adaptation of best
eco-waste products.
REPUBLIC ACT 8044: YOUTH IN NATION-BUILDING ACT
AN ACT CREATING THE NATIONAL YOUTH COMMISSION, ESTABLISHING A
NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATED PROGRAM ON YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.
Age is not the criterion for judging capacity. As minors, pitch in. We should not think
what we can do, but what we shall do.
7.3 Role of youth in the
environmental protection and
management
Climate change and environmental protection have caught global attention and will
affect our future. As a students, you need to take the initiative to protect the
environment and tackle climate change.

Act now
You could talk a lot about environment protection, but you need to act now. In order to
reduce carbon emissions and protect our environment, you should do as follows:
1.Don’t use disposable products
2.Buy one less piece of clothes annually
3.Take advantage of discarded products
4.Use energy-saving bulbs at home
5.Take more bus and metro
6.Don’t turn too high or too low of air-conditioners

7.4 Seven principles of environment

1. Everything is connected to everything else
The intricate relationships of various elements of the ecosystem bind the components
together into one functional unit. The trees in the forest are home to ferns, orchids,
birds, insects and mammals. When these plants and animals die, their products of
decomposition contribute to soil fertility.

2. All form of life are important

All living organisms were created for a purpose in relation to humans, other species on
earth and global ecosystem in general. Thus, when a species becomes extinct, it is like
removing a piece of a jigsaw puzzle from the web of life.

3. Everything must go somewhere

By-products of consumption go back to the environment. Everything that we throw away
–pieces of paper, left-over food, peelings of fruits, plastic wrappers, used containers–
have to go somewhere. Even plants and animals have their own wastes–feces, urine,
dead leaves and branches.

4. Ours is a finite earth

Everything that we need is provided by nature in abundance–food, water, energy,
minerals and air. However, some resources that we depend upon nowadays are
extracted excessively but are slow to replace. These non-renewable resources
experience limits of supply.

5. Nature know best

Nature manifests certain processes that enable it to maintain balance and remain in a
state of equilibrium. The nutrient cycling of nitrogen, carbon, sulfurand phosphorous in
the air, water and land indicates that minerals are utilized within the confines of the
earth.

6. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God’s creation

Creation presupposes the existence of a Creator. The beautiful nature around us,
perfect by itself, has deteriorated due to the negative impacts of human use. This
principle suggests how a Human-Creator relationship is translated in our attitude
towards creation.

7. Everything changes
Changes in the biophysical world occur naturally. As they say, there is nothing more
permanent in this world than change. Consider the following examples.  Metamorphosis
of caterpillars to butterflies illustrates morphological changes that occurring living forms.