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Cell
/sel/
noun. The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism, typically microscopic and consisting of cytoplasm and a nucleus enclosed in a membrane.
In 1665, a brilliant scientist named Robert Hooke applied his technical abilities to invent ways in which he can effectively use a microscope. When he viewed a thin slice of cork, he discovered empty spaces contained by walls. He described it in his published work that documented his findings entitled Micrographia as similar to the small rooms that monks inhabited, thus, he derived this idea into his new discovery. This is the birth of the cell, the building blocks of life. In the same sense, the Philippines proudly presents its own version of CELL or the Center for Ecozoic Living and Learning which uplifts its identity as a safe place for various flora, fauna, and other living creatures.
CELL is non-government organization and eco-spirituality center founded on 1999 by Colombian Missionaries. It is located in Silang, Cavite consisting of a 1.2-hectare land. The land is divided into different zones, namely: zone 0 as the place where human activities occur, zone 1 as the vegetable and herbal garden, zone 2 as the small animal farm, zone 3 as the area of flowering and fruit-bearing trees, zone 4 as the timberland, and zone 5 as the wildlife zone and reserve pond. It is truly a breeding land of life. Their vision and mission are as follows:
Vision: A world where humans live in harmony with the rest of creation through living in harmony with one another in a just society.
Mission: To contribute to the great work, whereby humans learn to move from a stance of destroyer of the Earth community to a stance that is mutually enhancing.
On October 1, 2016 the Advanced Environmental Education class was given the privilege to explore the world of CELL. Upon entering its premises, you are greeted by a luscious green archway followed by a wide field with tall trees and native home farms. My initial thought: “I want to live in this place.” The air was fresh, crisp and cold. The ambiance was different from the usual scenery in the city where everything seems to go by rapidly and everyone appears to be busy. CELL exuded tranquility and stillness as the place lets you reflect on how important it is to disconnect from our inconsequential thoughts and to reconnect with the environment.
A striking facet of CELL that deeply left a mark on me was how they gave priority to being one with the Earth by following rituals appreciating, blessing, and thanking Mother Earth for its bountiful resources that constantly keeps us alive. Firstly, we were presented with a video entitled "Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care." The video consisted of short clips of the different sides of our planet: an abundant forest with different greenery, a contraption recycling bottles, children learning in a classroom, a bald forest that has been affected by deforestation, seas with trash, etc. It gave emphasis on the importance of balancing our lives with the life of the Earth. Afterwards, we prayed to the different elements of our planet: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. We passed around representations of these elements from one person to another in our group as a way of giving thanks to these elements that give us life. The earth was represented by a coconut husk filled with soil, the water was represented by a tree bark filled with water, the fire was represented by a candle, and the air was represented by wind chimes. We scrutinized the features of these elements and gave thanks to its life giving powers. Lastly, we also prayed to the different directions, the north, south, east, and west. As we faced each direction, we accompanied these with prayers consisting of the different things about Mother Earth that these directions can be associated with such as the east being symbolized by the direction where the sun rises. Before the session ended, we also had a ritual blessing the soil we were to use for planting. We gathered in a circle with a mount of soil in the center. Then, a smaller group of four people knelt on each side of the soil, dug their fingers into the soil, and raised a clump of soil into the air for a couple of times. This small action blesses the soil so that it can be equipped with the ability to give life to the plant it was to bear for a time. I was deeply enamored by the purpose of CELL as an eco-spirituality center.
We were given the chance to explore the nooks and crannies of CELL and I was fascinated by the numerous features they had within their surroundings. There were fruits and vegetables you can readily pick and eat. There were a variety of animals residing the place, some of which were rabbits, turkeys, and fishes. They had complete facilities with dormitories, eco-friendly bathrooms, a chapel, recreational areas, etc. With all these things to see and experience, there is no doubt that anyone who would visit the place would have a gratifying and pleasant time. Their advocacy influenced me to reflect on my own practices and how I go about with the things that I do that could affect the environment. I wanted to integrate what I experienced in CELL into my everyday activities and so I thought of simple things that I could easily and readily do.
Here are small ways where in we can offer support to the environment:
1. Practice the 3 R’s in proper waste management.
Time and again we have heard the importance of the 3 r’s or reduce, reuse, and recycle. Beginning with reduce, it is simply lessening what is produced and consumed in order to target directly the waste hierarchy. In this sense, there is less to recycle and reuse. Consumers still produce substantial waste despite great efforts in reducing. We can turn to another simple solution: reuse. Much of the waste we produce can be minimized if we maximize their use. For example, plastic bottles can be given a second life as plant vases due to its longevity and resilience. There are some instances where waste cannot be reused. In this case, they can be segregated for recycling. A prominent example is lead-acid batteries. Batteries can cause harm to landfills so this is a great alternative to avoid such an issue. The Earth is infested by mountains of trash whether the sea or the land. One alarming problem is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is a result of the gradual collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. The reason why these solutions are always brought into light is because anyone can do it if they will themselves. CELL has a station called Materials Recovery Facility where they segregate different forms of waste into different categories. For example, they place tin cans in one area and plastic bottles in another. Eventually, these waste materials are sold to junk shops in order to gain a little bit of income.
2. Conserve energy.
Saving energy does not only ensure saving money but you also reduce the demand for fossil fuel such as oil, coal, and natural gas. Fossil fuels is one of the primary contributors of climate change and other pollutants. Conserving energy can be exercised within our homes, schools, businesses, and communities. As simple as switching off the light when not in use can cut off emissions by thousands if practiced daily. CELL makes use of methane gas extracted from fecal waste as an alternative source of cooking gas. The fecal waste is stored in a septic tank which is connected to a gas pipe that can be lit with a match to burn fire. It was used daily as a means of heating and cooking meals but as of recent they have been lacking in sources of fecal waste so if it is possible, invite as much friends over to CELL to donate your waste during your time there.
3. Execute sustainable green living.
Being an environmentalist is not simply a task that halts when we want it to or when we feel like it. Being an advocate of the environment is a lifestyle. We cannot simply forego green living for one day, it endures for the rest of our lives. Green living is reflected by our every action at any time and at any given place. Sustainable living aims to reduce an individual’s use of Earth’s natural resources. Often, sustainable living attempts to reduce carbon footprint because of its huge impact on the environment. In order to accomplish such a task, one needs to alter methods of transportation, energy consumption, and diet. By way of illustration, meat is one of the biggest water wasters in the industry. It is best to reduce eating meat or better yet withdraw meat from our diet and replace our food with locally grown fruits and vegetables. CELL plants their own fruits and vegetables which ensures that everything that they eat is organic. This practice reduces adverse environmental impacts and reliability on the market.
4. Join environmental organizations
There are various organizations that one can join locally. It seems like a tedious thing to do and may not persist for a long time because of its underlying commitment but once you are immersed into the advocacy of an organization and have interacted with the people within the organization, it will drive you to uphold the mission of the organization in your very hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. One example is Haribon which focuses on local flora, fauna, and animals. The organization aims to conserve the rich biodiversity of the Philippines. In relation, CELL is openly sharing their resources and abilities to other people so that in turn, they may also inspire those who they interact with to start their own little group of environmentalists which can potentially spread to a wider audience.
We live in the post-industrial era where the Millennials and Generation Z thrive with all the technological advancements that pop up right and left. It seems that we cannot go by a single day that does not make use of any form of technology. On a daily basis, we constantly open our phones to check on our notifications then spend hours upon hours of mindless scrolling. Check, scroll, close, 2 seconds pass, check, scroll, close. Then we contemplate on every word before we hit that post button, counting the likes that we get on that particular post and equating our worth to that number. See, that is a shallow portrayal of this generation. We have access to a wide range of resources that helps us become more aware of the occurrences in the world today. More and more young adults are becoming mindful of the different social, cultural, and environmental issues and they find it in themselves to want to create a change. The generation of this era is growing to be smarter and more advanced than previous generations. That is not a bad thing because this goes to show that we are now progressing towards a better future. It may not be as evident as we perceive it to be, but right at this very moment change is happening. The evolution of time has helped people realize the importance of encouraging sustainable practices.
The cell is a small and feeble but capable and powerful organism. This seemingly insignificant creation is the very fiber and basic unit that we, as well as all other living things, are composed of. This is exactly how immense our role is as individuals. If we look at the entirety of the population of the world, we are but a small speck of billions of other human beings that dwell temporarily on the lands of Mother Earth. If we give ourselves the chance to look at the situation on a grander scale and analyze carefully how much potential we have in creating change, there is so much that we can do. We may not create extravagant solutions or over the top changes overnight but each day can be an opportunity to elicit some form of help towards the restoration of Mother Earth no matter how small they may be.
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