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There are many establishments here in the Philippines that promote an ecozoic kind of place and one of this is CELL which basically means Center for Ecozoic Living and Learning. CELL is a non-government organization, which means that it is not funded by the government and it’s a private owned place. They basically get their financial needs in donations, visiting fees and from the owner’s capital. CELL is founded on 1998 by 3 Columbian priests. This is a place for the restoration of the planet earth and also called as an Eco-Spirituality Center. CELL has a vision of “A world where humans live in harmony with the rest of Creation through living in harmony with one another in a just society.” And have a mission of “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.”This place doesn’t only promote an environmental and green eco-life but also gives importance to each living species no matter how small or big it is. It is really interesting and fun to visit such place.
In our environmental education class here in St. Theresa’s College, Q.C. we had this class exposure last Oct. 1, 2016 with our science teachers, in this Center for Ecozoic Living ad Learning (CELL) place. That is located at Silang, Cavite and approximately 2 hrs and a half drive from school. But the long wait of travel was all worth when we arrived in CELL. Upon arriving, we were welcomed by hospitable, cheerful and welcoming people of the establishment. They were all smiling and telling us to enjoy and come inside the vicinity. When we arrived, you would really notice the ecozoic vibe you would feel. There were many trees, plants and the air was not like what we have here in cities it was so fresh and insects and birds freely flying.
In our introduction part of the whole activity, Kuya Renato let us do a ritual for the environment. We passed to each other the symbol of fire, wind, water, and soil, while we were passing the different symbols of each element we recite a poem about each element that’s about its importance and use in our lives. Aside from this we also did the calling of directions, we faced the north east west and south and said our own prayers and recited the poem presented.
During our orientation, we also discussed about the whole place and the history of CELL, its advocacy and lastly its vision and mission. It was touching because although the place is not funded by the government, they can still sustain the place and give all its needs. Based in our orientation, CELL has five zones.
First is Zone 0, in which human activities occur. There were dorms, small houses, chapel, MRF and canteen, for the visitors to stay in.
Second is Zone 1, this zone is where vegetable & Herbal Garden is located.
Third is Zone 2, this zone is for the small animal farm.
Fourth is Zone 3, this zone is for the flowering and Fruit bearing trees.
Fifth is Zone 4, in which timberland is located
And lastly is Zone 5, the wildlife zone and Reserve Pond.
After our small talk in the orientation hut, we immediately went to the first station which is the “biodigester”. Biodigester’s nature was that the stool from human beings and even animals were used for the production of gas (methane gas) that when lighten with fire it can emit heat for cooking and other stuff. The process of this was from the different toilets in the place, it would pass through the pipes into the septic tank. After this the bacteria will do its work in converting the stool into methane gas. That’s why in CELL anti-bacterial soaps and alcohol were prohibited because it can cause the bacteria producing gas be killed. And this can cause the malfunction and obliterate the production of gas. Attached to this biodigester, CELL also invented something that can reuse the used water from septic tank that are separated from the “methane gas process” or the stool be used again. The pipes from the septic tank that carries water pass through a process of filtration in which the water would be “clearer than the used water before”. Although this invention is not for drinking since it’s not fully filtered it’s only because clearer than the so called gray water. That’s why they only use it in watering plants and cleaning purposes. Through this activity I realized that the things that we think that are not useful and only waste in our perspectives can be a useful material or converted in other things. Such as this “biodigester” that can create a literal waste of the body into a useful source of heat. They usually call it "the power of utot". This is not harmful to the environment since it doesn’t pass through process that can add up to the climate change and such, since it is produced by the use of bacteria.
After the cool and knowledgeable experience of “biodigester”, our group was divided into 2. And I’m one of the member of group 1, we first when to the tree in which you can see white spots called lichen. Kuya Renato told us that trees that had such spots means that its environment’s air is clean. He also told us that tree is only rare in the Philippines because it need some sort of a “Love Triangle” connection between the tree, its seeds and wasp, in order to create another kind of that tree. From these I realized that all life is important and interconnected, we need each other in order to survive in this word. All living specie is important and has value in each one’s life. After we talked about the tree, Kuya Renato let us taste the different herbs they take care of. First of it tasted like, mint (eucalyptus) it actually tasted like Colgate but it was delicious; another is the herb which tasted like root beer or Pepsi. It was fun experiencing this tasting of herbs because I’m actually not a fan of leafy foods and with this I was able to taste a leaf in specific.
After our herb tasting, we went to MRF, which basically means Materials Recovery Facility, in this area they were able to recycle, collect materials that can be used of sell to junk shops. They segregate bottles, cans, microwaves, papers and such materials and after a year they will sell it in a junk shop. The money from the sold materials was donated to a nearby school as Kuya Renato told us. It was nice to see and hear that even they’re not owned by the government and they sustain the needs of the whole place they were still able to donate to the people in need. It was heart melting that instead to taking the money for their own they still give it to other people. Before I forgot CELL doesn’t have trash can which means what you brought from the outside must be brought back and thrown outside. At first it was annoying since we would brought back all of our trash in the bus and throw them when we arrived at our school again but when I realized what it was for it was reasonable and has a good reason behind it.
After this we went to the zone where flowering and fruit bearing trees and plants are located. In this area we saw plants such as sili plant, cabbage, vines, upo and such. According to Kuya Renato, they practice organic farming which means they don’t use pesticides in maintaining the plants. They use vermicomposting for the plants which means it came from worms and no chemical added. All there vegetable are organic and healthy for us humans but attached to this is that it cost a lot since organic farming is much expensive than the usual farming. Since the plants are organic, the poultry and livestock are also organic. In their farm they have chickens, turkey, and rabbits. With this organic farming experience I realized that there are also other also other ways in having a no-chemical farm that it must more greener than the usual.
After we visited the zone in which flowering and fruit bearing trees and plants are seen, we visited their aquaponics, it was evident that it was useful since many kangkong have grown and the fish are seen inside the aquarium that gives nutrients for the plants to grow, it is also seen that fishes are able to live in there. Although the plants had many insect bites but it was able to grow. After this, we went to the “Water-less toilet system”, in this toilet the stool from humans are directly brought up to the septic tank that would be converted to methane gas. This toilet as said by Kuya Robert it “holy” since before only priest uses it. It was pretty cool because from this we can conserve water since no flushing is needed, and also it was designed that it can directly brought the stool in the tank.
Our last area visited is the chapel, it was a simple hut but the relaxing and peaceful. The holiness of the place is evident and being a catholic it was a nice place to reflect and communicate with God. The place was very quiet and has a good ambiance; the presence of God can be felt. The place is like having God beside you seeing the fullness of his creation. It is nice that aside from promoting a green and environmental place they didn’t forget about God, placing a chapel inside an ecozoic center is rare but CELL has able to allot a place for it.
After a having a very tiring yet fun and environmental related activity, all of it was worth it. Upon closing the activity, we had this tree planting, in which we were able to touch and felt the soil’s texture and reconnect with it again. It was eye catching and attention catching because I was able to connect with the environment, with the soil. It all came to me that, we're from the soil, we used it and we will also come back to it. With this activity I was able to reconnect again with the environment especially now that I’m really busy at school and forgotten about the environment’s situation. I think this activity is a step closer to the our advocacy and mission to save mother earth and letting other people be aware on earth's current situation and be aware on the possible solutions/actions for it.
To end this blog, I would awaken the dreamer. In this new generation we are the ignorant, selfish and straight minded persons. We often forgot about the importance of nature’s life and environment in our own lives. We forgot to think about the effects of what we are doing, we only mind the benefits we receive. We focus more on the new technologies that we have and focus all our attention on the things that are most important and most beneficial for us. We forgot about the bigger factor that can be affected when we continue doing such irresponsible activities. We are the people who are lazy and rely all our actions and decisions on what is easy than do it in a hard way but can't affect that much other people and even the environment. We are in a world full of life but slowly destroyed because of the human activities that we are doing. We used to be living in a perfect and full of resources world but due to our selfishness and ignorance it is slowly destroyed. In our generation today, we should change our ways and be knowledgeable in what is happening in our world today. In order to create a just and sustainable future we should act now before it’s really too late. We should start it from ourselves before in bigger picture or in a group people in a community. We should learn to be responsible and be aware on what is happening in our environment but it is not enough to just know it, we should also have ways and think of something that can help and sustain nature rather than thinking of another invention that can eventually affect the status of the environment in a bad way. Especially now that our world is slowly dying. We should start by being knowledgeable and aware on what is happening in our world and start on something small such as planting trees such as like what we had done in CELL. This just a one way to reconnect with the environment, there are many more out there we just have to know it and apply in our daily basis. Start with a small way like a literal cell, it is just a small structure in our body but with this is the foundation of the function of our body. Start with small and later on this small way will be the cause of change in the environment's and even our whole life.
It was our day with nature. A day to reconnect on what we had forgotten.
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