In the Philippines, virtually every item of daily use is offered in mini-packs in order to meet the limited financial budget of the population. Thereby, unfortunately the calculation does not add up both financially and ecologically. First of all it is generally cheaper buying a bulk package then satisfying daily needs by buying things one by one and of course it is a catastrophy for the environment, in particular in terms of plastic waste. Considering that almost every grocery purchase is carried home in plastic bags, sometimes double wrapped, the full extent of the problem becomes obvious.

Keep in mind that most of the plastic isn’t bio-degradable and breaks down instead into microplastics. In the ocean, microplastic gets absorbed by aquatic life and consequently also affects human food chain.

However, there are also positive approaches to note, such as the plastic-free Wednesday and Saturday, as well as a growing offer of beverages in returnable bottles.

Be a role model, consume mindfully, use a reuseable eco-bag and prefer returnable bottles over plastic.