To make way for more green space and push for a plastics-free campus, Ecoteneo, the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) environmental protection and conservation advocacy group, organized the first canal clean-up and planting activity that took place along Zamora Street on June 5, 7:00 am.

Armed with work gloves and tools, approximately 100 participants from TRIMOCC, Ecoteneo Student Unit, The Ateneo Biological Society, Arrupe Volunteers, ASU – City Government of Davao and Barangay 32-D took part in the said activity.

A zero-waste breakfast picnic was done right after the clean-up drive, wherein participants were asked to bring their own mess kits and tumblers.

Ecoteneo also initiated a signature campaign that was launched through a photo exhibit at 2:00 pm in Arrupe Hall. The exhibit, called “Imagine… A Plastics-Free World” portrays world environmental issues as well as the initiatives of cities including Koronadal and Dumaguete on plastic pollution. The photo gallery will be running for a week, June 5-9.

According to event coordinator Ms. Carmela Santos Belisario, the signature campaign is a shortcut to the consultation that Fr. Joel Tabora, the University President, proposed to make the campus plastics-free.

“Instead of conducting a consultation, why not let the students show their support already through their signatures?” Belisario expressed.

With the help of student representatives from different organizations and clusters, the gathering of signatures will be going on for a week or so.

As a way of showing their commitment to the campaign, students were also invited to pin green ribbons distributed by the representatives on their IDs.

The aforementioned activities are in line with the celebration of World Environment Day 2018 with the theme, “#BeatPlasticPollution.”