02/09/2010
Just like Economic Integrity and Stability, Environmental Integrity and Stability go hand in hand with Political Integrity and Stability.
Stability is permanence or firmness in position.
Integrity is defined by dictionary.com as:
n.
- Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
- The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
- The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.
ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY – The sustenance of important biophysical processes which support plant and animal life and which must be allowed to continue without significant change. The objective is to assure the continued health of essential life support systems of nature, including air, water, and soil, by protecting the resilience, diversity, and purity of natural communities (ecosystems) within the environment.
Effective Stewardship Of Our Natural Resources is dependent upon careful planning and management. It is the duty and obligation of any duly elected public official to protect the interest of his/her constituents, as the Local Government Code of the Philippines expressly states:
CHAPTER 2. – GENERAL POWERS AND ATTRIBUTES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS
SEC. 16. General Welfare. – Every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare. Within their respective territorial jurisdictions, local government units shall ensure and support, among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology, encourage and support the development of appropriate and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities, improve public morals, enhance economic prosperity and social justice, promote full employment among their residents. maintain peace and order, and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.
Vote for candidates with POLITICAL INTEGRITY.
Vote for candidates with no personal and hidden agendas.
Vote for candidates who will further push for the protection and conservation of the environment instead of compromising it and putting it at greater risk.
02/09/2010
6 months after the group introduced the latest sport and adventure to try out in Ilocos, LEAD Movement finds itself hosting the Northern Philippines Visitors Bureau “Lakbay Norte” Media tour, through the invitation of Sammy Blas of Saramsam Cafe and Mike Diaz of Herencia de Paoay, in an early morning sandboarding adventure at the dunes in Suba, Paoay. The successful 2-day Ilocos tour was participated in by feature writers and photographers from Philippine dailies, Inquirer and Bulletin; ABS-CBN Global’s TFC and Knowledge Channel; inflight magazines such as Mabuhay, Zest Air, Smile, Sidetrip, Asian Traveler and Sea Air; and freelance writers and bloggers.
Sandboarding is now the latest buzz in the travel/tourism and adventure circles. Being the 10th top destination in the Philippines today, Ilocos Norte hopes to attract more visitors with its new offering. (Read related link.) Blogger Ivan Henares writes about his sandboarding experience in Ilocos.
The LEAD Movement in a recent Sunday sandboarding adventure at the La Paz sand dunes. Friends Jonard, Bernard and Lei joined in.
More on SANDBOARDING IN ILOCOS
Filed under More on the LEAD Movement, eco-adventure
Tags: adventure, eco-adventure, Ecotourism Development, Ilocos, Ilocos Norte, Laoag, Laoag Sand Dunes, LEAD Movement, Northern Philippines Visitors Bureau “Lakbay Norte” Media tour, Philippines, sandboarding, sports
12/28/2009
Plastic fishes, anyone?
The photo was created by Blauearth in support of Rise Above Plastics and Surfrider Foundation.
From Rise Above Plastics (a program of the Surfrider Foundation, an international non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education):
- In some places in the Pacific Ocean, the amount of plastic suspended in the ocean outnumbers plankton six to one!
- Each year. one million sea birds and one hundred thousand marine mammals die from ingestion of, or entanglement in plastics!
Click on photo to view more of Blauearth’s art on flickr .
Copyright © Blauearth™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The photo may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.*Blauearth wishes to thank kittykatfish for the TTV texture, and JoesSistah for the fishes.
Filed under campaigns, eco-adventure, environment news
Tags: ENVIRONMENT, garbage, Ilocos, Ilocos Norte, Laoag, LEAD Movement, Philippines, photos, Plastics, pollution, Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
11/14/2009
Original photo by IMP1 at flickr
Background by Skeletal Mess at flickr
Quote from ABC’s “KUNG FU” TV Series Episode I (Prod #166141), “King of the Mountain”, October 14, 1972, which starred the late David Carradine.
Click on photo to view more of Blauearth’s art on flickr.
Copyright © Blauearth™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The photo may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.
10/29/2009
Trees help absorb carbon dioxide at a rate of 48 lbs./year and release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support 2 human beings.
Why don’t you plant a tree today?
Copyright © Blauearth™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The photo may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.
10/18/2009
Art Photography by Blauearth (Click on photo to view more of Blauearth’s on Flickr). Texture by Joes Sistah.
Copyright © Blauearth™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The photo may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.
09/24/2009
A quote from the film The Private Life of Plants (1995)
“Ever since we arrived on this planet as a species, we’ve cut them down, dug them up, burnt them and poisoned them. Today we’re doing so on a greater scale than ever… We destroy plants at our peril. Neither we nor any other animal can survive without them. The time has now come for us to cherish our green inheritance, not to pillage it – for without it, we will surely perish.”
*Photography by Blauearth. Click on photo to view more of Blauearth’s on Flickr.
Copyright © Blauearth™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The image may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.
08/04/2009
The LEAD Movement, always in search of a fresh thrill, figured out how to make its first sandboard. LEADers Reny Tan and Glenn Guerrero designed the board, while Glenn used his architectural expertise to handcraft it. Right away, they geared up for a Sunday afternoon adventure at the La Paz Sand Dunes…
AND THE NEW SPORT TO TRY OUT IN ILOCOS IS SANDBOARDING.
MC
Glenn
Brandon
MC's try at a steeper slope...
*Check out Wikipedia to view description and images of sandboarding
photos by blauearth
Copyright © Blauearth™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The images may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.
Read related post on sandboarding in Ilocos.
Filed under eco-adventure
Tags: adventure, Ecotourism Development, Ilocos, Ilocos Norte, La Paz Sand Dunes, Laoag, Laoag Eco-Adventure Development Movement, LEAD Movement, outdoor adventure, Philippines, photos, sandboard, sandboarding, sandboarding images, sport
08/04/2009
Ilocano Mountain Bikers group
Vic Gaoiran says, "SWELL"...
While we were perfecting our skills on this new sand boarding adventure at the world-famous La Paz Sand Dunes, friends Vic Gaoiran and Vanni Erice dropped by… to our surprise. They belong to the extreme breed of mountain bikers — the Ilocano Mountain Bikers. Sure, mountain biking is a great way to experience the beauty of nature, stay young… and, of course, lose the fat, while biking, all in all, reduces our carbon footprint.
Photography by Blauearth
06/05/2009
The windmills of Bangui by the Northwind Power Development Corp.
There have been many conflicting views on the aesthetic factor of wind turbines. While others find them utterly ugly and a blight because “they will spoil the view in remote, rural areas”, as noted by Sami Grover of Carrboro, NC, USA and as posted in the readers’ comment box for an on-going survey at TreeHugger (one of my favorite web/blog sites), more people find them elegant and beautiful. Our very own windmills in Bangui, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, have been the subject of countless fascinating photos all over the web. The wind turbines were featured prominently in the WOW Philippines Regine Velasquez tourism campaign which is still being aired on tv, making the town of Banqui a top tourist destination in Ilocos. I, for one, couldn’t resist the urge to participate in the TreeHugger survey. While I agree that they are disastrous to biodiversity, since birds accidentally get caught by the freewheeling vanes once they’re on (though it has been reported that birds have also collided with skyscraper buildings, towers, and aircrafts — more disastrous because they involve the loss of human lives), I also appreciate their beauty — defininitely, better than smog and soot from too much technological advancement. A green business, it helps mitigate the worsening environment situation by lessening the accumulation of greenhouse gases.
On a different note, the Philippine Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008, which aspires to accelerate the development and use of the country’s abundant renewable energy resources, was passed on December 16, 2008. Department of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes reported, “The government is looking to double its renewable energy-sourced power capacity from 4,500 megawatts (MW) to 9,000 MW in 10 years.” The RE Act ensures that companies investing in wind, solar and geothermal projects are granted fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, one of which is a 7-year income tax holiday. Yehey!! I’m thinking wishfully (with crossed fingers) that the Ilocos Norte consumers will be able to enjoy what we’ve long been expecting to be a bonus from these windmills situated right in our own domain. The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) has also acquired the Agua Grande Mini-Hydro Plant in Brgy. Balaoi, Pagudpud, and announced in 2005 that it is planning to put up another one in Brgy. Pansian. We hope that the enactment of the RE Act, which benefits this kind of projects that help cut down on fossil fuels, will also help augment the meager income of the majority of the consumers, especially that the economy is in the doldrums.
Photographed by Blauearth
