Insight

My first seedling on IPO Dam

The Ateneo Graduate School Family planted trees last November 23 at IPO Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan. The project is a part of a series of activities for Cura Kalikasan (Care for Nature) under Prof. Rachel Consunji.

The planting area

Getting there. 

Getting to Norzagaray was quick. A short cut took us from Katipunan to Novaliches in less than 15 minutes. On a regular day, that trip would have taken us about an hour. 

Faculty, staff, and students boarded two mini-buses. We also had trip guides from Hands-on manila with us on the buses.

I was not quite sure what to expect since this is my first time to IPO Dam. 

The boat ride to the planting area

Getting on a boat. 

The planting site was about 15-minutes by boat. I was not prepared for a change in weather. The days prior to this had been extremely hot and sunny. So why would this Saturday be different? 

Mother nature had something else planned. When we boarded the bancas, rain started to pour down. Blessing in disguise perhaps, because if we planted during high noon, it would have been hot and difficult to bear. 

Getting past looking good and staying clean

Getting past clean. 

The planting site was already muddy and slippery because of the rain. When we got there, we were sure to get dirty. The thing with the soil is that it looks dirty. But when you get past the “looking good and staying clean,” then things start to be fun and purposeful.

I started counting seedlings at first. But after my first five seedlings, then the perspective changed. It wasn’t about numbers anymore.

It was about:

• being with others 
• duty to care for the environment
• water that I was drinking  and yes, perhaps wasting at home
• atonement for transgressing Mother Nature
• exercise (yes!) 
• being grateful that my calling was not to till the soil 
• thankful for the wonderful nature I had all around but had little time to notice
• embracing the soil that would welcome me when I die 

The Ateneo Tree Planting team

Getting all cleaned up.

The experience was difficult. The terrain was totally inclined. It was very difficult to navigate and stay balanced on both feet. So I crawled, slipped, cut myself until the end of the exercise.

At one point I kept slipping, almost hurting myself and others (i held on to things and people; at 200 pounds, i took everything with me everytime I fell or slipped). Then a random thought crossed my mind.

I understood my brother-in-law, Vic, who was in the mountains as a uniformed officer.  If I were in his place, I would be killed. Perhaps these were the same conditions he would have navigated when he and his team went on missions in the countryside. Perhaps, the conditions were worse. In this terrain, I had none of his skills.

Overwhelmed, blessed, and grateful

Going home. 

I head home humbled by nature, this time more aware about what goes into the water I drink. Although I planted more or less 30 seedlings, what I did will not change the world. My hands are too feeble to cause global warming to stop. 

Perhaps if we all had opportunities for these experiences, feeble hands can combine and make a difference in this world. 

I have a greater respect for the soil now. It’s because on this day, the soil provided me with personal nourishment and growth.

Although I went home dirty and soiled, there was nothing water could not wash away.  

Except, perhaps,  the memories and lessons from this trip.

Air quality facing nothbound, heading into the direction of Makati

Do you recall what your Science teacher told you about air? It’s a type of matter other than solid and liquid. I recall my teacher saying that air exists even though you do not see it. 

But get scared when YOU SEE IT. I DID.

On my way to Makati, I decided to hop on to the skyway.  For a fine and clear day, I could not see Makati, Manila, or the Fort on the horizon. A brown blanket of air settled on top of the city. This blanket is very visible on weekdays and is hardly there on weekends. And since 7am falls under rush hour, I would suppose that this brown blanket of air largely comes from our vehicles’ exhaust.

I’ve seen this brown mist over New Delhi and Seoul on my previous trips. Only in both places, you know that the sun IS shining, but you CAN’T SEE the sun. NASA calls this blanket a brown cloud.

Pollution is allowing us to SEE air and preventing us from SEEING the sun. Call it whatever you want it, but know that we are all contributing to it.

I wonder if we are doing anything about it. Look around. You get a sense what the answer is. 

Slow death.