Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change

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I am only one blog. I am only one voice. But today, I will pull words out of thin air. I will raise my voice until I am heard. And I will do the best that I can to let the world know that climate change is real.

It’s not a hoax. It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s not an illusion.

If reality indeed bites, we were mauled to death. If Mother Nature was upset, we’ve just incurred her wrath. If this was all a conspiracy, we’re right in the middle of it. And if this was all an illusion, why can’t we snap out of it?

If fear, pain and suffering are intangibles, why can we touch it? Why won’t cries for help stop? Why do retrieved bodies keep stacking up? Why won’t the smell of death and destruction leave us?

Ondoy’s Trail of Fury from Glenn Omanio on Vimeo.

Because for us here in the Philippines, your abstract is our reality. Your apocalypse has arrived sooner. And what you anticipate has just left.

We are victims of man’s excesses, of man’s greed, of man’s pride, of man’s carelessness and irresponsibility, of man’s procrastinations and misplaced priorities. (We ranked #1 in the 2006 Annual Climate Risk Index in the list of countries most affected by extreme weather events.)

The irreversible is gnawing at us, eating us raw and warm, coming to us in the comfort of our homes, in the simple pleasures of a family meal — like an angel of death, it came  and snatched us of those we love.

Typhoons Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepeng (Parma) have brought us to our knees and gave the expression “in way over our heads” a whole new meaning. The “Great Flood” of Metro Manila and Souther Luzon compounded by the same tragedy in Pangasinan and most of Northern Luzon was followed by landslides in the land of pine trees and strawberries. What used to look and feel like a glimpse of heaven, sky within reach has now become a muddy hell littered with boulders in disarray. Farther below has emerged a sea of agony. It was our “Katrina” — but probably far worse.

There is probably no better time for us to come to you — the rest of the world — our brothers and sisters. We want you to know this: The world is changing like we never saw it happening. The latest and loftiest of technologies that we have proved no match for nature’s wrath.

Tale of Three Disasters in the Philippines, Samoa and Indonesia from Glenn Omanio on Vimeo.

It is time to take stock of what’s happening the world over. Let us set aside our differences and work together for the preservation of the human race. To say that it affects each and every one of us is no exaggeration — no lie — no hoax — no conspiracy theory.

As leaders of the world come together in Copenhagen this December for a global response to climate change, let us all pray and urge them to seal the deal and come up with short and long-term solutions to climate change. While the damage has been done, most of it irreparable and irreversible, let it not stop us from exploring ways of mitigating the effects of previous transgressions and urge us once and for all that action must be done. Let the simple acts of everyday be conscious efforts of combating climate change.

In the face of the worst tragedies and the most challenging adversities, the human spirit of survival has always prevailed. Our finest hour is yet to come.

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For us in the Philippines, let us make a conscious effort to study climate change and take action. Join Pilipinas Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change. Acquaint yourselves with the many ways you can help.

I am only one blog. I am only one voice. But I know that I do not act alone.

Today, October 15 is Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change. Bloggers all over the world will be talking about the single most imminent threat to our planet and ourselves. Join in the conversation. After all, we’re all in this together.

One day. One issue. Thousands of voices.

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UPDATE: 16OCT2009

Based on the information I got from the Blog Action Day site, there are about 400 blogs in the Philippines who registered for the event. I initially intended to list down all the participating blogs here but they are just too many. :)

I urge you to read all of them in your spare time. These blogs cover a variety of niche topics but they have blogged together as one on this very momentous day as we fight to  end of apathy on climate change.

Suggested Further Reading:

• Earth Day 2009: More Than A Pledge, We Need A Radical Lifestyle Change
• Behind Frosted Glass: Uncovering the “Man” in Manny Villar
• What About Now?
• Let’s Behave, Shall We?
• The Reality of Poverty

Tags: #BAD09, blog action day 2009, Causes, climate change, copenhagen, global warming, ketsana, manila flood, parma, philippines, pilipinas, typhoon ondoy, typhoon pepeng