Celebrate EARTH HOUR at AYALA CENTER CEBU

Ayala Center Cebu once again celebrates Earth Hour, the mall’s annual participation to the effort organized by WWF (World Wildlife Fund) that encourages households and businesses to turn off non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for 1 hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.

Last year, Ayala Center Cebu , together with the Cebu Business Park , was able to save 3,661 kwh or an equivalent CO2 emission reduction of 702.55 kg for this initiative. Earth Hour 2011 will raise the bar and go beyond the hour by working hand in hand with the mall’s merchant partners for a year-long campaign for a sustainable environment. With this, Ayala Center Cebu has prepared various activities for all of us to join and pitch in our contribution to this cause.

To start with, let us support Earth Hour by SWITCHING OFF our own non-essential lights on March 26 from 8:30PM to 9:30 PM. The mall will SWITCH OFF again 70% of the lights at the common areas and some equipment such as elevators, escalators and water features. Restaurants can use alternative lights on the tables and are encouraged to place glow sticks or any glow in the dark items inside their stores.

Going beyond Earth Hour, Ayala Center Cebu encourages you to participate in there other activities as well:

Merchants Green efforts, March 16-25: A contest for all ACC merchants to share their innovative efforts in helping reduce environmental impact. Top five (5) best and most relevant efforts will be selected and awarded during the Earth Hour party on March 26. Each best entry will get P3,000 worth of eGC and Five (5) pcs. Ayala Cinema Passes.

Beyond the Hour Contest from March 18-25: Thru Ayala Center Cebu ’s Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/AyalaCebu) , shoppers can participate by posting their small acts for Mother Earth. It may be a simple text describing the act or effort or a photo which can be uploaded. Ten (10) best acts/efforts from both written and photo categories will be selected and awarded with Gift Certificates during the Earth Hour party.

Earth Hour Countdown at The Terraces, March 26: This will be led by CHI Management Heads, WWF Representative, ABCCI President, Business partners and the merchants. Glow-in-the-Dark I Commit to Go Beyond the Hour Wall, percussionists, fire dancers, Capoiera demonstrations, some games and prizes will be prepared for everybody.

Together our actions add up and we can make a difference. So what are you waiting for? Mark your calendars and have a meaningful and worthwhile Earth Hour Celebration only at Ayala Center Cebu as they celebrate Earth Hour beyond the hour!

Rockeoke Unplugged: Sing for Mother Earth

The Rockeoke Unplugged: Sing for Mother Earth will happen on March 26, 2011 at the Persimmon Plus, Mabolo, Cebu City. Rockeoke Unplugged: Sing for Mother Earth is in line with this year's Earth Hour campaign and celebration: Going beyond the Hour (60+) which is organized by Aboitiz Power.

See more information about the Rockeoke Unplugged: Sing for Mother Earth on the Photo/Poster above. See you at the Rockeoke Unplugged: Sing for Mother Earth!!!

WFTO Asia Media launch

March 8 is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is, “Equal Access to education, training and science & technology: Pathway to decent work for women”; over 100 countries all over the world celebrated on this day the various contributions and achievements of women.

The mission and vision of World Fair Trade Organization Asia (WFTO Asia) is to uplift the conditions of thousands of grassroots producers and workers in the poorest of Asian countries in which majority are composed of women. The WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN IN FAIR TRADE event is a celebration of the achievements and contributions of women in Fair Trade and in their respective communities. It showcased women in Fair Trade as leaders and change makers, highlighting the experiences of these women in helping other women that created a cycle of empowerment.

Ramona Ramos, Executive Director of WFTO Asia says, “At present, we have more than 90 member organizations and communities in 14 Asian countries, majority are women and women led, who supports women in creating sustainable livelihood solutions for her and her family.”

Simultaneously, WFTO Asia pre-launched its new regional consumer brand & logo with the tagline, “Shopping with a Conscience.” In connection, WFTO Asia will introduce its 2011 consumer campaign called “100% Guilt Free Shopper.”

The campaign aims to inform everyone, especially the consumers, what Fair Trade is and the 10 principles it represents. It aims to empower the consumers that by switching to Fair Trade by either buying (certified WFTO Asia Fair Trade products and/or the organization’s advocacy merchandise) or supporting the organization (Sponsoring/ Donating/ Fundraising, becoming a volunteer intern, and or participating in the organization’s events), they have the power to eradicate poverty, stop child and forced labor, advocate for gender equality, support sustainability and capacity building, safeguard the environment, promote equality in trade, and open opportunities for health and education.

“This campaign targets 1,000,000 switchers by the end of the year. 1,000,000 people in Asia who realized that thoughtless buying isn’t enough. 1,000,000 people who believes that they can use the power of their purchase to change the lives of millions of disadvantaged communities all over the world,” says Toni Zuniga, Business Development and Brand Officer of WFTO Asia

The ‘100% Guilt Free Shopper’ campaign will officially begin on April with the launch of WFTO Asia’s Regional 100% Guilt Free Shopping Ambassadors. These people will follow the footsteps of WFTO’s Global Ambassador Emma Watson in promoting WFTO and Fair Trade.

Photos taken from World Fair Trade Organization Asia (WFTO Asia) Fb Page.

Cebu Green Economy Series: Renewable Energy Summit 2011

With issues of climate change and environmental degradation brought into the limelight, calls for a shift in policy frameworks, development paradigms and lifestyles become ever more urgent. Such issues highlight a global problem with increasingly felt local impacts: heavier rains, flashfloods, sea-level rise, spread of infectious diseases, scarcity of resources with heavy reliance on unsustainable fossil fuel for energy needs.

Taking in these concerns, there is growing international consensus on the urgency of developing low carbon, resource-efficient, and socially inclusive economies as expressed in an emerging “Green Economy” framework. This poses a critical challenge to existing development models that measure progress only by looking at the GNP and GDP as indicators, without considering the sustainability of societies. The message of the “Green Economy” model is simple: not all investments are good investments! In fact, most of our society’s economic wealth has been generated through the overexploitation and pollution of our environment, at the expense of the most vulnerable sectors which bear the brunt of the impacts. Taking sustainable development as a guiding principle, a “Green Economy” framework requires the strengthening of three inseparable pillars: economic development, social development and environmental protection.

The search for local solutions to these problems led to the formation of the Cebu Green Economy Series, a string of events that allows stakeholders to discuss relevant issues linking environment, society and economy. Its aim is to explore “rapid but low risk” alternatives to the destructive ways in which society has carried out developmental projects that exploit the environment and marginalized the poor. Under the Cebu Green Economy Series, we address themes such as: 1) clean and alternative energy; 2) green jobs and investments; 3) food security; 4) sustainable transportation; 5) sustainable waste management and resource conservation; 6) eco-friendly built environment and architecture, and 7) liveable cities and urban environment, to name a few.

To start the series, we are organizing a Renewable Energy (RE) Summit with the theme “Meeting the Challenges of Sustainable Energy development in Central Visayas” on March 7-8, 2011 at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall. Through this summit, we aim to achieve the following objectives: 1) to develop mechanisms and infrastructure for enabling a market for RE; 2) to map out resources and potentials for RE development in Central Visayas; and 3) to formulate an action plan for promoting RE as the best alternative to heavy and unsustainable reliance on fossil fuels for energy needs.

To meet these objectives, this multi-stakeholder event, involving local government units, civil society and business sectors, will provide a venue for plenary and panel discussions on topics such as the power situation of Central Visayas, the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, and public-private partnerships, within the larger framework of promoting “Green Economy”. There will also be a two-day exhibition highlighting best practices for the implementation of renewable energy programs in communities, LGUs and NGOs. Companies, banks and other organizations that have products and services that advance the development of renewable energy are welcome to join the exhibition. The activity will be capped by a keynote address to be delivered by Department of Energy Secretary Ruben Almendras and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. Details of the program will be disseminated.