WE ARE HAPPY to know that there is at least one company in Iloilo City which supports the call to “Save the Earth” from wastes and pollution.

This company is the Iloilo Supermart, which asks its customers in all its branches here, including the Washington Commercial at J.M. Basa St., to bring along their reusable purchase bags. For doing so, the company gives a rebate for each purchase.

The rebate may not be so much, probably just as much as the cost of the plastic bag it provides to each customer without their reusable bags. In fact, it seemed to have been unable to convince customers to take its advice. We have observed that its customers in some of its branches still continue to depend on the company to provide the plastic bags for their purchases.

We are sure, however, that its public call to reduce the use of wastes (the plastic bags buyers would throw just anywhere in the environment, or even burn to release its toxic emissions into the air), is being observed by its hundreds of employees, as part of company policy for them, including the owners.

That’s good enough – starting a “Save the Earth” policy at least with company employees. However, in trying to start something to help government and public advocacy to protect and conserve the environment, Iloilo Supermart already deserves our appreciation. In fact, we are optimistic that the public will learn to support such an effort of Iloilo Supermart shortly later.

Waste control and management is not only the concern of any business entity but also of all the residents. You see, pollution affects everybody.

I think, the Sangguniang Panlungsod should pass a resolution citing such a remarkable effort by Iloilo Supermart to help reduce the wastes in the city, one of whose problems is the fast depleting space at the garbage dumping areas and drainage pipes that are frequently bothered by clogging wastes. Such an effort also reduces the bad effects on health of the toxic emissions of some waste materials.

This effort of Iloilo Supermart, we are sure, would have a chain reaction in the business community.

We can probably expect other business entities to follow suit with their own kind of programs and projects to reduce, reuse and recycle wastes. Not only because of their own obligation to the global concern for the environment, but also as such efforts make for good business, as they reduce company costs and, at the same time, make profit for it. We have a lot of stories of such advantages to business from just helping “Save the Earth” in the United States and elsewhere in the more advanced countries.

For instance, it may be a good complementary business (to Iloilo Supermart’s effort) to sell biodegradable bags that can be reused for a good many times in making our purchases. Iloilo Supermart can even sell these biodegradable bags.

By reusing these bags, we, the buyers, ourselves, can save money in the long run with less the costs added to our purchases, as well as help protect the environment with the disposal (later) of these bags made of biodegradable materials.

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