Word Bicycle Day (Arroceros Forest Park, Manila)

I joined several bicycle riders and environment advocates last June 3 at the Arroceros Forest Park in Manila to celebrate World Bicycle Day. This bike ride, which ended up in Paco Market, advocated a plastic-free lifestyle. A great day that made my decision to travel to Manila and join this event more meaningful.

Arroceros Forest Park is the last and the only remaining forest park in the City of Manila. It is the last place where birds that were once abundant in the city have found a refuge. It is the last place where you can breathe fresh air in this crowded city. I hope that what I heard about plans of converting this park into a mall is nothing but a baseless rumor.

Inside Arroceros Forest Park, I can imagine how Manila looked like during Spanish times - with old and giant trees occupying a majority of the city. During those times, trees outnumber cold and concrete buildings. Vegetation and greens were everywhere. Now, cement has conquered the city as a sign of development. Beside this forest park is the once very clean Pasig River that seems to be breathing its last from pollution and neglect.

Joining this kind of event is definitely time well spent. Biking and advocating for a plastic-free environment are two activities worth our time and effort.  Just one person who decides to shift to a bike to work existence creates a positive impact on the environment. Just one person who opted to change to a plastic-free lifestyle gives the Pasig River a fighting chance to survive. Plastics are the most common pollutants in this river.

We are all aware that plastics are notorious for polluting our rivers and seas. Plastic products are used for only a few minutes and thrown away as trash. They, however, take a very long time to decompose clogging our drainage systems resulting in flooded streets even during a few hours of rain. Once these plastics find their way to our seas, they are mistaken as food by marine animals causing their death. It is indeed about time that we make ways to break free from plastic.