Eco-friendly campaign materials luanched

MALOLOS CITY—Candidates in the May polls can now be more environmental friendly during the campaign, not just in words but in deeds.

This came as a Liberal Party (LP) candidate here launched an eco-friendly materials that can be used for campaign posters.

The materials includes the eco-cloth, recycled cardboard paper, and biodegradable plastic that can all replaced the environmentally threatening tarpaulin posters.

Christian Natividad, the incumbent mayor of this historic city and LP mayor candidate showed said materials to selected journalists here.

“We would like to set a trend among candidates to use eco-friendly campaign materials this elections to prove our claims that we really intend to protect the environment,” he said noting that many candidates always claim the same but comes short of their actions.

He said that during election campaign, candidates in national and local post are the major violators of environmental laws.

“We are the first violators and after the elections, we produce tons of garbage,” Natividad stressed.

He explained that in using eco-friendly materials, the country’s environment will be another step safer.

The mayor said that he started thinking of using campaign materials after they launched the first Malolos Green Covenant during the 114th anniversary of the Malolos Congress here last September 15.

The said covenant is aimed that encouraging local government units (LGUs) in the country to pursue steps in mitigating impacts of climate change through green initiatives.

“We thought that we will be violating the Covenant that we launched if we will still use tarpaulins, so I asked my friend to looks for other materials that can be used,” he said referring to Dondon Hornedo of the ED Enterprises based in this city.

The Green Covenant has been submitted to the United Nations and to the Philippine Congress where it was used by Rep. Dan Fernandez of Laguna as basis in urging President Aquino to push for the first Climate Change awards.

“It was submitted to the United Nations and we would like to start the campaign here for eco-friendly election to revolutionize the election campaign,” he said.

For his part, Hornedo said that eco-cloth which is usually used on eco-shopping bags is cheaper by at least four times compared to tarpaulins.

“Tarpaulins costs at least P13 per square foot while eco-cloth only costs P22 per square yard which is about four to six square feet,” he said.

Hornedo said that eco-cloth are available and can be bought in bulk at Divisoria.

He also said that candidates can also use recycled cardboard and biodegradable plastic.

The recycled cardboard are common while the biodegradable plastics degrades into pieces in three months.

Aside from the said materials, Hornedo said that they are using the international sanctioned lead-free paint.

As a heavy metal, lead can affect mental capabilities of persons exposed to it.

According to Hornedo, he learned about lead free paint when he was in the export business which requires lead free paint.

“Its safer to use lead-free paint especially if the campaign materials will be recycled into bags later,” he said.

Hornedo said that it is easy to detect paint containing lead on campaign posters.

“If the picture on the poster is glossy,  its not lead-free paint,” he said.

Hornedo also said that utilization of eco-friendly campaign materials will generate more jobs, especially among silk screen painters who lost their jobs due to the emergence of tarpaulin printing machines.

At present, Hornedo’s ED Enterprises have seven workers and he plan to increase it as more orders come.  Dino Balabo