Reimagine Recycling: A Forum for the Future

Last November 25-26, the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation was invited to participate in a 2-day forum entitled “Reimagine Recycling: A Forum for the Future” organized by Save Philippine Seas in partnership with Coca-Cola Philippines which aims to enhance and strengthen the waste value chain in the Philippines by identifying efforts and gaps, building and nurturing network among different sectors and identifying areas of collaboration.

The Lighthouse Marina Resort Legacy Foundation is under Behavior Change and Awareness

Photo Above: Ms. Jonah Lumen-Pernia, Director of Public Affairs Communication and Sustainability of Coca-Cola Philippines doing the opening remarks. Last year Coca-Cola Phils. launched the World-Without-Waste Campaign in Subic Bay in partnership with the Lighthouse Marina Resort Legacy Foundation last year during the ICCPH Environmental Summit

According to Ocean Conservancy, every year, approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean from land as a result of mismanaged material streams—an excess of non-recyclable plastics, a lack of waste collection, or limits in waste infrastructure like landfills and recycling facilities. Plastic impacts more than 800 marine species and has been documented everywhere from the deepest ocean trenches to Arctic ice. 

An issue of this size and scale requires bringing people together from various sectors and this is what Coca-Cola Philippines did in their efforts to achieve their vision of a World Without Waste. Through the years, our quest to build a sustainable mindset & culture has connected us to like-minded individuals and I was glad to see some familiar faces in the room.

Butte Metz, Co-Founder of Precious Plastic Philippines together with Julian Rodriguez, Co-Founder of Plastic Tides PH

We join representatives from other non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and academies not just with great ideas on how to help solve our waste management problem but most of all, the heart and determination that goes with it.

Coca-Cola Philippines launched the World Without Waste (WWW) during the 2018 International Coastal Cleanup Environmental Summit held in Subic Bay, Philippines. The WWW campaign aims to collect and recycle a bottle or can for everyone that Coca-Cola sells by 2030. Moreover, to close the loop on its packaging system, Coca-Cola will build a 1-B food-grade recycling facility here in the Philippines by next year. It is nice to see a company of this size puts their money where their mouth is. We are happy to be part of their journey towards sustainability and grateful for allowing us to be part of it. We Look forward to working together to turn this vision of a world without waste into a reality. 

Some of the organizations involved in this workshops were:

• Precious Plastic Philippines

• Pure Oceans

• Plastic Tides Ph

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• Wayste Cleantech Ph

• Freediving Coaches of Asia

• Plastic Smartcities

• Old Manila Eco Market

• Masungi Georeserve Foundation

• National Academy of Science and Technology

• Philippine Business for Social Progress

• Inhinyera (Women for Engineering Advocacy)

• University of the Philippines - Los Baños

• Human Nature

• Lola Sayong Eco Surf Camp

• Altum

• The Bamboo Company

• Wheyl Nutrition

• ReMaker Space

• Bridge360

• JM Purification Trading

• PEMSEA Resource Facility

• Zero Waste Advocate / Plastic Hackathon