However, Abigail Favis of the Ateneo Environmental Management Coalition (AEMC) believes that with the newly launched “e-bee” campaign, better self-discipline would be promoted and less waste would be generated.
“The attitude of students not practicing [Claygo and BYOB] is not actually a problem but a challenge,” said Project Head William Mallari.
“Instead of busyness [preventing] them from doing their environmental duties, the busyness of Ateneans should include the fulfilling of their environmental responsibilities,” Favis said.
Because bees connote “busyness,” e-bee stands for “Environmentally Responsible Bee.” The AEMC believes that this campaign is a battle for the environment, thus labeling its volunteers and members ‘army.’
E-bee volunteer Ken Abante is currently part of the volunteering team that wears shirts and pins carrying the e-bee logo. “Basically we’re the demo, the models of the campaign. We do them so that people will see how it really works.”
The e-bee campaign promotes environmental causes and encourages students to become more responsible for cafeteria wares. Its goals include information dissemination, release of online and printed newsletters, and surveys.
The campaign was launched on November 16 and covers the JGSOM Student Enterprise Center, Ateneo Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and the Blue and Gold Cafeteria.
Enlisting in the army
Mallari, who conceptualized the e-bee campaign, said that there have been reports of students not returning their plates and utensils. The new scheme was implemented to reduce the amount of lost plates, tumblers, and utensils and also to help develop Ateneans as responsible consumerists.
Additional fees were charged for students who use caf plates and utensils. Once the diner returns the wares to the Distribution and Deposit Claiming Area (DDCA), the extra deposit will be returned.
“People rent the wares. [They do] not buy them,” he clarified. “The school is still subsidizing an amount for the reusable wares [and] the cost of the deposit is not the actual cost of the real thing,” he said.
“It’s just an added alternative. Before, you’re only allowed to eat in the caf or take your food out with your baunan,” Favis said. “Now, we’ve given students a third option, which is actually better because we’re accounting [for] the reusable disposals and [minimizing] the losses.”
Mixed opinions
While DDCA personnel Paul Ryan Nagma thinks going back and forth to return plates is bothersome, his fellow personnel Angelito Veles said students just need to get used to the new practice.
“On the first two days, the students didn’t understand the scheme yet. They still had questions. But after a week, they understood the system already,” said Veles in Filipino. “It’s not an easy thing to do but they followed through.”
“At first, I didn’t like it because the process was unfamiliar to me, but then I realized it was an effective way of urging people to clean as they go,” sophomore Gelo Alvarez said.
Freshman Carlostito Gothong has already witnessed the good effect of the project. “I haven’t seen plates outside the cafeteria anymore.”
E-trikes
Aside from the e-bee campaign, the AEMC launched the Ateneo e-trike (electronic tricycle) on December 7. According to Favis, the pilot run lasts from December 7 to 18 and from January 4 to 22, charging P15 for special trips and P7.50 for two or three passengers. Favis said that these trikes not only conserve energy, but are also cheaper to maintain.
Four tricycle drivers of the Loyola Heights Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) and of the Pansol TODA were asked to use the e-trikes.
“We do not aim to replace them. We only want to help them change the vehicles that they drive or operate,” Favis said.
Favis said that AEMC wants the tricycle operators to experience using e-trikes so they could eventually shift to driving these instead. She hopes to convince drivers in surrounding communities to shift to using e-trikes, as well.
