YES-O & Science Club of Binanuaanan High School

29/07/2026

Day 17: Avoiding plastic bin liners

Plastic trash, rubbish, waste, or bin bags – whatever you call them, they’re not the only option.

Many people are switching to alternatives for their households, schools, and offices, including:

🗑️Reusing other bags you already have - bread bags, packaging, or other wrapping - before they head to landfill anyway
🗑️Lining the bin with newspaper, flyers, or scrap paper
🗑️Going ‘naked’ - i.e. using the bin without a liner, and cleaning it out when needed

Some ideas for avoiding odours include:

🗑️Wrapping messy items in newspaper or scrap paper before throwing it out
🗑️Freezing wet scraps in paper or reusable containers, and taking them out on bin day
🗑️Looking into home composting systems to get rid of food scraps

Access the full Plastic Free July 2026 calendar: plasticfreejuly.org/resources/assets

16/07/2026

16/07/2026

Sa halip na karaniwang plastic packaging, isang supermarket sa Chiang Mai, Thailand ang gumamit ng dahon ng saging bilang pambalot sa ilan nitong sariwang prutas at gulay.

Maingat na ibinabalot ang mga produkto sa malalapad na dahon, tinatali gamit ang kawayan, at nilalagyan lamang ng maliit na sticker para sa presyo at iba pang impormasyon. Simple man ang paraan, malaki ang maitutulong nito sa pagbabawas ng single-use plastic na karaniwang itinatapon matapos mamili.

Ang dahon ng saging ay likas, madaling mabulok, at mas ligtas sa kapaligiran kumpara sa plastic na maaaring manatili sa kalikasan sa loob ng napakahabang panahon. Maaari rin itong magmula sa mga bahagi ng halaman na madalas ay hindi na nagagamit matapos anihin ang bunga.

Marami ang humanga sa inisyatibang ito dahil pinagsasama nito ang tradisyonal na materyales at makabagong paraan ng pagbebenta. Ipinapakita nitong hindi kailangang maging komplikado o magastos ang pagtulong sa kalikasan—minsan, sapat na ang pagbabalik sa mga likas na alternatibong matagal nang ginagamit ng mga naunang henerasyon.

Sa bawat produktong hindi na binabalot sa plastic, nababawasan kahit kaunti ang basurang maaaring mapunta sa mga kanal, ilog, karagatan, at tambakan.

Isang simpleng dahon lamang ito para sa iba, ngunit kapag ginamit nang tama at sa malawakang paraan, maaari itong maging bahagi ng mas malaking solusyon laban sa lumalalang problema ng plastic pollution.

Sanggunian: Bangkok Post — Chiang Mai supermarket uses banana leaves as packaging

16/07/2026

It is said that the Philippines is the center of the center of marine shorefish biodiversity. This is because the late Dr. Kent Carpenter was a center of this research.

Dr. Carpenter dedicated his entire life to safeguarding our oceans, from his early days as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the 1970s to his landmark work mapping out marine biodiversity in the Philippines. He and Victor Springer coined the term, “center of the center of marine shorefish biodiversity” more than 20 years ago.

His half-century of research shaped the protection of the Verde Island Passage, Tubbataha Reefs, and was pivotal in the understanding of vulnerable marine species and the Coral Triangle. In doing so he helped transform global conservation efforts and inspired countless local scientists.

The marine science community and the Philippines has lost a true friend and a relentless defender of our seas. As we grieve this tragic and unjust loss, we stand in solidarity with his family and colleagues in calling for swift justice and a thorough investigation.

Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends, and colleagues around the world. His life’s work continues to ripple through the waters he loved so much.

Read the landmark study by Kent Carpenter & Victor Springer, “The center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity: The Philippine Islands” 2005
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227112122_The_center_of_the_center_of_marine_shore_fish_biodiversity_The_Philippine_Islands

16/07/2026

Day 16: Making household cleaners.

Many people choose to make their own household cleaners, as a great way of cutting down on plastic waste, saving money, and tailoring how their cleaners smell.

Popular ingredients for DIY cleaners include:

♻️ White vinegar: Perfect for stubborn stains and general all-purpose cleaning. Mix one part white vinegar with one part water. For a refreshing citrus scent, some people soak citrus rinds in the mixture for a few days.
♻️ Bicarbonate soda: Excellent for deep cleaning and deodorising tubs, sinks, ovens, and other tough spots. Make a paste by mixing equal parts bicarbonate soda and water.
♻️ Castile Soap: A versatile vegetable-based soap with numerous uses as an all-purpose cleaner. Mix one part castile soap with ten parts water.
♻️ Tea tree oil: Adding a few drops to DIY cleaning products can boost their effectiveness. It’s a natural disinfectant with antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal properties.

Many people ensure they buy these ingredients in non-plastic packaging (such as glass bottles, cardboard boxes, or at a bulk-buy store), and make them in repurposed spray bottles and containers.

Access the full Plastic Free July 2026 calendar: plasticfreejuly.org/resources/assets

11/07/2026

BAGRAS, also know as "Rainbow eucalyptus", "Rainbow Tree"
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus deglupta
Its a Philippine native tree.

NATURE’S RAINBOW🌈

Did you know that a tree that looks as if it were painted by hand grows naturally in the Philippines?

The rainbow eucalyptus, scientifically known as Eucalyptus deglupta, is a striking tropical tree native to the Philippines and known locally as bagras or Mindanao gum.

It is one of the most visually remarkable trees in the world, famous for its bark that naturally reveals bright bands of color as it peels away in layers. Fresh bark appears green, then gradually changes into shades of blue, purple, orange, and red as it ages and is exposed to air.

What makes it even more remarkable is that this is not an ornamental illusion or an edited image. Its multicolored trunk is a real natural process, which is why the species became widely known as the rainbow eucalyptus.

Beyond its beauty, bagras is also an important tree in botany and forestry. It grows in wet tropical forests, can reach an impressive height in its native habitat, and is recognized as the only eucalyptus species indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere.

In the Philippines, it has long been identified as an indigenous tree in parts of Mindanao and as one of the country’s notable fast-growing forest species.

It is a proud reminder that some of the world’s most extraordinary natural wonders are not only found abroad. Some of them have long been growing on Philippine soil.