Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) – Small choices that help reduce waste and preserve nature can go a long way – it could actually mean saving more lives from the dangers of climate change, actress and environmentalist Antoinette Taus said.
Taus spoke to CNN Philippines' Pinky Webb on World Environment Day as she hoped to inspire more people to be proactive in going green and battling climate change. For her, it doesn't take herculean effort – all one needs is to make little decisions each day. Put together, these will spell a huge difference.
"Every single day, every action we take – whether it’s turning off the lights or conserving water. We talk a lot about washing hands right now. When we wash our hands, we don’t need to leave the faucet on," the former TGIS star told The Source.
"We cannot stress enough the importance of the fact that we protect nature not because of the planet, but lives are actually at stake," she added, stressing that the Philippines often bears the brunt when huge storms hit.
Other tips include avoiding single-use plastics like wrappers, disposable utensils, and shopping bags if possible. Labeling medical waste properly can also help in proper segregation and protect garbage collectors from possible exposure, simply by placing them in a labeled yellow container.
The 38-year-old actress has since been an advocate of sustainable living. While that may sound like a complicated concept, but Taus breaks it down to these questions: "When we purchase anything, let’s do our research about the company that made the product. How was it made? Did it affect human lives? Did it cause abuse? Did it come from sources that were bad to the planet?"
Watch the full interview here.