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SM Turns to Rain Water Harvesting a key to Living Flood Free

 

Climate change is real and Filipinos are among those who can attest to the devastating effects it brings to everyday life. Faced with about 20 typhoons a year, the Asian Development Bank reported that the total impact from storms has reached about US$20 billion from 1990 to 2020. It causes a temporary disruption due to mass evacuations which bring about an average of 2-8% reduction in gross domestic product annually.


Despite the reoccurring devastation felt during calamities, Filipinos still manage to see the humorous side of life and are often reported as one of the happiest people in the world. However, this may soon be tested as, according to the latest report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, things are about to get worse as the planet heats up, accelerating the effects of climate change and making the Philippines more vulnerable to drastic changes in weather patterns.


On average, the Philippines receives about 2,400 millimeters of rainfall each year, one of the highest in the world. While this poses a problem for the country, there is a silver lining, as it can also be the solution to water scarcity. However, currently, the Philippines only harvests around 6% of its rainwater compared to India which harvests around 60% of the 700-millimeter average rainfall it receives each year.


Rain Water – a friend or a foe?
Water is a scarce resource. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 6 identifies access to clean water as one of the global priorities to be achieved by 2030. Aligned to its environmental responsibility programs, SM takes a closer look at the use of water and how it can be turned from a foe to a friend.

SM builds its malls and integrated lifestyle cities with resilience and sustainability in mind. Understanding the value of water, SM builds rainwater catchments in its malls to harvest large volumes of rainwater, particularly in flood-prone areas.



“We approach it two ways: resilience – to help communities be flood-free, and sustainability – to optimize water which is a scarce resource so we can use it for other purposes rather than just waste it,” says Architect Fides Garcia-Hsu, Vice President at SM Engineering Design and Development.

Vermont Park and Vermont Royale are two communities that once saw rain as a foe. Every time it rained, their neighborhoods ended up underwater, damaging their homes. Today, homeowners welcome the rain as water that can be harvested and stored for future use. The reason? SM City Masinag’s rainwater catchment facility! It has a 17,681 cubic meter water capacity. The two communities connected their drainage systems to the mall which is equipped with three 30HP submersible pumps which are used to pump out accumulated rainwater.
 
“Wherever SM is, we try to help our communities become resilient to changing weather patterns,” explains Arch. Garcia-Hsu. “Nationwide, we have 20 malls equipped with rainwater catchment facilities that help rainwater management to avoid flash floods for surrounding communities.”


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SM Supermalls will color you happy this summer!




Bursting with color starting in April, SM Supermalls is giving its shoppers of all ages a spectrum of hope, happiness, and fun with delightful and safe activities that everyone in the family can look forward to when they visit their favorite SM mall.

Snap-worthy rainbow play areas! Multifunctional play pods in all colors of the rainbow await you at the indoor and outdoor play pods that kids and kids-at-heart will love. From rainbow staircases to larger-than-life displays, you’ll have no trouble getting the best and most colorful #POTD entry!

Sizzling hot summer deals! What’s summer without a mall-wide sale? Go on a shopping spree and get all your summer essentials, including must-have toys, at the nearest SM mall. Delight your kids with sporty knick-knacks, inflatables, and bikes to amp up their summer activities even while at home. Visit the pop-up stores in select SM malls for great finds and exclusive deals!

Sweet treats and Summer Eats! Sip, eat, repeat, and satisfy those cravings with a wide array of food and drink choices at SM Summer Eats! A weekend al fresco market awaits you with delicious meals and refreshing drinks all in IG-worthy colorful dining spaces! Watch out for Summer Teas happening from April 16 to 30 where there will be lots of discounts on the best milk teas to quench your thirst too!

Summer fun under the sun! Time to flex that Tiktok talent! Be witty and wacky, colorful and bright, at the SM Summer Tiktok challenge which you can shoot at any of the malls’ colorful outdoor and indoor displays. For pawrents, you can have a furry fun time with your pets when you join the pet Olympics, go on a picnic with them, or treat them with a pampering session. For the fitness buff, there’s going to be a 7-day fitness blitz for adults and kids at select SM malls where you can blow off steam and sweat it out. Whatever your passion is, we have lots of summer fun activities lined up for you!

From safe dining to shopping and everything in between, make it a fun and colorful summer to remember at SM Supermalls! Make sure to visit www.smsupermalls.com or like and follow @smsupermalls on all social media platforms for the latest news, promos, and activities.







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Easy Ways You Can Prepare Your Home for Incoming Hotter Weather


A Thermometer in sun - Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Spring is here, and summer will be soon. You probably got your spring cleaning done already, but you might need to prepare your home for hotter weather, which can be as bad as cold.

Give Your House a Weekly Check
Checking certain things in your home regularly is a good idea. The exterior of your home, for example, should be checked periodically. By regularly keeping an eye on these, you can catch minor problems before they become big nightmares. But you should also keep an eye on your house from the inside out. Many older houses have plumbing and electrical issues. Spring and summer are also stressful times for your HVAC system. As your pipes expand and cool due to dramatic temperature changes, they are also at risk of bursting. Keep an eye out for leaks.

Get Help from Experts
You can't do everything yourself, and you may not be qualified, so ask for help when you need it. If you don't have the skills to deal with complex house issues, you risk more than making the problem worse. In fact, your safety and the lives of others are also at risk. The best thing to do is hire a trustworthy contractor, such as this handyman near me in Mooresville, NC, and let them handle it. For instance, when you catch a common problem early on, like brittle roof tiles, you won't have to spend much money on repairs. So call in the professionals and get it fixed before your roof becomes more damaged and collapses in on you.

Stick to a Maintenance Schedule
It'll be a nightmare if you let your house maintenance get out of hand. As a result, you should organize your routines to save time. Create a list of things that are related to make it easier. For example, grass grows rather quickly in spring and summer, so mow the lawn every Saturday and Wednesday. And while you're out there, clear out some weeds. Basically, get some yard work done while you're there. But try not to do too much at once in hot weather, or you will overexert yourself. You can get the kids involved in some lighter tasks for Fortnite money.

Always Get the Right Tools for the Job
You need the right tools for every job, no matter what it is. You'll be a lot safer this way. Also, using the right equipment will save you a lot of hassle. It's a pain to clear weeds without a trowel, for instance. Essentially, you will have to work harder to do a lousy job. So make sure you get what you need. Try to buy gardening stuff now before the summer price increases. And it's also better to store your equipment correctly, like in garden boxes. When you leave your tools exposed to the hot sun, they'll get damaged just as much as in the rain and wind.

Summary
You don't have to worry about home maintenance. You can offset the most severe issues by sticking to a plan and checking for problems regularly. But sometimes expert help is needed.


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Cleene CLIO makes Clean Teeth possible for Families this World Oral Health Day 2022



On World Oral Health Day, Cleene CLIO invites everyone to celebrate by practicing proper oral healthcare with their families.

A product of proudly Filipino company PHILUSA Corporation, Cleene CLIO has been an ardent supporter of this global oral health initiative, especially with oral care given less priority during the pandemic when accessibility to dentists and visits to oral health facilities were challenging at the height of the lockdowns.

To emphasize the importance of good oral health practices at home, Cleene CLIO has partnered with Manila Water Foundation and Philippine Dental Association to provide oral health kits to various barangays and schools as part of this year’s World Oral Health Day activities. Over 2,000 health kits containing Cleene CLIO toothbrushes and Dental Floss Premium from Cleene CLIO and PHILUSA were distributed to 12 barangays and to the chosen hygiene facility in Dinalaonan Elementary School in Pangasinan.

And as a special treat for World Oral Health Day, selected Cleene CLIO products will be sold at 20% off exclusively in Mercury Drug stores nationwide until April 15, 2022.

Cleene CLIO continues to be the partner of every Filipino family in promoting good oral hygiene by offering a wide range of affordable and quality toothbrushes.

Cleene CLIO toothbrushes are made with MicroFine Soft Bristles that help penetrate and clean hard-to-reach areas for better interdental cleaning and a gentle brushing experience. The tapered bristles penetrate between teeth and gums for a thorough cleaning, while the rounded shape of the bristles removes plaque and prevents teeth and gum damage.

There is a Cleene CLIO toothbrush for every member of the family that is affordable and has world-class quality. For those wanting extra care and protection for your teeth, Cleene CLIO offers its Refreshing Green Tea and Ultimax Charcoal under their Special care line. While for those needing specialized care, Cleene CLIO has it's Kiddie and Junior as well as 40+ for sensitive gum and teeth. It also has its economy toothbrushes for general oral health care for any age.



Cleene CLIO is available at Mercury Drug, leading supermarkets, drugstores, and other retail stores nationwide as well as on all leading e-commerce websites: Shopee, Lazada, and the PHILUSA Online Store.


The Curious Mom is a part of Mommy Bloggers Philippines. 





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Sustainable living for everyone

 




 

Today, living an eco-friendlier life has become much more manageable. With many simple yet effective ways to make our everyday lives more sustainable, and with many groups ready to help us take that first step toward a greener future, there is every reason to start today. Living a personal sustainable lifestyle can be impactful only if we do it together to preserve our planet for generations to come.

 

One of the best things to live sustainably is to reduce your carbon footprint. Many seemingly harmless daily activities can contribute to a higher carbon footprint or other greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere, leading to dramatic climate changes. An increased carbon footprint includes high electric consumption, driving our cars over short distances, and the excessive use of aerosols and air conditioners, to name a few. Try to identify and minimize these activities if you can, or look for more eco-friendly alternatives, if available.

 

You can also lower your carbon footprint by using energy efficiently. Use energy-efficient appliances, replace your old lighting fixtures with LED lights, and turn off energy-consuming items when not in use. Doing these eliminates energy waste in your home and helps you save more on utility expenses.

 

The 2020 Climate Transparency Report disclosed that the Philippines generated 1.18 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per capita in 2017. The country will need to reduce its emissions to below 132 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030 and below -198 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050. It is to meet the 1.5°C-compliant climate change mitigation goals of the Paris Agreement, of which the country is a signatory. 

 

Together with the Plastic Credit Exchange, SM Cares helps gather empty, clean, and dry plastic waste at select 

SM Supermalls nationwide. Plastic waste may be dropped off every day from 10AM to 5PM.

 

Another way to make your lifestyle more sustainable is to correctly manage and segregate your garbage. Sort and separate your waste by type (e.g., paper/carton, plastic, glass, metal, electronics, etc.). It helps to find out more about your community's waste collection and management policies. You can even make extra cash if you dispose of your non-organic waste through the proper channels.

 

You can also minimize the waste you generate at home. There are many simple ways to do this. It includes reusing plastic bags, opting for eco-bags when shopping, and avoiding single-use items. By being mindful of our food consumption, we can also significantly reduce food waste and packaging. 


The 2020 Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment report that the Philippines ranked third among the world contributors to plastic pollution, with 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste each year.

 

SM's Trash to Cash recycling market happens every first Friday and Saturday of the month 

from 10 AM to 2 PM across all SM Malls and select SDMC Malls nationwide.

 

As a responsible member of the community, SM has consistently implemented programs to inspire Filipinos to be more sustainable, educating them on the importance of sustainability and how to help protect the environment. It includes the long-running Green Film Festival, which features the free screening of environmental documentaries for students and other program partnerships that promote alternative options to plastic. 

 

SM also has projects that directly engage its mall-goers, focusing on solid waste management. These are the monthly Trash to Cash recycling market and the collection of used lead-acid batteries (ULABs), the Electronic Waste Collection program, and the Plastic Waste Collection program held in partnership with the Plastic Credit Exchange. To date, SM Supermalls have collected more than 11,600 kg. of plastic waste, 2,000 kg. of electronic waste and 908,000 kg. of assorted recyclable waste. 

Customers can drop off their electronic waste at bins in the Cyberzone and selected locations 

of SM Supermalls nationwide.

 

In addition, SM has been exploring renewable alternatives as its malls' energy source. For instance, in 2020, the company generated 9,620 MWh of energy from solar roof panels installed in ten different malls nationwide. The company has also completed solar panel retrofits in other malls. SM hopes to achieve its goal of having 50% of the energy it consumes being sourced from renewable sources by the end of this year.

 

"We have always been an advocate of sustainable living. Proof of this is the numerous environmental initiatives that the company has implemented. We build our malls with the environment and community in mind, and we make sure that our developments contribute to environmental protection," said Engr. Liza B. Silerio, SM Supermalls' Corporate Compliance Head. "More importantly, we know that personal sustainability is key to achieving the green future that we want. We will continue to implement programs that encourage positive change within our community partners."

 

SM Cares is the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, with programs to support communities, promote social inclusion and care for the environment. Its CSR advocacies include the Environment, Persons with Disabilities, Women & Breastfeeding Mothers, Children & Youth, Senior Citizens, and the Bike-Friendly SM Program. 

 

To learn more about these programs, visit www.smsupermalls.com/smcares.
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