PHILIPPINES – Climate change is an urgent issue that cannot be ignored; hence, Bonifacio Global City shifts its focus to lessen its carbon emission and residuals while continuously building a more involved community that champions sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives and advocacies.
In 2020, BGC successfully cut its carbon emission down to 37% while offsetting 62% of greenhouse gas by converting streetlights, parks, and buildings with a renewable energy source, encouraging alternative transportation modes, and planting trees and shrubs around the city. The 3,800 trees in its 240-hectare estate helped improve the urban microclimate.
Establishing the 16-kilometer shared and dedicated bus and Personal Mobility Device (PMD) lanes enabled many commuters and car drivers to switch to bicycles and electric kick scooters. By the end of 2020, BGC recorded 5,000 bicycles and other PMD users daily, compared to only 500 users pre-pandemic.
For solid waste, BGC organized a weekly Clean and Dry Plastic Drop-off to encourage BGCitizens to segregate in their homes and drop-off plastics for recycling.
BGC collects an average of 400 kg of plastics per month. A whopping number of plastic waste that could have otherwise ended up in Metro Manila’s garbage landfills. The collected plastics are then recycled into Eco Brics. In partnership with Green Antz, Bonifacio High Street and Alagang Ayala Land, the clean and dry plastic drop-off is activated every Saturday at Bonifacio High Street B7 Portal by Aldo. Discarded box or Tetra pack containers are now also accepted.
BGC is also one of the greenest mixed-used estates, with 70% of its office buildings recognized as green buildings by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE), and WELL. It’s a testament to how BGC makes a collective effort to turn the micro-city into a healthier place to live, work, and play.
Aside from the earth-friendly initiatives mentioned, BGC has more sustainability programs and initiatives underway. High Street Harvest, a bi-monthly activity that encourages BGCitizens to exchange their clean and dry plastics with herbs harvested from Bonifacio High Street and composts generated from BGC’s yard waste. There’s also the Love Food, Avoid Waste project, where condominium residents can turn their household food waste to bokashi compost by subscribing to the Book-a-Bucket program in partnership with Greenspace.
Soon, BGC will also launch the BGC Urban Farm at 5th Avenue. As the name suggests, the urban farm will be open to all residents to adopt a hub, volunteer as “farmers” or simply acquire a farmer-employee. “Adopt a Hub” allows residents to explore urban gardening and grow fresh veggies themselves. They can either bring the fresh produce home or give it to a community in need. This innovative project also welcomes families should they wish to expose their young kids to urban farming. This program not only encourages BGCitizens to grow their own food but also promotes well-being and exercise.
Together with the City Government of Taguig and Brgy. Fort Bonifacio, BGC is finding more ways to lessen its residuals by diverting its solid waste from landfills to recycling facilities and household composting. This commitment is aligned with the LGU’s objective of decreasing its residuals by 2022.