Bringing Value from the Sea to Filipino Homes: Ligo

Watching documentaries and seeing the plight of fishermen in the provinces made me realize how some of our fisherfolk's practices are not sustainable. We consume quite a lot of sardines, as it is one of the most affordable food items we have that is properly kept, canned and lasts a long while. In a 2017 survey, they listed 9 out of 10 pinoys actually consume it.

As commercial fishing boats become a norm, overfishing is becoming a huge problem. The amount of sardines they take out from the sea just wouldn't be able to sustain production. Add to that climate issues, and it's a tragedy waiting to happen.

Century Pacific Food Inc. who produces various sardine brands like 555, Lucky 7, Fresca, and well loved brand Ligo launched a campaign called "Sustendido Bulan" at Bulan in Sorsogon. This aims to make sure that sourcing raw ingredients including fish is sourced sustainably. They also want to make sure fisherfolk are educated about processes and make sure the long term supply of it.   

They also went over and beyond by doing community work with their products, teaching nutrition to empower the community and have an even better resource management practices in this location. CPFI and Ligo wants to enable they understand that there could be a supply chain that could benefit them all. Through various partnerships, education and innovation, they would be able to balance the needs of people to bring value from the sea to Filipino homes too.

Putting their call "Lamang ka sa Ligo" is a practice that gets both consumers and suppliers at a beneficial standpoint. Something that would not harm the planet and not have overfishing at these locations.

As of now, they have trained 250 fishermen and women about sustainability. They also accredited 500 families as suppliers. They also now created over 850 posts to employ them in plants across the region and had 1075 kids benefit from their school feeding programs. They also noted how rejection rates of fish went from 13 to only 3% and hopefully have eliminated resource strain because of the "Sustenido Bulan" efforts. They are following UN Sustainable Development goals and hope to maintain these gains in the coming years. We fervently hope this becomes beneficial for future generations and be practiced at different locations. It doesn't have to be in one place of course!

Ligo certainly brings value not only from the sea, but to Filipino homes nationwide!

ACER Continues Sustainable Path: Puts More Power to Devices and Use Less Energy

Just got off the ACER Global Press conference this evening.

A few things were discussed, one of them is the power of AI and how it could power things that are done today. From security, power, safety, medical use and new innovations like eKinekt and sustainability. They plan to use 100 percent sustainable materials in their supply chain in making and packaging their products.

Acer's Robin Wu introduced "ebii", an AI driven bike that is both safe and smart. With it's minimalistic design, flat free tires, and smart device that can provide real time data, and also help to make your ride efficient. It's got a fast charging battery, and can be monitored when you park your bike. It also has a rear collision alert, handlebar bag, an all day bike with less carbon footprint.

Maki Nakamura on the other hand started on their Vero lineup. The Acerpure Pro Vero is packaged in eco friendly materials, and can improve air quality with decreased power consumption over time. Aside from that, they also have Acer Vero Laptops like the Aspire Vero 15 which has 40 percent PCR on chasis, reducing CO2 emissions using 30 percent used plastic on its body. With the 13th Gen Intel Core processor, Intel Evo certified, 12 hours battery life, and a 15.6 inch display. It's also equipped with a 1440p webcam, so you won't look digitized on those Zoom meetings. It's also got Eco Mode to save on batteries, sufficient and fast ports, plus available in different colorways, it looked good from where we saw it.Packaging was made from 90 percent recycled material, 53 percent less water used on it, and still tough by undergoing rigorous tests. They also have the ACER Vero projector PL3510ATV, has a DLP chip, 50% energy saving capability and is brighter than most videos. You can also use an android TV dongle so you can use Google Play apps, the usual            smart projectors need not be expensive with it. They also said this can work 24/7, must be magic!

On their ACER Predator gaming products, they want to push the envelope. The Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition has a 13th Gen Intel Core i9, runs on Win11, and Game Pass from XBox. Those games can be played right away. It will be part of the Predator lineup out of the box, plus the titles they have which can take advantage of the resolution their machines can do. You can also use profiles for your 3D settings, so you can immerse yourself in that game like never before. They still have the classics don't worry, and have new titles published fast every time. Even game devs of Octopath Traveler 2 was there to swear by it.

There's also the Helios Neo 16, with a well designed aluminum cover, GeForce RTX40 graphics card, NVIDIA knows this is their largest jump so far in technology. Those rendering, graphic design would be more detailed with what they have, so imagine what they can do in gaming while keeping it cool and quite still. It's custom cooling solutions keep your laptop in best temperature even in high performance games. Not only that, it can turn heads.

There's also Triton 17X that carries a GeForce RTX 4090 and the latest gen i9 intel processor, it's powered by the most advanced core enabling the ultimate experience in laptop gaming. It's been used in a pro gaming tourney already and plans to push boundaries in the next few years. It's also got a CNC milled body, grills on the side, triple fan and a vapor chamber, heat won't be much of a problem. It's portable, well designed and can perform well. There's lslo a Nitro XZ452CU V which is a ultra-wide monitor, so those multiple windows can just loiter around and still look fancy in it. It deserves its own spot on your office or living room, it's that good. There's also the Predator Orion X that has a LOT of power, we're talking about 24 cores, gaming, multi tasking, streaming, DDR5 RAM and swappable drives, imaging the things you can do with games and work. No compromise on performance, has it's own cooling system and a well designed tower that fit everything on top of your table. That's power, performance and design. I want it personally.

They promise that the best is still yet to come. I can't wait for that!

Sustainable Tourism Thrives at Hamilo Coast

I've been to Hamilo Coast quite a number of times for family and events. It's actually a really good destination to do pretty much anything you put your mind into. The property sits in a 5,000 hectares of prime land managed by SM Prime under Costa Del Hamilo, Inc. It's a mix of residential, mid rise leisure driven resort with rooms that have spectacular views which you don't see much in the south. The development is well thought of and if you stay for a while, you could see how they put together the best elements you could ever ask for in a property. The convenience of modern facilities; and a heavenly landscape, the enjoyable outdoors where flora and fauna roam freely.

See, Hamilo Coast takes this to heart. They partnered with WWF or World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines. True to their word, this has been going on for 15 years and through this, they work on effective and sustainable tourism programs in the areas of coastal resource management, Solid Waste work, active mangrove planting, sourcing renewable energy and environmental awareness communication to affect a lot of people. The environment is riding on this which is why they are continuing to pursue world class and standardized eco tourism processes that takes leisure property management a notch higher.

CDHI's Hamilo Coast brings forth a beautiful community that doesn't forget to be responsible. As one of the most coveted properties in the region, they make sure to address matters that would be harmful for nature like solid trash and wastewater, and put proper plans in place. Both organizations have been working on programs that puts the importance on environment and build sustainable communities that make the right choices for their own and others. Their overall environmental management plan should be lauded and aside from the programs they have in place, should continue the coastal cleanups and the annual Earth hour which they celebrate in this property. Together with WWF, the Hamilo Coast management and the community, they can spark change and inspire more people. The Pico and Santelmo Beaches, the whole estate would be enjoyed by generations to come. It starts here, and it starts now!

Make sure you visit their social channels to get updates on activities and know more about what Hamilo Coast is all about.

Acer Launches Chromebook Vero 514 and Showcased Green Sustainable Production

It's the ACER Green Day celebrations this morning and starting off the festivities, they showed us all about ACER GREEN DAY.

Acer CEO Jason Chen says "We have been doing the Carbon Disclosure Program to our supply chain since 2008. This year we are doing it in three tiers, from starting to increase recycled content in our notebook packaging, to having our Acer wide eco-friendly initiatives and green philosophy through Project Humanity, bringing sustainability efforts to all our supply chain through Earthion last year, and launching the Acer Vero line in 2021 that sets the bar for Eco Friendly laptops, we now have expanded the Vero to include the TravelMate Laptops bringing us to numerous awards for our efforts, we are not working on smart solutions for a better tomorrow."

 

Innovative smart solutions for everyday lives is a tall order but they have been working with partner agencies and government institutions to make it happen. They want a connected and sustainable lifestyle for you and me. They are gearing to be 100 percent sustainable in 2035. The Vero product line also started the ball rolling for green innovations for Acer's 3 other product lines. They introduced the new Acer Chromebook Vero 514. It's got a 12th Gen Intel Core i7, accurate color display, it uses fully recycled plastic at 30% PCR for the chasis, OceanGlass touchpad amd eco friendly materials. It has also undergone rigorous strength of material tests (MIL STD 810H standard) you have military grade durability no matter where you go. They also have the Acer Chromebook Enterprise Vero 514 which is made for pros. This is the product of their extensive years of partnership with Google. Them trusting Acer made way to achieve faster production of environmentally sound products which sustainability, green energy and excellent design. You can see this on the Earthion documentary they also produced which you can watch online on their social channels.

On their Earthion documentary, they showed how they were able to do environmental solutions for their supply chain by working together with other companies and look for ways to do green products. It took a whole town, but they have made lots of progress now. From materials, packaging to logistics, everyone chipped in to make this happen.

From green laptops, products and even sustainable packaging, Acer is making headway with the new Vero product line. If you're an environmentally conscious consumer, or just a regular joe who needs a work companion that does the job, Acer presents this option for you to Reuse, Recycle, Reduce, Re-Think.

Top 5 Getaway Hotels that Run on Eco-Friendly Concepts

Travelers are becoming much more conscious of the environmental effect of their vacations, which is increasing the demand for eco-friendly hotels and activities especially in Asia countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, and more. Thankfully, in recent years, the world has experienced an increase in sustainable travel alternatives and experiences. Most of the hotels all around the world such as in Thailand and the United States are making attempts to be more environmentally friendly. There seems to be an infinite number of choices for properties to decrease their environmental effect, ranging from using less water to building using sustainable materials.

The list that you are going to see below is the hotel that is practicing the eco-friendly theme in their hotel or resort.

1.Qi Palawan Boutique Resort, Palawan

Qi Palawan's concept has always emphasized sustainability. The resort was created with fuel efficiency and sustainability in thought, making use of bamboo, a fast-growing tree that doesn't require pesticides, as well as 100 percent local labor and materials.

Just like a few hotels in Vietnam, Qi Palawan has fulfilled its aim of becoming a genuine eco-resort over the previous year by adding 40 KwH of solar panels and 128 KwH of batteries, enough to give this boutique resort 100% electricity even during high occupancy seasons. Furthermore, Qi Palawan does not offer plastic bottles, has almost abolished the usage of plastic bags, using locally sourced utilities, and offers environmentally safe sunscreen for its island hopping and diving tours.

2. Cabins Hotel, Tagaytay 

Biophilic design ideas were being used at Cabins to integrate nature into the interiors by recognizing natural airflow and illumination. Solar electricity is also used throughout the hotel, while rainwater collection is used for cleaning and gardening.

What differentiates Cabins is that most of its structure is constructed of recyclable materials, including handmade tiles and sustainable wood for the exterior and sustainable pinewood for the mattresses in all 16 of its rooms. Cabins by Eco Hotels in Tagaytay give visitors a one-of-a-kind staycation experience in any of its 16 rooms, which are believed to be inspired by cruise ship cabins. Although much of the interior and furnishings are constructed of recycled and recycled materials.

3. Chewton Glen, Hampshire 

Chewton Glen is located in the English countryside, close to the New Forest National Park and the Solent shoreline, and is just two hours by rail from London. The estate currently features 14 eco-friendly Treehouse Suites scattered across 130 miles of land, gardens, and parkland.
These suites are built several feet above the ground, overlook the New Forest National Park, and have air-source heat pumps, solar panels, low-energy lighting, and rainwater collection. The site also has 50 active bee colonies of "extremely well-behaved bees" on the ground. There is also a Walled Kitchen Garden and Nursery, which supplies fresh fruits and vegetables from the surrounding area.

4. Garonga Safari Camp, Limpopo  

Adventure seekers may stay at the Garonga Safari Camp, which is spread on 54,363 acres in the Greater Makalali Pidwa Private Nature Reserve in the heart of the African wilderness. The region is home to wild creatures such as elephants, lions, rhinos, cheetahs, and leopards, making it the ideal wildlife getaway. Six deluxe tents with individual decks and spectacular views of the region are available at the camp.

The Garonga Safari Camp looks to the sun for electricity and uses solar energy to meet 30% of its electric demands. To reduce their carbon footprint in the wild, they've also installed a heating pump system, water purification, a vegetable garden, and a biogas system.

5. h2hotel, Healdsburg 

The h2hotel is tucked away at the heart of Sonoma Wine Country and provides 36 eco-chic accommodations. They have covered their roof with solar panels to power the facility, which heats the swimming pool and the water in the hotel rooms.

They've also built an EcoSpace elevator, which consumes 60% less power than standard elevators. When attempting to reduce energy usage, even the windows were taken into account. The windows of H2hotel feature twin panes to minimize heat, and the window blinds are cradle-to-cradle approved.