As Baguio City works toward a future of sustainability and promotes its goal of becoming a circular economy, it’s no secret the local government has made several bold statements about the importance of environmental stewardship.
However, scheduling a pyrotechnics show at the Melvin Jones Grandstand on December 31, 2024, and the continuing push to construct new parking buildings, cast doubt on these commitments.
Unfortunately, this kind of inconsistency is not unique to Baguio; it echoes the broken promises of major corporations like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Danone, which have all come under fire for misleading eco-claims and actions that contradict their stated environmental goals.
A city of contradictions
Like many urban centers, Baguio City has embraced the language of sustainability. There’s frequent talk of achieving a circular economy, reducing waste, climate resiliency, and revitalizing the city’s shrinking green spaces.
However, some of the city’s plans seem to work against these goals. For example, even as the city aims to reduce its carbon footprint, a pyrotechnics show is planned for the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Pyrotechnics are, indeed, beautiful crowd-drawing events, but they come at an environmental cost. Fireworks release harmful chemicals and particulate matter into the air which, in turn, contribute to air pollution and leave toxic debris behind that can contaminate water sources.
Moreover, despite the city’s claims of aiming for a more sustainable transport system, the local government continues to push for the construction of parking buildings rather than addressing the root cause: the growing number of vehicles congesting Baguio’s streets.
Building more parking spaces encourages the use of private vehicles, which runs counter to efforts to promote public transport or pedestrian-friendly initiatives. In a city that prides itself on moving toward a sustainable future, shouldn’t the focus be on reducing vehicle emissions, creating more green spaces, and improving public transport rather than accommodating more cars?
And while local residents struggle yearly with water shortages and the city government itself is looking for efficient ways to handle the ginormous amounts of waste Baguio produces, boosting tourism remains a priority even in the face of already-unmanageable (in terms of protecting the environment) tourist numbers.
A comparison to corporate giant marketing speak
This kind of contradiction mirrors the actions of large corporations like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Danone, which have faced widespread criticism for their environmental policies.
Coca-Cola, for instance, made grand promises to help tackle the global plastic waste crisis, including a commitment to recycle all of its packaging by 2030. However, the company remains one of the world’s largest plastic polluters.
What’s more, Coca-Cola has opposed initiatives like the deposit return scheme—a system that was standard practice when the company used glass bottles. In the past, customers returned empty bottles for reuse, reducing waste significantly. Yet, Coca-Cola has resisted reviving this system for its plastic products, likely due to the costs involved in transitioning away from single-use plastics.
Similarly, companies like Nestlé and Danone have been accused of greenwashing—making eco-claims that don’t hold up under scrutiny.
Nestlé, for example, has marketed certain products as being packaged in biodegradable or recyclable materials, but the infrastructure to recycle these materials is often lacking, meaning that much of this packaging still ends up in landfills or oceans. Danone has also faced criticism for its misleading eco-labeling, especially when it comes to single-use plastics and water-intensive operations.
Greenwashing and misleading eco-claims
These corporate giants use buzzwords like “recycling,” “biodegradable,” and “sustainability” in their marketing collateral, but their actions often fall short of their promises. This practice, known as greenwashing, creates a dangerous illusion of environmental progress while deflecting attention from real issues.
By continuing to use single-use plastics or opposing tried-and-tested solutions like deposit return schemes, companies are contributing to the very problems they claim to address.
Baguio City must take care to avoid falling into a similar trap. Announcing goals like achieving a circular economy or promoting sustainability is not enough if certain plans made or actions taken contradict these aims.
Hosting environmentally harmful events like fireworks displays and encouraging more private vehicle use by building more parking infrastructure are steps backward. The city’s residents deserve transparency and genuine efforts toward environmental protection, not token gestures that only sound green on the surface.
Sustainability and a circular economy cannot just be slogans on campaign posters or feel-good phrases in public speeches. They require concerted action and consistent policies that prioritize the environment over short-term convenience.
Baguio City has the potential to become a true leader in sustainability, but only if it commits to aligning its actions with its goals. Otherwise, it risks following in the footsteps of corporations like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Danone, whose environmental promises often ring hollow.
As Baguio residents, it’s crucial that we hold our government accountable, ensuring that our city’s actions are genuinely sustainable and not just for show.
