Shane Bimeda

Education: Graduated in Ateneo De Naga University with a Bachelor Degree in BS

Environmental Management Batch 2005

Currently taking Master’s Degree Major in Biology at Bicol State College of Applied Sciences
and Technology

Her dream is to influence others to see the world as she sees it, to influence others into caring for
our earth and to inspire them to stand up and protect our earth from big companies and evil
politicians.

Her family and friends also motivates and support her for being an activist. Her love for trees,
oceans, rivers and nature in general inspires her to become an environmental activist.

One person she looks up to is Greta Thunberg who is a Swedish schoolgirl who, at age 15, began
protesting about the need for immediate action to combat climate change outside the Swedish
parliament and has since become an outspoken climate activist
 Activities, Movements, Campaigns and Projects

She first started her movements as an activist during her college days; their activities inspired her
to protect the environment and because of her exposure to these tremendous problems that we are
currently facing. She devoted her life to protecting our planet and serving its individuals. As an
environmentalist she participates in a protests that fights for the health of our planet.

As an academic, an activist. She is also a member of an environmentalist group called “They Grey
We Green” They are the voice of dissent in this apathetic world. They are the watchers of our
green. They are the shield that guards our Trees. They
pledged their life and honor to win the War for Mother
Nature. One of their many movements is to protest against
the cutting of trees in a number of places in Naga City. The
environmentalist group believes that cutting trees is the main
cause of climate change, which then leads to reduction of
water supply, the extreme heat that we are experiencing right
now. Climate change can also affect our life physically and
mentally and according to Ma’am Bimeda we are lucky as
human beings because we get to adapt and continue to find ways to somehow survive the
increasing temperature unlike animals who can’t adapt to these changes and continue to suffer and
environment in general

As an environmentalist, her biggest achievement so far is her involvement on the lawsuit case of
Environmentalists vs DPWH here in Naga City, regarding the case of cutting trees in numerous
places. Before any of these ever took place, Ma’am Bimeda,
together with the group that she was volunteering for,
politely asked the politics involved in the tree cuttings to
stop their project, unfortunately, they did not take their plea.
From a political standpoint, they think that trees are merely
an aesthetic object. As their response, the group asked the
court to issue a Temporary Environmental Protection Order
(TEPO) to save the trees along San Felipe Road and Magsaysay Avenue in Naga City, Also
included under the TEPO are trees along Liboton-Magsaysay Road covering the Barangays of
Liboton, Peñafrancia, Balatas and Concepcion within Naga City. The group noted that in May-
June this year, more than 23 trees had already been cut along Magsaysay Avenue here. The court
was convinced “by the allegations” of the complainants that “aside from the beauty, shade, clean
and fresh air contributed by the trees, the trees absorb carbon dioxide while giving off oxygen.”
The TEPO also cited the argument of the complainants that there is no evidence that widening of
roads ease traffic congestion. Eventually “They Grey We Green” won the case in the end, DPWH
having to pay a huge amount as penalty.

She is also a member of a group called “Sumarok sa Salog” which is an advocacy group who
educates others about the importance of the environment and to raise awareness about the problems
that our environment is currently facing. “Sumarok sa Salog” is an organization of volunteers
engaged in strengthening citizens' participation in river governance and
helping clean and save the rivers and waterways of Naga City and Kabikolan.
The cast and crew of the musical play are all volunteers too. One of their
actions as an environmentalist is by performing in a play called “Aninipot sa
Tahaw Kang Salog”

“Mga Aninipot” is the product of Sumaro sa Salog (SULOG, Inc.)'s cultural

project, “Saving the Bikol River through Collaborative Inter-Disciplinary
Artistic Production” and submitted to the National Commission for Culture
and the Arts (NCCA) for funding under the Taripon grant with NGO partner
Associates in Research and Community Empowerment Services (ARCES), Inc. as conduit. Private
Citizens have since been giving support for bridge funding for the play, which will be shown for
free in riverine communities.
 Struggles as an Environmentalist

For Ms. Bimeda, the biggest struggle that she experienced as an Environmentalist dealing with big
companies, organization and politics and having a conflict. According to her, there is no progress
without the exchange of the environment. Big companies and organizations are the biggest
contributor to pollution and climate change. They have the chance to be part of the solution to the
plastic crisis. Instead, they remain a part of the problem, selling us plastic drink containers and
packaging we have no choice but to throw away. Ms. Bimeda thinks the Philippine Constitution
lacks exercising Environmental Law and she thinks that the Philippines need the SDG (Sustainable
Development Goals) (e.g. Food Security and Life on Land) more than the general constitution but
no matter how much how we want it political power is hard to fight. In addition, one of their
struggles as an environmentalist is the lack of funds and support from people. According to her, it
is hard to move without budget nor funds. Some people only care little to none about the
environment

Worst Problem Environment is Facing Right Now

The worst problem Ms. Bimeda can think of are pollution caused by plastics and climate change.
She said that majority of plastic pollution damages the water surface and 70% of earth surface
covered with water. Ms. Bimeda also mentioned that plastics are lightweight so it can travel very
long distances. Plastics are seen flowing in oceans, seas are eaten by sea species, and crabs shelter
bottle cups. Plastics are unhealthy to fishes because plastics ripped into small particles and
consumed by fishes.

Global warming is another huge problem stated by Ma’am Bimeda that is already having
significant and harmful effects on our communities, our health, and our climate. Sea level rise is
accelerating. The number of large wildfires is growing. Dangerous heat waves are becoming more
common. Extreme storm events are increasing in many areas. More severe droughts are occurring
in others.

According to Ma’am Bimda we must take immediate action to address global warming or these
consequences will continue to intensify, grow ever more costly, and increasingly affect the entire
planet including us. All of these are only results of every little thing that people do that they think
would not have a great affect to us.
 Her message to the masses as an Environmentalist

Her personal message for the people is that we should do every little thing we can to help our
environment. As little as we think our actions are, they create a huge impact for us. The
environment that surrounds us the air, soil, water and ecosystems is equally important for our
health and the health and well-being of others because or Environment sustains us. She informed
us that individuals should be aware of what sustainable development is which is developing
without actually depleting our natural resources. However, having said this Ma’am said that the
hard thing is that progress is hard without really exchanging it for our environment.

Another thought was that people who think that “Trees should only be in mountains” is a very
stupid way of thinking because most of the air that actually needs to be filtered can be found in the
cities. Lastly, Plant more trees and stop illegal logging, how will we achieve biodiversity if we
keep cutting trees?

Documentation
 Ateneo De Naga University
College of Science and Engineering
Department of Natural Sciences

Environmental Activist Interview:

In partial Fulfillment of a Requirement in

Fundamentals of Environmental Science
N1

Prepared by: Kyle Hernandez

Al Landicho
Leonardo Valencia

Submitted to: Kyle Perez