Nicquee's Nook

Waste Segregation

Hello Everyone! I hope all of you had a good start this week.

A few months ago, we were advised that garbage collection schedule in our village will chance from Wednesday/Saturday to Monday/Wednesday/Saturday. Apart from that, the baranggay is also implementing waste segregation. Monday/Friday, only biodegradable garbage will be collected and Wednesday is allotted for non-biodegradable materials.

I love the idea. It is not a secret that I am trying to promote green-living and this is sort of helping me convince everyone in the family to do their share.

Our first try failed. We segregated our waste but when the collector comes to get them, we noticed that they simply take everything we bring out, biodegradable or not. Eventually, we mixed our waste in one bag again.

One Saturday, people from the baranggay did a house-to-house visit. They gave us flyers that contain information about this drive. I took the chance to tell them our observation. They said we can take note of the truck’s body number then report it to them. They also stressed that we should only bring out what is due for collection for the day. Since then, I initiated to segregate the garbage again. I asked one of the guards who always has spare large cans to give me one so that the plastic for the other waste type has a container.

Until now, we are still segregating our garbage. Ayex is getting the hang of it too! She would ask where she should throw her garbage and I am happy that she understands it. I just really hope that we strictly follow what the baranggay people said: ONLY BRING OUT WHAT SHOULD BE COLLECTED. I hate it that they also bring out the non-biodegradable stuff on a Monday simply because they are plenty already. Or maybe the helper did not understand what my FIL told her. Maybe papa told her to bring them out too but not together with what is due for collection. That is possible.

I really hope everyone here at home does their share, and so are the people in the whole village. Then I hope the baranggay will start eliminating plastic bag usage in the public markets and groceries.

Lactation Area

Some four years ago, breastfeeding campaigns in the Philippines was very little to scarce. I was breastfeeding Ayex then. Our old office has no nursing room and none of the rooms can be converted because of their design. I opted to express my milk in the shower room. I stationed an office chair there for my use and every time I find out that the janitorial services removed it, I get mad. Missing chair is not the only event that drives me nuts. I had several cases of disappearing ice too. Ice packs at that time was very limited not to mention expensive. The worse part is, I only find out that someone used my ice a few hours before I transport my expressed breast milk. I need the ice to keep them cold until I get home. Otherwise, Ayex needs to consume them already or they go waste. While I dealt with these scenarios, I never gave Ayex formula milk for two years.

Four years later, I read on the internet that a mom should never use a comfort room for lactation. Ayex is fine now so I guess pumping milk in the shower area did not do any harm on my milk. I really hope there was no bad effect.

Thankfully, I do not have to experience that again. Breastfeeding awareness has spread the past years that a law was even passed in support to lactating moms. Now, every establishment is mandated to have a nursing room and I am happy that our new office has one.

Our nursing room has two La-Z boy chairs, a refrigerator, a counter, an extension cord, a garbage bin and a door with lock. Our company also supplies us with alcohol and paper towel. This room is currently being used by more or less ten nursing moms.

lactation area

Breastfeeding is indeed the most natural way to feed a baby and I am grateful that our company is with us on this.