Written by: Emilia
Edited by: Noah
What makes ISM a true champion for sustainability? Are our ‘green’ initiatives actually beneficial in creating a better tomorrow? What has the Sustainability Council (SusCo) been doing to turn our world a greener place?
Last November 16th, Saturday, ISM hosted its fifth annual Sustainability Summit, inviting students and sustainability-minded staff from high schools across Metro Manila. The event featured workshops and open discussions centered on this year’s theme, “Empowering Sustainability: From Awareness to Action,” which specifically focused on promoting sustainable action amongst the youth and local communities.
One of the biggest highlights of the day was the opportunity to network with various high-profile speakers, such as career speakers from Kids for Kids, professionals from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and keynote speakers Dr. Renzo Guinto and former senator Kiko Pangilingan. Hailey, the vice president of SusCo, said, “Many of our speakers centered around the topic of food security; this issue has become especially relevant with the fact that there’s been a record-breaking number of typhoons in the Philippines this month and that 64% of our population is food insecure.” Having these speakers come to ISM also allows students from ISM and other local schools to learn and explore more about sustainability and sustainable action.
Inviting different schools to the summit enhances the experience by allowing participants to interact with other sustainability advocates across Metro Manila. The summit could push students to start their own sustainability initiatives. In fact, after attending the Sustainability Summit last year, Colegio San Agustin (CSA) students created their own Sustainability Council, inspired by the workshops from the summit. Hailey also says that annually hosting the Sustainability Summit “allows for more engagement in sustainability; it also holds ISM and our attendees accountable to the goals we set regarding sustainability by allowing us to check in on each other every year.” Connecting with all these schools and exchanging ideas fosters a community and shared responsibility to create a more sustainable future.
Hosting the summit has helped ISM solidify the school as an ‘exemplar’ in the world of sustainability. Not only does ISM take pride in its sustainability practices, but it is also working to set an example for other schools in Metro Manila to follow. As a “model school” that other schools can look to for guidance in sustainability, ISM uses the Sustainability Summit as a platform to create sustainable change beyond the campus walls, empowering and connecting the current and next generation of leaders in sustainability.
Despite ISM’s efforts to model and advocate for sustainability, other local schools may face challenges in their school systems, such as limited resources or a rigorous curriculum, causing sustainability to not be a priority for their schools. With a lack of priority in sustainability, these schools may not be able to take a step in focusing on a greener future. Despite this, the Sustainability Summit tries its best to assist local schools across Metro Manila by inspiring students and staff to apply the experiences from the summit towards initiating their own sustainability practices. By beginning their own Sustainability Council (similar to CSA), starting a trash sorting initiative, raising awareness on various sustainability issues, and more, schools can take a step towards the greener future ISM and SusCo promote at the Sustainability Summit.
The experience of attending the Sustainability Summit at ISM is one that can truly empower students and staff from all over Metro Manila through sustainability workshops, speakers, and engaged attendees. This summit is a turning point in the progression of local sustainability efforts, marking not just a series of workshops and collaborations but a step towards building a more sustainable future.
