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Rising caffeine levels spark calls for ban on energy drink sales to children

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

PEDIATRICIANS and parents are calling for the US to treat new high-caffeine energy drinks like alcohol and cigarettes and ban their sale to minors as a single serving can contain as much caffeine as six Coca-Colas.

Prime Energy, which launched this year, has 200 mg of caffeine within its 350 ml can — exceeding permissible caffeine levels in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Rival products like Anheuser Busch InBev-backed Ghost energy drinks and Kim Kardashian’s “Kimade” energy drink also have 200 mg of caffeine. Competitor Monster Energy contains 150 mg of caffeine.

As caffeine content in energy drinks has climbed over the years, some countries and retailers have banned the products while a few require proof of age for purchase. In the US and UK, no national regulations ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks.

Without legal age mandates like those on alcohol and cigarettes, retailers are unlikely to restrict access, said Dr. Holly Benjamin, a professor of pediatrics and orthopedic surgery at the University of Chicago. There is no proven safe dose of caffeine for children, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

“Retailers could choose to place sports drinks and energy drinks in different locations and label the sections differently; but, I think that is unlikely to happen without regulation which starts with better product labeling and widespread education,” Dr. Benjamin said.

She added: “Any energy drink with a high dose caffeine in it, such as Prime Energy, is unsafe for children.”

Side effects for kids consuming caffeine could include rapid or irregular heartbeats, headaches, seizures, shaking, stomach upset and adverse emotional effects on mental health, she said.

The FDA is currently reviewing a request by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to investigate the caffeine content in Prime Energy, as well as its marketing to kids, a spokesperson said.

Prime representatives declined to comment. Ghost Energy, Monster Energy didn’t return messages seeking comment. Congo Brands, which owns Kimade, Alani Nu and Prime Energy, also did not respond to requests seeking comment.

The co-founders of Prime, Logan Paul and KSI, both social media influencers, said in August media interviews that they aren’t marketing the drink to kids, adding that retailers should police sales to minors.

COLORFUL CANS CONFUSE PARENTS
The American Medical Association (AMA) supports a ban on the marketing of caffeine drinks to children under the age of 18, according to its policy set in 2013. The AMA also urges the US regulators or lawmakers to mandate “child-resistant packaging” on high-energy drinks.

Kinneret Shick Ohana, a mother of five children from Florida, saw the “bright, colorful cans of Prime” that her children have been buzzing about displayed in front aisles of Walmart when shopping for groceries. Out of excitement, she overlooked the black writing at the bottom of the colored cans that said “energy drink” before bringing it home to her children.

“I got confused because when you first see the can, it’s hard to see where it says energy drink. It took me some time after my son pointed it out to find it,” said Ms. Ohana.

“The energy drink industry is marketing these products that are only supposedly intended for adults to kids and I think Prime is just another example of a company that is pushing these inappropriate drinks on minors,” said Bonnie Patten, executive director of Truth in Advertising (TINA).

Specialty retailer GNC has set an 18+ age limit restriction to purchase energy drinks, according to its customer service line and in-store checks.

Target and Walmart, as well as specialty chains like the Vitamin Shoppe, carry Prime Energy but typically do not verify buyers’ ages, according to Reuters interviews and in-store checks.

“We strongly encourage our customers to follow all labeling instructions for every product sold at the Vitamin Shoppe, including energy drinks,” the Vitamin Shoppe said.

Target didn’t return messages seeking comment. Walmart declined comment.

Drink makers’ labels noting the beverages are “not recommended” for kids creates confusion among retailers on what restrictions, if any, should be set on the sale of energy drinks to children, lawyers said. — Reuters

Renowned global firm designs Megaworld’s P6.5B luxury village in General Trias

No less than Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo (WATG) was commissioned to design the property giant’s 22-hectare Maple Grove Park Village.

Property giant Megaworld continues to raise the bar in residential developments by building its sprawling, 22-hectare Maple Grove Park Village as a first-of-its-kind, luxury spa resort-inspired residential community within its expansive Cavite township.

To bring this extraordinary vision to life, Megaworld tapped Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo (WATG), experts in integrated luxury hospitality design who are also behind some of the most beautiful resort destinations in the world such as Shangri-La Maldives, Sofitel Bali in Indonesia, and Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, to design the property.

“Megaworld has collaborated with Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG), the visionary minds behind some of the most extraordinary resort and wellness destinations in the world to bring this one-of-a-kind premium resort-feel experience to this development. Sitting on a premium, exclusive and expansive location inside the township, Maple Grove Park Village certainly stands out as the choice for discerning clients seeking a respite from the busyness of city life.” Eugene Em Lozano, first vice president for sales and marketing, Megaworld, said.

Living with nature

This highly sought-after residential development is strategically located in a more secluded area of Megaworld’s 140-hectare Maple Grove township to give residents exclusivity and privacy while still giving them access to the rest of the township. Its design is inspired by contemporary tropical architecture that’s perfectly suited for a resort-style residential setting that mirrors the feel and ambiance of luxury spa resorts.

Among the highlights of Maple Grove Park Village are 6 different themed lush parks and communal gardens inspired by spa and wellness landscapes and activities for its future residents.

These include Color Gardens (Chromatherapy) featuring brightly colored trees and alleys filled with flowers; a Garden of Tranquility featuring an enclosed reflection lawn, an open lawn, together with herbs and vegetable plots; Edible Gardens that come with fruit-bearing trees, picnic tables, and play structures; an Aromatherapy Garden with aromatic plants, picnic areas, and yoga and meditation platforms; and Fitness and Activity Gardens that come with a basketball court, outdoor fitness equipment, fitness pods and stations, open lawn areas, picnic shelter, and various play structures.

Maple Grove Park Village’s focus on wellness even extends to the amenities of its Clubhouse. Beyond the entrance walkway garden with floating steps are features such as a floating garden, an aromatic and sensory garden, an al fresco lounge deck, a wellness pool, a Jacuzzi, a fitness gym, a movement studio, a massage room, a steam room, and many more.

“From the materials, the lighting, the colors, each detail of the Village is meticulously designed in a way that from the moment you enter the gates of the Village, you feel relaxed and get to unload your stress,” Lozano said.

Maple Grove Park Village features 377 lots ranging in size from 280 square meters up to more than 500 square meters. Lots will be ready for turnover to owners by 2026, and Megaworld is expected to generate P6.5-billion in sales for this project.

Nearly 40% of the entire village will be allocated to green and open spaces. It will also have an underground cabling system, with provisions for fiber-optic cables.

A modern CBD rises in Cavite

Dubbed “Cavite’s first-ever modern central business district,” Maple Grove also features residential condominiums, office towers, a soon-to-rise lifestyle mall, a transport hub, and its very own McDonald’s store now known as the biggest in Cavite.

The township also boasts a variety of sustainability features, such as a Rainwater Park, which is a two-hectare tree park designed to be a catchment basin for rainwater runoff, a landscape drip irrigation system, bike lanes, pocket gardens and tree parks, as well as vertical gardens in various buildings around the township. There’s also the six-lane Maple Grove Boulevard that traverses the township. It will also have its own chapel, biking and jogging track, and futsal field.

Maple Grove is only about 30 to 45 minutes away from the Makati CBD and Fort Bonifacio, and can be accessed via the Coastal Road and the Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX). Its strategic location makes it accessible to future road networks and key infrastructure projects, including the LRT-1 Cavite extension, the Sangley Point International Airport, the CAVITEX-CALAX link, Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CTBEX), and the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge.

 

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Indonesian nickel smelters turn to Philippines for ore as local supply tightens

BW FILE PHOTO

Nickel smelters in top producer Indonesia are making rare purchases of ore from the Philippines to ease tight supplies, people familiar with the matter said, upending trade flows of the raw material and pushing up costs across the supply chain.

Jakarta recently delayed the issuing of mining quotas and suspended operations at a key site of state miner Aneka Tambang (Antam) after an investigation into corrupt practices in issuing mining allowances.

While mining at other sites continues and Indonesia, which accounts for half of global mined supply, has said there is no shortage of ore, prices have risen about 8% this week, following a 10% surge a week earlier, local buyers say.

Some firms are now buying ore from neighbouring Philippines, the world’s No. 2 supplier, in the event that new mining quotas are further delayed, said three smelter managers, two nickel traders and a Chinese analyst.

All declined to be identified because they were not permitted to disclose the trade information publicly.

“(We) started imports from this month. It is economical,” said an official at a major smelter in Indonesia.

The person did not specify how much the smelter is buying but said the purchases are of low-grade limonite ore.

Indonesian miners will prioritize high-grade ore for their limited production quotas, the person added.

Indonesia imported 53,864 metric tons of nickel ore in the first half of 2023, up from 22,503 tons for all of 2022, Indonesian trade data showed.

But imports from the Philippines only started in May, and all arrived at Morowali port in a huge nickel processing park run partly by Chinese nickel giant Tsingshan Group, the Indonesian data showed.

Tsingshan did not respond to a call and email seeking comment.

Volumes in the first half from the Philippines were less than 1,000 tons in nickel content compared to Indonesia’s 1.6 million tons mined last year, data from the Indonesian government and the International Nickel Study Group (INSG) showed.

“The ore from the Philippines is generally lower grade than Indonesian material which will push operating costs higher due to lower production from same tonnage of ore,” said Wood Mackenzie analyst Andrew Mitchell.

“But the ore is cheaper by comparison with domestic ore currently and so this will offset some of the rising costs,” Mitchell said.

Indonesia exported much of its ore before a 2020 ban halted all shipments and attracted billions of dollars worth of investment in nickel smelting, mostly from Chinese companies.

Imports from the Philippines could rise to 100,000 tons for July and August combined because of the supply tightness, according to Chinese consultancy Mysteel.

The Philippines mined 360,000 tons of nickel in ore in 2022, or 11% of global supplies, according to INSG.

Rising demand for ore from the Philippines is also pushing up prices in China, as buyers stock up due to tighter Indonesian supplies and ahead of the rainy season in the Philippines starting in October, said a Chinese trader.

Philippines 1.3% grade ore landed at China’s Lianyun port surged 20.6% in the past month to $41 a ton, the highest since March, Mysteel data showed. — Reuters

Biden approves military aid to Taiwan under program normally used for sovereign states

US PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN — WHITEHOUSE.GOV

WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden‘s administration has approved a military transfer to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing, or FMF, program normally used for sovereign states, according to a notification sent to Congress.

The notification, which was seen by Reuters on Wednesday, informs congressional committees of the State Department’s intention to obligate up to $80 million in FMF funds in support of Taiwan.

“FMF will be used to strengthen Taiwan‘s self-defense capabilities through joint and combined defense capability and enhanced maritime domain awareness and maritime security capability,” the notification said.

Taiwan’s defense ministry expressed its thanks, but said it had no comment on the details of the aid, noting that the United States has already been helping strengthen the island’s combat capabilities under existing policies and laws.

The Taiwan notification was first reported by the Associated Press.

Representative Michael McCaul, Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was glad the administration was “finally” providing FMF to Taiwan.

“These weapons will not only help Taiwan and protect other democracies in the region, but also strengthen the US deterrence posture and ensure our national security from an increasingly aggressive CCP (Chinese Communist Party),” Mr. McCaul said in a statement.

FMF, the largest military assistance account managed by the State Department, provides primarily grant assistance to foreign governments for the purchase of US defense equipment and military training under the Foreign Military Sales program.

A State Department official confirmed the notification to Congress and said the decision to provide Taiwan with FMF assistance did not reflect any change in US policy.

Beijing claims the democratically governed island as its own territory, and warns against any forms of “official exchanges” between Washington and Taipei. Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty claims and says only Taiwan‘s people can decide their future.

China has repeatedly complained to the United States about military aid and sales to the island. Its defense ministry has said the US military must stop all forms of “military collusion” with the island.

The United States, Taiwan‘s most important arms supplier, last month announced a Taiwan weapons aid package worth up to $345 million.

Last week, the United States also approved a possible $500 million sale to Taiwan of infrared search and track systems for F-16 fighter jets, as well as other equipment. – Reuters

US curbs AI chip exports from Nvidia to some Middle East countries

FILE PHOTO: The logo of technology company Nvidia is seen at its headquarters in Santa Clara, California February 11, 2015. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith/File Photo

The US expanded the restriction of exports of sophisticated Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices artificial-intelligence chips beyond China to other regions including some countries in the Middle East.

Nvidia said in a regulatory filing this week that the curbs, which affect its A100 and H100 chips designed to speed up machine-learning tasks, would not have an “immediate material impact” on its results.

Rival AMD also received an informed letter with similar restrictions, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, adding that the move has no material impact on its revenue.

US officials usually impose export controls for national security reasons. A similar move announced last year signaled an escalation of the US crackdown on China’s technological capabilities, but it was not immediately clear what risks were posed by exports to the Middle East.

In a separate statement, Nvidia said the new licensing requirement “doesn’t affect a meaningful portion of our revenue. We are working with the US government to address this matter.”

The US Commerce Department, which normally administers new licensing requirements on exports, did not immediately return a request for comment.

Last September AMD said it had received new license requirements that would halt exports of its MI250 artificial-intelligence chips to China.

Nvidia, AMD and Intel have since then all disclosed plans to create less powerful AI chips that can be exported to the Chinese market.

Nvidia, which gave no reason for the new restrictions in the filing dated Aug. 28, last year said US officials informed them the rule “will address the risk that products may be used in, or diverted to, a ‘military end use’ or ‘military end user’ in China.”

Nvidia this week did not specify which countries in the Middle East were affected. The company derived most of its $13.5 billion in sales in its fiscal quarter ended July 30 from the United States, China and Taiwan. About 13.9% of sales came from all other countries combined, and Nvidia does not provide a revenue breakout from the Middle East.

“During the second quarter of fiscal year 2024, the USG (US government) informed us of an additional licensing requirement for a subset of A100 and H100 products destined to certain customers and other regions, including some countries in the Middle East,” Nvidia said in the Aug. 28 filing.

Last year’s announcements came as tensions bubbled over the fate of Taiwan, where chips for Nvidia and almost every other major chip firm are manufactured.

In October 2022, the Biden administration went a step further when it published a sweeping set of export controls, including a measure to cut off China from certain semiconductor chips made anywhere in the world with US equipment. The move vastly expanded Washington’s reach in its bid to slow Beijing’s technological and military advances.

Japan and the Netherlands followed up with similar rules earlier this year.

Without American AI chips from companies like Nvidia and AMD, Chinese organizations will be unable to cost-effectively carry out the kind of advanced computing used for image and speech recognition, among many other tasks.

Image recognition and natural language processing are common in consumer applications like smartphones that can answer queries and tag photos. They also have military uses such as scouring satellite imagery for weapons or bases and filtering digital communications for intelligence-gathering purposes. – Reuters

Fukushima: Japan PM pledges to help fishing industry after China seafood ban

STOCK PHOTO | Image by pythong from Pixabay

TOKYO – Japan‘s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday he would compile measures to help the fishing industry hit by China‘s ban on Japanese seafood, after visiting Tokyo’s biggest fish market.

The government will tap additional funds of about several tens of billions of yen (hundreds of millions of dollars) from the government’s budget reserves for the current fiscal year to fund the measures, the Nikkei reported on Thursday.

“I will put together measures given the variety of opinions I heard from the fishing industry today,” Mr. Kishida said to reporters following a visit to Toyosu fish market on Thursday, adding that requests included support to help fishing companies develop new sales avenues and holding discussions with China.

Japan started releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean last Thursday, prompting China, Japan‘s biggest trade partner, to impose a blanket ban on Japanese aquatic products.

Tokyo’s government has set up two funds worth 80 billion yen ($548 million) to help develop new sales channels and keep excess fish frozen until they can be sold when demand recovers, among other measures. Officials have previously denied the possibility of additional fiscal measures for the industry.

More than 700 Japanese companies exported about $600 million worth of aquatic products to China in 2022, making it the biggest market for Japanese exports, followed by Hong Kong, which announced its own ban on seafood imports from 10 Japanese regions after the Fukushima release.

Fisheries Minister Tetsuro Nomura said last Friday the government would take steps to diversify Japan‘s fish exports for China-dependent products such as scallops. China took more than half of Japanese scallop exports in 2022.

Some Japanese officials have also signaled diplomatic actions to urge China to lift the ban, which Tokyo says is not based on scientific evidence, including filing a World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint. – Reuters

Bhutan seeks to balance economy and environment with tourist tax

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Vikramjit Kakati from Pixabay

MUMBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – In the scenic Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, cleaning squads patrol forest and mountain trails on the lookout for litter left behind by tourists, removing empty water bottles and crisp packets stuck in bushes and trees.

The money to run these teams comes from a tourist tax that Bhutan has levied for decades to avoid over-tourism and preserve its status as South Asia’s only carbon-negative country – meaning it absorbs more emissions than it produces annually.

Bhutan halved the daily “Sustainable Development Fee” (SDF) – to $100 – last week as it strives to strike a balance between supporting the local economy and jobs, and protecting nature and the environment in the face of worsening climate change impacts.

Under the country’s principle of “high-value, low-volume” tourism, Bhutanese officials told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that the tax goes towards upgrading infrastructure, preserving natural and cultural treasures, and investing in electric transport to cut fossil fuel dependency.

While the tiny country of fewer than 800,000 people is currently in the spotlight, it is far from alone in this regard.

As nations globally seek to revitalize their tourism sectors after the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing debate about how best to attract more visitors and boost revenues without causing overcrowding and fueling pollution and harm to the environment.

Sustainability experts said the traditional approach of evaluating tourism through visitor numbers alone was outdated and damaging to the sector, and urged governments to consider ways of welcoming people for longer and more-considered stays.

“(A) sustainability fee is one of the ways to ensure a destination does not degrade,” said C.B. Ramkumar, vice chairman of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, a US-based non-profit. “It is a good tool for conservation.”

While many countries and cities have some form of tourist tax, few places have followed Bhutan‘s lead in ensuring that the cash goes towards conservation or sustainability efforts.

New Zealand in 2019 introduced a NZ$35 ($21) tourist tax to fund conservation and infrastructure projects, while Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali is to impose a 150,000 rupiah ($10) fee from 2024 to help preserve its culture and environment.

 

USING THE TOURIST TAX TO BOOST CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Tourism is responsible for around 8-11% of global greenhouse gas emissions – mostly due to transportation – according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), an international forum.

It is also among the most vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate change, with researchers citing soaring temperatures and rising sea levels that can affect visitor numbers.

For example, about 20,000 foreign tourists were evacuated from the Greek island of Rhodes in July, where a wildfire burned resorts and hotels. Greece has said it will offer a week’s free stay on Rhodes in 2024 to visitors whose vacation was cut short.

Overall, demand for eco-friendly tourism is growing, yet very few people are willing to pay more for sustainable travel, according to recent studies and warnings from sector executives.

In Bhutan, the SDF has been revised over the years – with discounts available for visitors making longer trips.

When Bhutan reopened to tourists in September 2022 after more than two years of COVID-19 closure, it raised the tax to $200 from the $65 it had charged for about three decades – saying the money would offset the carbon generated by visitors.

This fee hike, coupled with the pandemic’s impact, hit tourist numbers and resulted in losses for tour operators, hotel owners, and handicraft and souvenir shops in the country.

Bhutan welcomed nearly 60,000 tourists between January and August this year, earning the nation $13.5 million in revenue from the SDF, according to government data.

In 2019, before the pandemic, there were about 316,000 tourists, generating $88.6 million in SDF revenue.

When Bhutan announced the SDF reduction this month, the government said the move aimed to revive the tourism sector, generate employment, and earn the country foreign exchange.

Bhutan plans to lift tourism’s contribution to its $3-billion economy to 20% from about 5% now – yet no time-frame has been set.

Dorji Dhradhul, the director general of Bhutan‘s tourism department, said the tourist tax is vital to stepping up the nation’s conservation efforts as it faces climate change threats of melting glaciers and ever-more unpredictable weather.

The SDF has led the country to explore “solutions to balance its revered ecological conservation practices with socio-economic progress”, Dhradhul said by email.

The tax funds free healthcare and education for the country’s citizens and is used to offset the carbon footprint of visitors by planting trees, cleaning and maintaining trails, and electrifying Bhutan‘s transportation sector, Dhradhul said.

“Our future requires us to protect our heritage and forge fresh pathways for forthcoming generations,” he said.

Bhutan‘s “carbon negative” approach began in the 1970s, when its then-king pushed for an economy built in part on sustainable forest management – balancing conservation and development.

Its forests absorb more than 9 million tonnes of carbon each year, while its economy, which is designed to cut fossil fuel use and waste, emits less than 4 million tonnes, Dhradhul said.

 

TOUR OPERATORS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES FEAR FOR FUTURE

Bhutan has long been a prime holiday destination for Indian travellers in particular. Entry for Indians had been free until 2022, when a daily tax of 1,200 rupees ($14.50) was introduced.

Mumbai-based tour operator Rakesh Kalyani has a longstanding collaboration with hoteliers in Bhutan, and said he was not surprised by the move to impose a tax on Indian tourists.

“Tourists littered, someone even climbed a stupa (Buddhist shrine) and took pictures. How do you stop that?” asked Kalyani, who said he now has no bookings for Bhutan with many clients instead preferring to visit nearby northeastern Indian states.

The fee for Indian tourists will remain in place for at least another two years as Bhutan prioritizes the wellbeing of its environment, culture and people over “quantity in tourism”, according to Dhradhul.

As more and more places worldwide consider tourist taxes, they run the risk of excluding those seeking affordable travel.

“They want to preserve their culture, but not everyone is able to travel now,” said Arjun Verma, who runs Bhutan Divine Tour agency in Siliguri, a district in India’s eastern state of West Bengal, which serves as the country’s gateway to Bhutan.

“As tour operators, we are facing a lot of problems.”

In Bhutan, Jigme Tshering, chairman of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, a national federation, said that while the SDF was aligned with the country’s vision of sustainability, it also posed challenges in terms of “the impact on businesses”.

He said he hoped the reduced tax will help the tourism industry grow at a faster pace than in previous months – a view echoed by local businesses seeking more customers and income.

In Bhutan‘s Paro, the picturesque valley home to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, handicraft shop owner Tashi Lhamo said she had cut down spending on family holidays and new clothes due to the loss in business over the past year as tourist numbers dropped.

“Most of our customers are Asians and few are from the United States,” Lhamo said in a phone interview.

“But I am hopeful for more international tourists to come now that they have reduced the SDF. Indians buy small items, but our main business comes from international tourists,” she added. – Reuters

Nespresso SustainaBUILD: Breathing new life into used coffee capsules

Participants of the Nespresso SustainaBUILD event last Aug. 19 at Joy~Nostalg Hotel & Suites Manila in Ortigas pose for a photo with the Nespresso frame. — Photo by Geremy Pintolo

The world-renowned brand remains resolute in its commitment to recycling, upcycling coffee capsules in the Philippines

Nespresso is synonymous with great coffee. For almost four decades, it has continuously redefined and revolutionized the way millions of people around the world enjoy their coffee, ultimately influencing coffee culture.

Aside from great coffee, the trailblazing brand is also known for its coffee machines and capsules, with the latter an innovation it has helped popularize. The popularity of Nespresso’s coffee capsules through the years comes as no surprise, as the little colorful capsules of ground coffee beans are known for their consistent quality and unbeatable convenience.

The rise of the coffee capsule, however, is not without a downside. As usage grew, concerns about the environmental impact of single-use coffee capsules also heightened. Many of them are made from materials that are not easily recyclable, leading to issues of waste management.

Building sustainability one coffee capsule at a time

Nespresso aluminum coffee capsules are known for their vibrant colors and stylish designs, making them suitable as materials for trinkets when upcycled. — Photo by Geremy Pintolo

Alongside great coffee and coffee capsules, Nespresso is also known for one other thing: sustainability. This is one of the main reasons why the brand uses only aluminum capsules. Aluminum is not just 100% recyclable; it is infinitely recyclable. Each recycled or upcycled capsule comes back as a different useful object: wheelchairs for PWDs, earrings for fashionistas, a Swiss army knife, or another coffee capsule!

And in 2017, in a bid to further promote sustainable coffee drinking, Nespresso set up capsule-collection systems in 36 countries to encourage club members to return their used coffee capsules for recycling or upcycling. Recycling bags are provided free of charge.

Fast-forward to 2023 in the Philippines, Nespresso has already made great strides when it comes to sustainability, especially in the use and reuse of its coffee capsules. Your coffee capsule’s life cycle doesn’t end the moment it is used. In fact, a new chapter in its life is only about to unfold — that is, if you choose to have it recycled or upcycled, either way, your aluminum capsule is given new life and purpose.

In its efforts to promote the sustainable use of its aluminum capsules, Nespresso has partnered with the Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation, Inc. or NVC which upcycles used coffee capsules. The vibrant empty aluminum capsules are given a new lease on life, transformed into charming trinkets such as bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and face mask lanyards. NVC’s used-capsule Christmas decorations have also gained popularity over the years.

Aside from being an invaluable partner in Nespresso’s sustainability drive, NVC is able to feed undernourished children, send kids to school, and provide livelihood to local artisans through the proceeds from its sales.

Another partner in Nespresso’s sustainability journey is Smart Recycle PH, which also separates the residual coffee grounds from the aluminum capsules. It then forwards the aluminum to Metal Bank, a recycler of scrap metals, which turns it into aluminum bars and sheets for automotive and motorcycle spare parts, among other things. The partnership between Smart Recycle PH and Nespresso started in 2022, with 2,824 kilograms of aluminum coffee capsules diverted since then.

The recycling/upcycling journey

Your tiny coffee capsule’s recycling and upcycling journey starts the moment you choose to drop it into a Nespresso recycling bag, rather than chucking it into a waste bin. Each recycling bag holds about 200 original line capsules and 100 for the larger Vertuo capsules.

Nespresso club members know the drill. Once a recycling bag is full, you can drop it off at a Nespresso Boutique, pop-up store, or any participating drop-off point. You can also turn in your full recycling bag the next time you have your orders delivered at home through Nespresso’s official online store.

From there, the bags are picked up, transported to the Nespresso warehouse where the capsules are sorted — some plastic ones still get mixed up after all! And that’s another reason why it’s important to choose coffee capsules made of aluminum. The aluminum capsules are then separated from the residual coffee.

The used coffee grounds that are sent back to Nespresso are forwarded to local farms to be transformed into compost or fertilizers for vegetable farming. Still unknown to many coffee drinkers, used grounds have many benefits like improving drainage, aerating soil, and acting as a natural pest repellent.

Nespresso’s partners in this endeavor include Brgy. Chrysanthemum in San Pedro, Laguna; Quezon City Memorial Park; Holy Carabao! in Sta. Rosa, Laguna; and the Department of Agriculture.

An afternoon of coffee, sustainability, creativity

Last Aug. 19, Nespresso, in partnership with Joy~Nostalg Hotel & Suites Manila Managed by Accor in Ortigas Center, Pasig, held “Nespresso SustainaBUILD: A Journey of Nespresso’s Recycling and Upcycling Sustainability Program,” a special event for its loyal club members. Guests were treated to an afternoon of good coffee courtesy of Nespresso Coffee Ambassador JR Abril, while learning more about the brand’s ongoing sustainability efforts.

A Nespresso Club member shows off a trinket she made during the event using upcycled Nespresso aluminum coffee capsules. — Photo by Geremy Pintolo

They were also given the chance to experience first-hand some aspects of the coffee capsule recycling/upcycling journey, like cleaning used coffee capsules with cotton buds and making their own trinkets using pre-molded capsules.

The intimate event was made even more memorable with a menu of coffee-infused afternoon treats courtesy of Joy~Nostalg Hotel & Suites Manila, which has been a staunch partner of Nespresso in its sustainability efforts. The Coffee-rubbed Petit Beef Wellington Whiskey Glaze, Falafel Lettuce Coffee Wraps infused with Tahini Boba, and Coffee Mousse Chocolate Cake were especially mouthwatering.

“We are counting on your help”

During the event, Millet Roque-Valdez, commercial and marketing head of Nespresso Philippines, emphasized that Nespresso’s sustainability journey starts with your decision to recycle one coffee capsule. “Without this step, we cannot proceed with the other steps,” she stressed. “The key here would be our Nespresso Club members, so we are asking for your help as responsible consumers, and to help us spread the word. We need people to do their part, give their used capsules, so we can make sure that they don’t end up as waste.”

An intricate mosaic made from used Nespresso aluminum capsules — Photo by Geremy Pintolo

To further strengthen Nespresso’s commitment to sustainable coffee drinking, it started the “SustainaBUILD: Plant, Sow & Grow” program, a collaborative effort where club members act as “an instrument for the growth” of Nespresso’s Sustainability Program by referring organizations as potential sustainability partners. By participating in this program, club members help expand the reach and impact of Nespresso’s sustainable practices, while organizations benefit from becoming part of a broader sustainability network of Nespresso.

“Our dream is to recover 100% of the capsules that we sell. We have made significant improvements in the last two years, but we have a long way to go. We are counting on your help,” said Millet.

For more information and to order, visit Nespresso PH’s official website at https://www.nespresso.ph/ or its social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. Nespresso PH also has flagship stores on Lazada and Shopee. For referral of organizations, email Nespressoclub@nespresso.ph. — Johanna L. Añes-De La Cruz

 

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More LGBTQ rights could help Asia financial hubs draw global talent

CHANDLERVID85-FREEPIK

HONG KONG/TOKYO – In Hong Kong’s highest court, five judges are deliberating whether to recognize same-sex marriages conducted overseas.

Their decision, expected later this year, could influence Asian financial hubs from Tokyo to Singapore to draft more inclusive laws as a drawcard for the diverse, global talent that multinational corporations from banks to technology giants are seeking to hire and retain.

“Corporates have a massive role to play. They still drive the conversation in a lot of these countries where the legislators aren’t,” said Janet Ledger, chief executive of Community Business, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes diversity and inclusion in companies across Asia.

Only Taiwan and Nepal allow same-sex unions in Asia, where largely conservative values still dominate politics and society.

Some countries, however, have recently taken inclusive steps, including India, where the Supreme Court is debating whether to allow same-sex marriage in the world’s most populous nation; South Korea, where lawmakers proposed a same-sex marriage bill in May; and Singapore, which last year scrapped a British colonial era law criminalizing sex between men.

In Hong Kong, the five-year legal battle by democracy and LGBTQ rights activist Jimmy Sham for his New York marriage to be recognized at home has helped raise awareness, with a poll this year showing over 60 percent of respondents supported same-sex marriage, almost double the number in 2013.

Hong Kong will also host Asia‘s first Gay Games in November, its first major LGBTQ-focused event, and if the Court of Final Appeal rules in Sham’s favor, the city would be the most advanced among its financial hub peers in terms of LGBTQ rights, activists and businesses say.

“Hong Kong has a real opportunity to take the lead here and give a clear message,” said Gigi Chao, the vice chair of listed Hong Kong property firm Cheuk Nang Holdings and a prominent gay rights advocate in Asia.

“I am confident that we will get there in the end,” Chao told Reuters.

 

“WAKE UP”

Business groups in Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan have become increasingly vocal in making the case that Asia‘s leading economies must do more to encourage diversity.

In Japan, the only Group of Seven (G7) nation without legal protection for same-sex unions, corporations are seen as a key driver for change as Tokyo aims to increase its clout as a global financial centre.

“Japan’s recognition of marriage equality would raise its profile in Asia–Pacific,” wrote the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, whose members include over 600 companies, including nearly 100 Fortune-500 firms across 60 sectors.

“Japan cannot afford to lose talent to their global competitors,” it added in a report published in April.

A poll this year by Kyodo news agency of just over 1,500 people showed that nearly 70 percent supported same-sex marriage.

But Japan’s 126 million population remains largely conservative and many lawmakers, including members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, have opposed such unions, saying they cherish traditional family values.

“For LGBTQ people, Japan is not considered an easy location,” Moriaki Kida, the CEO and chairperson of global consulting firm EY Japan, told Reuters.

“Headquarters must wake up and instill values, purpose and then also their employee policies that are encompassing everywhere around the world,” Kida said.

 

POLITICS & FINANCE

LGBTQ people also face hurdles in largely conservative South Korea, which Human Rights Watch says lacks legal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Four in 10 South Koreans support legalizing same-sex marriage, according to a Gallup poll in May, but any change to the law would need to be approved by the political parties, who are closely allied with conservative religious groups.

“South Korea has always gone through a rapid change and it will continue to. The only obstacle I think is politics,” said Kiyong Shim with Seoul-based Youth LGBTQ organization Dawoom.

While corporates rarely lobby Asian governments directly on LGBTQ rights, activists say they show their support through sponsorship of LGBTQ events and Pride-themed marketing.

In Singapore, the annual Pink Dot gathering for the LGBTQ community and allies was sponsored by 91 companies, though under rules laid down by the government, foreigners can not attend the event and foreign companies can not sponsor the rally.

Foreigners can take part in the commercial Pink Fest event, which this year included a careers fair hosted by WeWork and sponsored by Dyson, Nomura and Standard Chartered Bank.

Singapore is keen to cash in on the so-called “pink dollar”, or the spending power of the LGBTQ community, and since the government scrapped the law criminalizing sex between men, members of community say they feel more confident.

But alongside the decriminalization of sex between men, the government also amended the constitution so that only parliament can decide on the definition of marriage, effectively rendering court challenges pushing for same-sex marriages futile.

While activists acknowledge that changing traditional values takes time, they say corporates are best placed to influence business-minded governments like that of Singapore.

Kathy Teo of Singapore’s first LGBTQ chamber of commerce, said society as a whole benefits from inclusivity.

“The best talent in the world are not just LGBTQ individuals but they’re also comprised of people and individuals who are actually more progressive,” said Teo, whose “Q Chamber” includes Google, IBM, P&G, and fintech firm Revolut as members.

“Who prefer to live and work in places where diversity, inclusivity and innovation can thrive, as opposed to not.” – Reuters

US military in talks to develop port in PHL facing Taiwan

FILE PHOTO | PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

MANILA – The US military is in talks to develop a civilian port in the remote northernmost islands of the Philippines, the local governor and two other officials told Reuters, a move that would boost American access to strategically located islands facing Taiwan.

US military involvement in the proposed port in the Batanes islands, less than 200 km (125 miles) from Taiwan, could stoke tensions at a time of growing friction with China and a drive by Washington to intensify its longstanding defence treaty engagement with the Philippines.

The Bashi Channel between those islands and Taiwan is considered a choke point for vessels moving between the western Pacific and the contested South China Sea and a key waterway in the case of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The Chinese military regularly sends ships and aircraft through the channel, Taiwan’s defense ministry has said.

Marilou Cayco, the provincial governor of the Batanes islands, told Reuters in a message she had sought funding from the US for the building of an “an alternative port” there, which was intended to assist the unloading of cargo from the capital, Manila, during rough seas in the monsoon season.

She said the plans were to build a port on Basco island, where local authorities say high waves often make the existing port inaccessible, and that a decision could be made in October.

The Philippines has in the past year almost doubled the number of its military bases that US forces can access, ostensibly for humanitarian assistance, and also has thousands of US troops in the country at any given time, rotating in and out for joint training exercises. China has said these US moves were “stoking the fire” of regional tensions.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposed port in Basco.

Two other Filipino officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said US troops had visited Batanes recently to discuss the port.

One, a senior military official, said the Filipino armed forces were interested in radar and improving monitoring capabilities in the area.

Ms. Cayco confirmed the visit, saying they came “one time to assess” the proposed alternative port.

The move comes as Washington pursues closer ties with Asian nations to counter China in the Asia-Pacific region, including the Philippines, its former colony and treaty ally.

Kanishka Gangopadhyay, a spokesperson for the US embassy in Manila, said US Embassy and US Army Pacific (USARPAC) experts had been engaging the governor and local government, “at their request, to discuss ways USARPAC can support engineering, medical, and agricultural development projects in the province.”

He did not mention the port specifically.

MARCOS INCREASES US ACCESS

Previous President Rodrigo R. Duterte had threatened to scrap the US-Philippines alliance and realign the country with Beijing but relations between China and the Philippines have grown tense under the current president, Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

Mr. Marcos, the son and namesake of the disgraced late strongman president, has sought closer ties with Washington, granting it access to four more military bases, including several close to Taiwan, though not in Batanes, and announced joint patrols in the South China Sea.

Mr. Marcos has said the bases under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) could prove useful if China attacked Taiwan.

Security officials in Manila said they believed any military conflict in the Taiwan Strait would inevitably affect the Philippines, given its geographic proximity to Taiwan and the presence of over 150,000 Filipinos on the democratically-governed island.

Batanes also served as one of the training sites during this year’s joint military exercises, known as Balikatan, which involved more than 17,000 Filipino and American troops, making it the biggest ever edition of the military drill.

At the time of the exercise, Ms. Cayco said she was seeking investment to build seaports and airports in the island province that is home to 18,000 people. The province could harbor Filipinos fleeing Taiwan if conflict breaks out there and residents have been worried about mounting tensions, according to local government officials.

The Philippines and China have also clashed in recent months over disputed waters in the South China Sea, with Chinese vessels firing water cannons on a Filipino vessel trying to send supplies to an outpost.

Ms. Cayco said she didn’t have any conversation with the US about EDCA or about radar installations.

She also said there had not yet been discussions about what access the US would have to the proposed port, but troops could use all ports in the area for regular military exercises like the Balikatan.

Jay Batongbacal, maritime affairs expert at the University of the Philippines, said the proposed port “would certainly be needed for the island’s defence in a worst case scenario.”

“If I were a Chinese strategist, I would want to take the Batanes at minimum in order to ensure control of the Luzon straits and use the island to prevent the approach of adversary naval forces,” he said. — Reuters

SCPW, UAPSA join hands with SM Prime in promoting wetland conservation

SCPW president Arch. Celestino Ulep leads a discussion on nature-based architecture during the fourth SCPW Wetland Center Design Symposium.(Photo from SCPW)

As the world celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity 2023, SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) joined the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW) as it hosted the fourth SCPW Wetland Center Design Symposium on May 29 at the MAAX Building in the Mall of Asia Complex.

Bannering the theme “Build Back Biodiversity: Wetland Centers and Nature-Based Architecture,” the hybrid symposium featured presentations centered on fostering knowledge and awareness about wetland conservation and innovative design approaches.

SCPW president Ar. Celestino Ulep leads the opening of the Wetland Center Design Symposium.

SCPW president Ar. Celestino Ulep opened the symposium by sharing his optimism on how collaboration and embracing nature-based architecture can pave the way towards creating a future where wetlands thrive and biodiversity flourishes.

Notable experts in the field also graced the event, sharing their insights and experiences including Chris Rostron, the global manager of Wetland Link International, and Alex Hughes of Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust in London, UK. The guest speakers kicked off the discussion by sharing about the pivotal role of Wetland Centers as a tool for Communication, Capacity Building, Education, Participation, and Awareness (CEPA) in wetland conservation efforts.

Arch. Ulep, meanwhile, engaged the audience by introducing the concept of nature-based architecture, highlighting the importance of prioritizing sustainability and harmony in design by creating structures that seamlessly integrate with the natural environment.

Meanwhile, Arch. Aaron Lecciones, SCPW Special Projects Officer, made a detailed visual presentation on the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP) Design Team’s experience. He highlighted the challenges and triumphs of designing a wetland park, serving as a source of inspiration for aspiring designers and architects.

Esteemed partners, including Ms. Rida Reyes Castillo of SM Prime, Dr. Arvin Diesmos of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, Mr. Laudemir Salac of DENR-Region 3, and Arch. Gleo Raymundo of UAPSA graced the event to show their full support for this endeavor.

“It is an honor and privilege on the part of SM to partner with the SCPW and UAPSA in realizing its common goal of protecting ecosystems, particularly wetlands, by inspiring the youth to engage and take action on the socio-civic and economic issues in their communities by finding workable solutions towards building a sustainable future,” SM Prime AVP and Head of Marketing, PR, and Communications Rida Reyes Castillo said.

SM Prime AVP and Head of Marketing, PR, and Communications Rida Reyes Castillo

Castillo further emphasized that environmental protection and nature conservation are integral pillars of SM Prime’s sustainability campaign and that they believe in the power of cultivating the younger generation’s devotion to building a sustainable future.

The symposium concluded with a comprehensive discussion on the rules and guidelines of the design competition, followed by an open forum and exchange of ideas among participants.

The symposium also marked the beginning of the highly anticipated 4th SCPW Wetland Center Design Competition, which aims to create a platform for talented students in the field of construction and design to showcase their skills and ingenuity and encourages them to address environmental challenges through sustainable solutions.

 

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SM Foundation introduces rainwater harvesting for sustainable impact

SMFI Health and Medical Programs Senior Project Manager Albert Uy inspects the water catchment to ensure it reliability.

In line with the SM Green Movement, the SM group, through SM Foundation, recently established a rainwater harvesting system at the Brgy. Irawan Birthing Facility in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. The initiative aims to strengthen their goal of preserving the environment and ensuring the health and wellness of future generations.

To enhance water conservation and management in the facility, the system collects rainwater from the roof and gutter, passing it through vinyl-coated mesh filters to help ensure water quality. With an 800-liter storage capacity, the harvested water serves the facility’s non-potable needs like watering plants, cleaning, and toilet flushing.

Faucets connected to the rainwater catchment are duly marked to help guide the community.

The rainwater harvesting facility also operates without electricity and features labeled faucets for intuitive recycled water use.

Midwife Narcisa Jagmis, who leads the said birthing facility, said that the facility will help them reduce their reliance on the city’s water supply systems.

“Mahalagang hindi kami nawawalan ng tubig sa center, lalo na po pag nagsimula kaming magoperate bilang birthing clinic. Ngunit minsan po, walang dumadaloy na tubig at wala kaming mapagkukunan,” Jagmis shared.

Midwife Narcisa Jagmis observes as the system collects rainwater from the gutters.

“Kaya napaka laking tulog po ng natural na tubig mula sa rainwater catchment system na. Madali namin itong naaccess upang gamiting panglinis o pandilig dahil konektado ito sa mga gripo. Ang tubig naman mula sa main line ay maitatabi namin para sa aming sterile operations,” she said.

 

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