In a country composed of 7,641 islands and one of the world’s longest coastlines, a bizarre phenomenon stands out—around half of Filipinos can’t swim without assistance. This puzzling contradiction raises questions about how residents of an archipelagic nation could be so disconnected from the waters that surround them. Why is it that so many people […]
We live in an archipelago. Why can’t Filipinos swim? Read More »
HBO’s hit series White Lotus casted Thai global sensation Lisa and shot in Thailand, inciting a tourism frenzy at the inundated islands of Phuket and Koh Samui. Local communities struggle with soaring rents, water shortages, and waste buildup from overtourism. Phuket, for instance, earned the title of the world’s most over-touristed city, with 118 tourists
The ‘White Lotus Effect’ Makes Overtourism in Thailand Worse Read More »
“I entered this space really by accident,” says Hannah Fernandez, a chief correspondent at Eco-Business. Seven years ago, she traded her 9-to-5 corporate job for a remote role covering sustainability. The pivot came while searching for work that could grant her time for family. This is just one example of the diverse but often unexpected
The Rise of Impact Jobs You Never Knew Existed in Asia Read More »
Sachets, food waste, and crumpled paper fester and mix inside a residential trash bag in Vietnam. A middle-aged woman rummages through the trash. She wears a long-sleeved, patterned garment and a cone-shaped hat traditionally referred to as a nón lá. Before, waste workers didn’t take sachets because it had no trade value. It’s only until
How to Formalize a Hidden Workforce of Waste Workers Read More »
At the break of dawn, millions of boats dot the coastlines of Asia, their occupants ready to set out for the day’s catch. These are not big commercial vessels nor industrial fishing fleets, but the backbone of a hidden subsector that feeds nations and supports countless livelihoods. Small-scale fisheries contribute 40% or 37 million tons
The Untapped Potential of Small-Scale Fisheries in Asia Read More »
On the coast of Batangas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and gas-fired power plants are projected to nearly triple. A mix of pipelines, jetties, and tankers would soon accumulate in the Verde Island Passage—a center of marine biodiversity. As the Philippines pushes forward with its vision to become an LNG Trading and Transshipment Hub for
Natural gas build-up endangers coastal residents in the Philippines Read More »
Water is a fundamental right and necessity. However, it has long been a source of conflict and tension throughout human history. Even the critically acclaimed film Dune 2 depicts a future where lack of water has become a weapon, a trigger, and a casualty of conflict on the desert planet Arrakis. From fictional worlds to
How Water Affects Conflict (From Dune 2 to Reality) Read More »
Episode 1: Produced in kitchen leftovers Fig1. Waste oil from school cafeteria leftovers In the process of enjoying various kinds of food, have you ever wondered where the red oil in the bowl after eating hotpot, the butter left in the hot pan with steak and the peanut oil left over from fried chicken have
After global leaders pledged to triple renewable capacity in COP28, word breaks out about a wind farm installation that threatens protected land in Rizal, Philippines. Caretakers caught wind of drilling operations in Masungi Georeserve — casting a light on growing tension between nature conservation and clean energy development. “Cases of unjust transition are underrepresented in
The Nature Conservation and Renewable Energy Conundrum Read More »
Many areas have seen a halt to progress, in part due to a convergence of crises that include the ongoing pandemic, growing inflation, and the cost-of-living problem, as well as global, environmental, and economic misery, as well as regional and national unrest, conflict, and natural disasters. Because of this, the previous three years have seen
Diinsider Life’s 2023 Recap: Hurdles and Breakthroughs in the Development Sector Read More »
