plastics in paradise?!

I just arrived from an out-of-town photo shoot in Boracay. At first, I thought it would be a nice junket – the location being one of my favorite beaches – until I took a morning stroll along the shoreline.

My path was strewn with plastic waste, each piece half-embedded in the sand along with decaying organic debris, all washed ashore during the previous night. Everything from disposable lighters, rubber slippers, sunglasses, food wrappers, bags, water bottles and even hangers! See pics below, right.

From afar, the non- biodegradable pollutants of the pristine-looking beach weren't discernible (below). But they were there – repulsive replacements of calcified starfish and corals that once adorned the long stretch of white sand.

I believe that public ignorance, as well as apathy, are the culprits. In my own little way, I would like to help spread the word to the guilty:

"Eat your own f__king trash if you can't dispose of them properly, you morons!?! *#?!"

Sorry, but that was the nicest way I could put it. :-)

The WWF Panda Be@rbrick (top, left) was commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature, one of the world's largest and most effective independent organizations dedicated to the conservation of our natural habitat.

Today, WWF operates in approximately 100 countries, supported by nearly five million people worldwide. To find out how you can help, visit their website here.

chill out be@rbrick

Chill Out Tip: Cool down with the completely transparent Jellybean Be@rbrick of Series 12 (right). Just drop it in a glass of iced water and admire its shiny, colorless surface amidst the ice cubes. What for? Just silly Brrrrrrbrick fun. :-)

Chill Out Trip: Fly to Boracay, a four and a half kilometer stretch of fine white sand and crystal clear waters in the Philippines (below).


There, get yourself a cool tropical drink and laze the hours away.

Expect an exotic mix of local and international cuisine, drunken parties from sunset to sunrise, and gorgeous tanned bodies sashaying up and down the beach. For me, it's the 'coolest' place to be in this part of the world. Its attraction is mainly due to the proximity of the hotels, restos, cafes, clubs and bars to the water's edge. One always feels close to where the action is!

J, a friend from KL who has been to both Phuket and Bali says, "I'll take Boracay anytime!"

(Boracay pics from Boracay Travel Information Guide. Check out the Boracay event calendar. More pics here.)