Editor's Note:  The two articles below are among the Top Three winners in the essay competition among high school students, a highlight of the Provincial Environment Week celebration which ended yesterday.

The essay contest was focused on the theme, "Valuing Our Environment. Protecting Our Biodiversity. Building a Sustainable Society".   It was sponsored by the Provincial Capitol through the Provincial Environment Management Office.

Bernne Jan Yanson of Domingo Lacson National High School was adjudged first place winner. He received P2,000 in the awarding program held Friday afternoon. Tying for second place were Jo-Anne Camille Alba of Negros Occidental High School and Mika Tajima of Luisa Medel High School.  They received P1,000 each.

The entries of Thea Tabuga of Trinity Christian School and Christine Joy Ramos of Negros Occidental  National Science High School were jointly adjudged third place.

StarLife will publish the winning entry in the next issue.

Jo-Anne Camille Alba

Lesson from a Single Pebble

Edward O. Wilson, father of biodiversity quoted "It is reckless to support that biodiversity can be diminished indefinitely without threatening humanity itself."

But what exactly is biodiversity? Biodiversity is defined as a variation of living species residing in an environment where they grow, reproduce and multiply.

If we are to look at biodiversity at a new perspective, then now is  the right time to do so. Ever since the evolution of organisms like us human beings, changes in the physical aspect of the environment have occurred. Natural phenomenon, as we call it, used to be regarded as normal or in other words, a usual day-to-day encounter with nature.

The big question is, how can we declare that something is still normal when in fact, what we experience right now is a concrete illustration of our negligence to the importance of Biodiversity?

Often, we hear reports about animals nearly coming to extinct, oppressive weather causing algae bloom and the rapid depletion of our natural resources. In some cases, like sea turtles, there was a great decline in their population since the waters which used to be a home to a million marine-life were contaminated with pollutants like plastics. These are just some of the devastating truths that we are trying to discern as a result of our ungovernable acts as human beings.

 Our mistake is that we never try to contemplate about what might be the outcome of our unruly actions. We only care about what  can benefit from nature never did we make a chance to do the same.

The good thing is we never have to repay nature with our very own lives. Chances are always at hand and it is never the case that we lose a turn to try again, go hand and hand a big difference - a  difference that can be a link to restore what was lost, protect the living and preserve the future.

As the saying goes, "Even a single pebble makes a difference on the shoreline, It's the little things that matter."

Stewards of God
Thea Tabuga

I have a good life. I eat three full delicious meals a day, ride in a nice luxurious car and live in a big comfortable house but seeing flooded streets, filthy sidewalks and smelly rivers still bothers me a lot. But why? Why am I concerned? Maybe because they matter and they do.

It is part of my life. All things around me, from the tiny microorganisms to the vast rainforests. They all matter. I used to hate ants. They are such a pests. Their bite stings so I kill them by drowning them with water or feeding them pesticides, anyway they don't matter.

One time, however,  I saw these tiny unimportant creatures creeping in the sand carrying particles of leftovers. Then I realized that they are actually lessening the wastes by taking those biodegradable things into the soil and that makes the soil fertile.

 The same goes for the yucky worms. I also used to ask why deserts even came to existence. They are just nothing but a hot and unfertile ground. I don't think even potatoes can grow there. But how come that United Arab Emirates is one of the richest places on earth? It lies on a dessert. I eventually found out that dessert are rich in oil fuels and that helped UAE's industry. They are not useless after all.

But why still bother protesting nature? It's not like they'll vanish before I do, right? But then I remembered that God has given us the responsibility to take care of each and every of his creation and in return we are allowed to harvest the crops of the land and the fruits of the trees. If God entrusted me these things, then I will not fail Him. If God loves even those tiny insects than I will love them, too.

 Why still protect nature? I have an answer. It is because I want to share the beauty that my eyes see with  the next generations -- that they, too, may know that they have an awesome God who made everything in accordance so that each and every thing may live useful for each other.

I will protect our ecosystem for me and others to have a better place live. I will protect out ecosystem because it is my responsibility. I will protect our ecosystem because it is not just part of my life… It is life.

Young Winner, Chicky

Chicky is a 3-month-old Beagle who was named Best puppy in her category in the dog show held at SM City Sunday last week. She was later adjudged third among all puppies of different  breeds in the overall category competition.

Chicky is owned by the fama family of Eroreco Subdivision, Bacolod City.

Chicky, winner at 3 months

Chicky with owner, Raje, and girlfriend, Ruffnee