The Forbes: The Philippines, a tropical island nation in the Pacific, will now require by law all graduating students from elementary school to college plant 10 trees each before they can graduate.
The bill, called the “Graduation Legacy For the Environment Act,” was approved in the House and is now sent to the Philippines Senate for action. Proponents of the law see this as an opportunity for the Filipino youth to help tackle climate change and build a greener environment for their generation.
“To this end, the educational system shall be a locus for propagating ethical and sustainable use of natural resources among the young to ensure the cultivation of a socially-responsible and conscious citizenry,” The House bill stated, which was authored by representative Gary Alejano.
Alejano estimates that over the course of one generation the bill will be responsible for 525 billion trees planted. This comes from over 12 million students graduating from elementary school each year, 5 million from high school and 500,000 from college, equaling 175 million new trees planted each year.