Reigning Miss Earth 2024 Jessica Lane from Australia visited Guihulngan National High School in Negros Oriental to discuss environmental sustainability. This was her second return to the Philippines to fulfill her duties. She came back earlier this month. She also visited Canlaon City to check on the impact of the volcano eruption in the affected communities. Truly hardworking!
This journey in Negros Island is close to her heart. She is the happiest queen to have these opportunities of reaching beyond the Miss Earth beauty pageant stage.
Jessica has always been an angel for the environment. Back home in Queensland, her life is sandwiched between the ocean and the forest — an everyday blessing when it comes to nature adventure. Jessica, the nature lover, unfolded stories of adventure from home endlessly. “Growing up, it was always the environment. It has always been my biggest concern, no matter what,” Jessica said.
Our Miss Earth learned much about climate change issues in high school, and right away became an environmental advocate. She shared with students about the “circles” when asked about how she gets to choose her advocacy. She said the first step is to recognize and expand the circle of control. The circle of control is within your world. It includes your mind, your heart, your education… You can control what’s inside you and make decisions. From within, you can control the self to impart kindness. You can start planting the seed of environmentalism within the home as family members are within the next circle: the circle of influence. This is when you can expand the circle from within the home environment, to our friends and even reach a wider community.
She recalled what she gained after winning the crown: “I’ve succeeded with getting this international spotlight, and it’s definitely a larger circle of influence than I ever could have imagined,” said Jessica who, at 26, is the first Australian to win Miss Earth.
She said she is happy to note that her crown is also a United Nations-recognized platform for environmental advocacy. She has widened her circle of influence through the Miss Earth title. She has been using it to promote her primary advocacy which is No to Fast Fashion.
She enlightened and pointed out that ‘Fast Fashion’ has a significant environmental impact. According to the UN Environment Programme, the industry is the second-biggest consumer of water, and is responsible for about 10 percent of global carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.
Our Miss Earth queen said she is worried that leaders of the fashion industry may have overlooked the forecasted problems, and the same concerns are often ignored by consumers as there are only a few awareness programs in existence for the people to be educated about the hazards of Fast Fashion.
This student journalist, with much professional experience on TV work behind the camera, is facing her new role as a global ambassador with much courage and excitement. Television cameras are now making her the subject to amplify the vital zeitgeist.
It was easy for Jessica to spot our country’s weaknesses in our regard for the environment. Australia’s multicultural heritage is somewhat parallel to the diversity that we have in the Philippines. She understands where we are coming from as we deal with environmental issues. Her sincerity is deeply rooted as she is truly a child of nature.
As she embarks on programs reaching out to more people around the Philippine archipelago and beyond, she said she hopes the islands will celebrate with her the fashion potential of Philippine tribal traditions, which she had the opportunity to wear as a queen and model.
She is calling on the Filipinos to celebrate our creative ancestry, and to say “no to fast fashion.” She said she also wants the youth to join her in going beyond just focusing primarily on the 3Rs in green campaigns: “reduce,” followed by “reuse” and then “recycle.” She wants them to be more critical and add two more Rs: “rethink” and “respect.”
We have been working with beauty pageant winners through the years, joining Jessica Lane in this Negros Island visit has made us realize that this queen from Down Under is sincerely sharing her circles of control and influence to truly make ka difference. (Photos by Michael Ocampo)
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