All my life, I have known this water plant as “Water Lily” because that’s what we usually called them and even if you would not believe, I will always tell my friends and write on every slam book I that water lily is my favorite flower. I always wanted to be unique and different from those girls who love rose or orchids. I always believe that water lily has a unique beauty. It may be soaked in the dirtiest part of our river but it always stand proud and graceful and that’s what I always wanted to achieve, a grace even in the deepest time of my life.
But then, water lily is actually called Water Hyacint, an aquatic plant that was a native of South America. It grows so fast that sometime it causes massive problems and eventually clogged our rivers. But this beauty has many uses, just recently a study was being made to use it as a bio-fuel to solve the problem of the Rio Grande de Mindanao River flooding up because of the large buildup of Water Hyacinth. (manila bulletin)
It has a nitrogen content that can be used as a substrate for biogas production and the sludge obtained from the biogas and was also observed to enhance nitrification in waste water treatment cells of living technology. (wiki)
And the most wonderful part of this plant is the idea of taking it’s stems and let it dry to take the fibers and made them into a string. These strings were made into a beautiful products like bags, wallets, ornaments, frames and even slippers and shoes. I first heard of this project in Las Pinas City and they even held a festival and parade their beauties wearing woven water hyacinth.
Here in Bicol, Water Lily or Water Hyacinth was no longer a nuisance of the Naga River because of the city’s aim to remove them and the water lilies that was harvested was used by small entrepreneur who ventured to make beautiful products out of this plant.
Shoes made of Water Hyacinth
and this beautiful bags and boxes
A real beauty isn’t it? The flower is truly a beauty and it is more beautiful when it was made into native products that can be bought for a very minimal amount, affordable on your budget and a great help to small entrepreneur and local moms.
Ruth
/ September 18, 2011Wow! I didn’t know how useful Water Hyacinth is until I saw your blog! thanks for sharing this post and for hosting this meme. I think it’s my first time to join from my learning center blog.
Have a wonderful week!
Willa @ My Everyday LIFE
/ September 18, 2011Ako din,I always thought that the Water Lily flower is beautiul. that’s great that they think of something out of this flowers, magaling talaga ang pinoy,sabi nga, when God gave you a lemon, or water lily, make a bag or sandals out of it.
I will be back with my link.
Green Home Elements
/ September 19, 2011Joining this week
Wow, people in cotabato should learn from these guys.. they should turn also their hyacinths into worthwhile, earning projects.. great!
Shydub
/ September 19, 2011That’s a very smart and creative idea for pinoy though to make use of the plant. Nice shot sis. and the native bag and shoes looks great
Jhengpot
/ September 19, 2011HI….I think Unang Hirit featured the same product this year at Las Piñas’ fiesta. I love the idea that water Lily can be made into something useful instead of treating it as garbage in our rivers.
By the way congrats for the award..
Jona
/ September 19, 2011cute nga naman ng water lily flowers…and it’s amazing that it can be made into beautiful shoes and bags. very environmental-friendly pala ng water lilies
Shahz
/ September 19, 2011Hello… Thanks for hosting this meme.. Its good to know that we can have information and learning just by reading your blog.. It can really help in awakening other people to think of taking care our world…
Happy Monday!!!
Dhemz
/ September 19, 2011ang galing! unik talaga ang pinoy ano? hehehe…I love those shoes….:)
milrose (hobbies and everything)
/ September 20, 2011although the appearance of water lily associate that the water bodies are polluted, there are still benefits that can be derived from it like this cute bags and shoes..
joining Green Monday!!!
Wena
/ September 20, 2011I’ve seen water hyacinth products featured on TV before. I would want to own a shoes or bag made of those water lilies.
cheerful
/ September 20, 2011first time here,and joining your meme! very interesting post. i love water lily flowers too and yeah, they are reallu useful, ganda ng mga output…galing ng pinoy talaga! hope to see you around, have a great week,
milrose (hobbies and everything)
/ September 25, 2011visiting again..its good that mygreenlivingideas will be supporting the cancer-awareness month of October.. Nice one!!!
So we’ll somehow turn pink this October.. : )