SPS and Nipa Brew host Commservation Workshop

On Saturday, July 14, Save Philippine Seas is hosting it first open Commservation Workshop in partnership with Nipa Brew, Filipino handcrafted beverages brewed for adventure. SPS and Nipa have been partners since 2015 for various events. Nipa Brew is “all for adventure, daring to find new flavours and new experiences both in life and in beer.” For the team behind Nipa Brew, life is about “exploration, discovery and adventure.”

The Commservation Workshop will have two sessions: Communications as a tool for Conservation and Writing Letters to Leaders.

Communications as a tool for Conservation: This workshop, led by Pam Luber, aims to show environmentalists and communicators – or aspiring environmentalists and communicators – how various communication strategies, platforms, and formats can be used as viable tools for promoting environmental conservation. It will also show environmentalists how they can integrate market behavior and analysis, creative and visual arts, as well as design thinking when promoting scientific research.

Writing Letters to Leaders: “Writing letters to leaders has been my hobby since college,” shared Anna Oposa, Chief Mermaid of SPS. Some of the letters she has written or co-written has influenced the University of the Philippines-Diliman to stop using polystyrene (Styrofoam); stop the release of balloons and lanterns in several municipalities and cities around the Philippines; and led to stronger enforcement of existing policies. She delivers the Writing Letters to Leaders workshop in every SEA Camp, which has become one of the most well-loved activities of the camp.

The workshop will begin with Anna sharing her experience on engaging leaders of corporations, local government units, and institutions; examples of letters she has written; and letter writing tips. Participants will then have the chance to write their own letters, and their output will be workshopped in smaller groups with SEA Camp alumni.

The Commservation Workshop will be held in the Nipa Brewhouse & Taproom, Solace Hotel, Makati from 2:30-6:00PM. The Commservation Workshop fee is P1,000, inclusive of a flight of beer (four 120mL servings of different craft beers, served at the end of the workshop). The workshop is open to all, but alcohol will only be served to participants 18 years old and above.

Register and pay for the registration fee by Wednesday, July 11, here. Details for the deposit will be shown after registration confirmation. After your payment, please send a screenshot of your fund transfer if using an app or a clear photo of the deposit slip to secure your slot.

About the speakers

Pam Luber: Pam works for WWF-Philippines as the Integrated Marketing Communications Specialist of The Sustainable Diner, a sustainable consumption and production project focused on the local dining industry. She was a graduate of Save Philippine Seas' SEA Camp program, where she was awarded grant funding by YSEALI and the US Embassy in the Philippines for #ScreenYourSunscreen, a campaign to spread awareness on the harmful effects of commercial sunscreen on marine biodiversity. She wants to spread the concept of "Commservation", or Communications Conservation, which works to bring back the heart in science through meaningful interaction and a deeper understanding of human behavior in order to effectively educate people on the benefits of environmental protection.

Anna Oposa: Anna is the co-founder and Chief Mermaid of Save Philippine Seas. She graduated with a degree in BS English Studies from the University of the Philippines-Diliman in 2011, and obtained her MSc in Conservation Science from Imperial College London in 2015. Before focusing on environmental conservation full-time in 2016, she worked as a musical theatre performer; theatre teacher for kids, teens, and adults; writer for magazines and websites for lifestyle features and political commentaries; and copywriter for various corporations. Anna is passionate about shark conservation, youth empowerment, refusing single-use plastics, groomed eyebrows, and squalene-free red lipsticks.