Say “no” to nylon bags and plastic straws

The provincial Youth Union launched the plastic waste prevention campaign to all levels of the unions and youth members in the province in early June 2019. Nguyen Kieu Diem (born in 1978), owner of V.Coffee Shop in Bach Viet Garden urban area (Bac Giang city) boldly uses the straws made by veggies, roots and fruits which is her own way to respond to the plastic waste prevention campaign to protect the environment.

GGEM TEA shop uses bamboo belt instead of nylon bag.

This kind of straw has many advantages because it was made from various natural materials such as rice starch and powder of different vegetables, roots and fruits which can be used in hot, cold, ice or carbonated drinks. It is also edible. Thus, the customers truly prefer these straws and even buy them to use at home though their price is higher than the plastic ones.

The Youth Union in Lang Giang district is a pioneer unit in realizing the movement “plastic waste prevention”. According to Ngo Quang Truong, Vice Secretary of the district Youth Union, each unit in the district has coordinated with the Women’s Union, War Veteran Association to encourage the members to bring the hand-basket to the groceries and supermarkets so as to restrict the number of nylon bags to the environment as well as grow the flower road.

Since early July, the district Youth Union has selected GGEM TEA shop and Tran Hoang Dai coffee shop in Voi town as the location to realize the model “Lang Giang youth say no to nylon bags”. The number of used nylon bags have reduced dramatically for two months. Previously, GGEM TEA shop daily consumed hundreds of nylon bags which is now replaced by easily decomposed bamboo belts.

Nguyen Van Cong (born in 1987), owner of GGEM TEA shop in Voi town said the promotion programme “buy 3 milk tea cups with bamboo belts, get one free” is a good way to boost the consumption and contributes to reducing the usage of nylon bags and single use plastic at his shop.

After receiving positive feedback, Cong uses the bamboo belt in his Goc Pho tea shop in Cao Thuong town (Tan Yen district).

Green means healthy life

Though the movement was newly launched, it has received warm welcome from the youngsters. Duong Khanh Thao, Secretary of the Youth Union in the Department of Natural Resources and Environment started the campaign “Green living, healthy living nice living” among the members with a target to reduce 5 – 10 plastic straws and bags per month.

The owner of V.Coffee shop replaces all plastic straws by those made of vegetables, roots and fruits.

Personally, Thao changes to use the plastic straws to those made from vegetable, roots and fruits while actively communicating and calling her friends and relatives to use these products.

Many youths shared that each person should be serious when joining “plastic waste prevention” movement because using single use plastic and nylon bag has become a popular habit of people.

Dao Thi Huong, Vice Secretary of the provincial Youth Union said: “It needs much time to give up or change an old habit. All levels of youth union will keep communicating and persuading the members to make them understand the harmfulness of plastic waste, hence reducing the usage of single use plastic, effectively launch the movement to help widely spread the green lifestyle to the youth members”.

Vietnam actively controls plastic waste

A ceremony was held in Hanoi on June 9 to launch a national campaign on plastic waste prevention in response to the UN’s call for preventing the threat of plastic waste pollution to the ecological environment and people's health. Attending the event, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc called for practical and specific actions to control and reduce plastic waste.

PM calls for drastic measures to control and reduce plastic waste

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasised the need to take  practical and concrete measures to control and reduce plastic waste while launching a national campaign on plastic waste prevention in Hanoi on June 9.

Multi-terrain waste collection machine wins top prize at young volunteers’ creation contest

Overcoming over 1,000 ideas by other Vietnamese and foreign students, a smart device with the ability to collect garbage on the sea, ponds and canals as well as on the ground, by a group of students from the University of Da Nang, won the first prize at the "Volunteers’ Ideas" Contest 2019.

Creative toys made out of waste materials

(BGO) – With the skilful hands and rich imagination, many youths in the northern province of Bac Giang have created the slide, seesaw, swing…from the used tyres of motorbike and car, wood and iron bar to build up the children playground.

Work starts on waste-to-power plant in Bac Ninh

Construction was started on a high-tech waste-to-power plant worth 1.35 trillion VND (over 57.6 million USD) in Que Vo district, the northern province of Bac Ninh on May 29. 

Thu Van