06/06/2023
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Plastic waste is, currently, a serious environmental issue, and Vietnam is one of the countries with the highest amount of plastic waste generated each year. Annually, Vietnam releases between 280,000 to 730,000 tons of plastic waste into the marine environment, making Vietnam one of the top five countries contributing to plastic pollution globally. Alarmingly, there is, currently, no specific mechanism or policy in Vietnam to manage, to collect, and to process the growing plastic waste that is contributing to pollution and degradation. Recognizing this, a multitude of awareness-raising projects aimed at reducing waste has been organized, ranging from large to small scales, from local communities to organizations and individuals, to promote a green, clean, and beautiful environment, free of waste.
The "Challenge for Change" trend - The litter cleanup challenge
The "Challenge for Change" trend, also referred to by young people as the "litter cleanup challenge," originated from two photos posted by American youth Byron Roman (Arizona) on his personal Facebook page on March 5, 2019. He wrote motivational captions urging everyone to participate in this meaningful action: "Here’s a new challenge for teens who are feeling bored. Take a picture of an area that needs cleaning, then, take another photo after you’ve changed it and share it online."
The image of Byron Roman cleaning up the chaotic pile of trash in his neighborhood caught the attention of many.
Recognizing the significant message he aimed to convey, this challenge quickly garnered global support, especially among the youth, and spread to Vietnam, reaching areas like Vinh, Da Nang, Da Lat, and Ho Chi Minh City. Specifically, participants would take a photo of the initial "mountain of trash" and capture the results afterward, then post them on their personal pages with the hashtag #challengeforchange. Below are some remarkable achievements of the young people in Vietnam who enthusiastically joined the challenge.
A photo of Doan Hoang cleaning up trash at Ong Cay Bridge (District 2, Ho Chi Minh City)
A group of young friends at a studio in Vinh took photos while cleaning up trash at Cửa Lò Beach
Source: Tuổi Trẻ Newspaper
The “iCHANGE Plastics” project aims for a green, environmentally friendly lifestyle.
The “iCHANGE Plastics” project is one of the sustainable development campaigns by CHANGE, aimed at reducing the negative impact of humans on the environment. This project is the cherished endeavor of the entire CHANGE team, focusing on building a community of members who have, are, or wish to use sustainable, environmentally friendly products, sharing knowledge and experiences about an ecological lifestyle, and inspiring one another on the journey towards creating a cleaner, greener Vietnam in the future.
In its early years, the iCHANGE Plastics project was launched to raise awareness and to address those issues related to single-use plastics, encouraging the community to take action and make changes. Through activities including creative communication campaigns and engaging challenges, the project has provided wonderful opportunities for members to establish a sustainable green lifestyle in their daily lives.
Visit the CHANGE website - the leading non-profit organization in environmental protection movements in Vietnam: Here
Challenge “Eat Clean - Live Green” - Together with iCHANGE, say no to food waste
Alongside creating challenges, iCHANGE shares knowledge paired with action through simple examples of tips for clearing out the fridge, preserving food, avoiding waste, and changing shopping habits during social distancing to help young people cook delicious meals from leftover food in the fridge.
Text inside image:
8.8 MILLION TONS OF FOOD WASTED
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694,000 tons of meat
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804,000 tons of fish and seafood
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7.3 million tons of fruits and vegetables
Source: CEL Consulting
“Eat Clean - Live Green” is a challenge within the iChange Climate initiative that invites participants to join together for 20 days to reduce food waste and protect the environment through small changes in their daily lives, specifically focusing on eating habits.
For more details concerning the “Eat Green - Live Green” Challenge: Here
Local green living workshop to raise awareness of waste reduction in the community
In addition to online communication activities, iCHANGE organizes unique recycling workshops such as the “Green Stopover Station” at the “Green Living Festival 2019,” providing young people with a creative and entertaining space to design handmade items from plastic and old objects, aimed at spreading the message of sustainable living. Through this stop station, you will be relieved of worries about the 'plastic crisis' and equipped with useful knowledge related to recycling to make the most of available plastic items.
For more details regarding the Workshop: Here
Introduction Poster for the Recycling Workshop with iCHANGE - Green Stopover Station
Meaningful messages to raise awareness related to waste reduction are subtly conveyed through the storytelling of animals that are severely affected by human waste disposal.
Some images of the green rest stop iCHANGE at the "Green Living Festival 2019"
View more images of the green rest stop iCHANGE: Here
Source: CHANGE Fanpage
The project "UEH Zero Waste Campus" at University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH)
The project "UEH Zero Waste Campus - UEH University Without Waste" is implemented by the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) in collaboration with the Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance (VZWA) together with other, various organizations, and experts. It is the first university zero waste project in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam. "Rethink & Be Green" is the inaugural project launched in 2021 – a small initiative within a larger project – aimed at establishing innovative educational foundations and disseminating knowledge to change the behaviors of UEHers while continuing to connect the community and spread knowledge, steering toward a multidisciplinary and sustainable UEH University.
Access the UEH ZERO WASTE CAMPUS website: Here
Unleash your creativity with "The Story of Rubbish"
The content creation contest "The Story of Rubbish" kicks off the "UEH Zero Waste Campus" project, aiming to raise awareness among students related to the current environmental issues related to waste. Students participate in the project by creating content concerning their personal stories related to environmental issues, waste, and sustainable living. This, in turn, generates communication products that convey positive messages aimed at changing readers' behaviors.
View more detailed information: Here
The MV “Green UEH Citizen” - Spreading the message “Rethink & Be Green”
The MV “Green UEH Citizen” is part of the “UEH Zero Waste Campus” project, conducted by the UEH Student Association with the aim of raising awareness about environmental protection and bringing the message “Rethink & Be Green” closer to students. Notably, the MV “Green UEH Citizen” features the first-ever collaboration with male artist Trọng Hiếu alongside the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH)
View more detailed information: Here
The TikTok Dance - Sing Cover Competition - UEH Green Evolution
As an important next step in the UEH Zero Waste Campus project, the TikTok Dance & Sing Cover competition - UEH Green Evolution - carries the mission of spreading the musical tunes of the MV “Green UEH Citizen.”. Concurrently, it transforms the message “Rethink & Be Green” of the project into practical and meaningful actions. View more detailed information: Here
Overall, it can be identified that many projects have been implemented with the singular purpose of protecting a green, clean, and beautiful environment. Therefore, love your living environment just as you love yourself by making changes from the simplest things around your daily life as follows: adopting green living habits, a sustainable lifestyle, and continuously enriching your knowledge on waste reduction to enhance your quality of life!
Source: UEH ZEROWASTE CAMPUS Website
Article by: UEH Movement and Volunteer Team
