Not only cleaning the environment, Hue Trash Lovers Association also hopes to create a launching pad for change from thinking to action in the fight against plastic waste.
Small action, big change
It has become a tradition that every two weeks on a weekend morning, members of the Hue Trash Lovers Association gather at Thuan An beach (Hue City). After a period of meeting, everyone eagerly puts on gloves and masks and takes turns picking up and collecting trash along Thuan An beach, which is more than 1km long.
Some types of waste such as tree stumps and wooden planks are collected and put into public trash bins for environmental sanitation workers to move and take to a centralized waste dump for processing according to regulations. Other types of waste such as beer cans, plastic bottles, etc. are collected by group members to sort and sell to recycling facilities.
Student Truong Ngoc Anh, a student at Hue University of Sciences , is a pioneer member of the Hue Trash Lovers Association. She said that Thuan An beach was once considered by King Thieu Tri as the 10th most beautiful landscape in the 20 most beautiful landscapes of the land of the Gods. It is famous for its long stretch of fine white sand and clear blue water, attracting a large number of tourists and local residents every summer. However, the lack of awareness and widespread littering by many people has gradually caused Thuan An beach to lose its inherent beauty.
“Many tourists and local people flock to Thuan An beach to swim and have the habit of littering directly on the beach even though there are trash bins around. Seafood shells, plastic bags, plastic bottles, tapioca leaves... left on the beach are washed away by the waves and pollute the environment,” Ngoc Anh confided.
Mr. Ho Huu Phuc, General Manager of the Hue Trash Lovers Association, said that after more than 1 year of operation, the Hue Trash Lovers Association, from 7 core members, has now gathered a large number of volunteers of all ages to participate. The main activity of the association is “Cleanday Sunday” - where everyone cleans up, sorts trash and plants trees together.
"The work of the members of the Hue Trash Lovers Association not only contributes to maintaining environmental hygiene but also has the power to spread and raise people's awareness of environmental protection. Thanks to that, it has aroused the spirit of self-awareness and community consciousness, everyone limits littering, and joins hands to protect a green - clean - beautiful living environment," said Mr. Ho Huu Phuc.
Exchange trash for gifts for the poor
Not stopping at picking up trash, the Hue Trash Lovers Association also has many special initiatives such as coordinated with the Thuan An Coast Guard Station under the Hue City Border Guard to plant hundreds of casuarina trees to block the wind, collect and recycle plastic waste into items to sell to raise funds, organize environmental protection propaganda campaigns at schools, and support poor families from the income from recycling and selling plastic waste.
Mr. Ho Huu Phuc added that after more than a year of operation, the Hue Trash Lovers Association has achieved encouraging results by collecting more than 100kg of various types of waste, planting 1,200 new trees along the coast, giving hundreds of gifts to poor households, and distributing hundreds of free charity porridges at hospitals in the area. But more importantly, there has been a change in people's awareness.
“The Trash Lovers Association is studying to expand this model to other localities in Hue City, typically repairing rough roads to help people participate in traffic more safely. Each recycled plastic bottle and each planted tree has great significance.”
The journey of the “green warriors” of the Hue Trash Lovers Association is a living testament to the power of the community. From small actions – picking up a piece of trash, planting a tree – they are gradually changing the face of Hue City.
Mr. Phan Ngoc Tho, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee of Thua Thien Hue Province (now Hue City) shared that over the years, Hue has spread a positive spirit in propaganda and action to raise public awareness in reducing the use of packaging, nylon bags, and single-use plastic products that are difficult to decompose. All these activities have limited and reduced a large amount of plastic waste, contributing to making the ancient capital of Hue greener, cleaner and brighter every day.
However, Hue has not yet overcome all challenges and barriers in improving the environment and reducing plastic waste... With practical and creative programs, projects and movements along with the spirit of loving Hue as the members of the Hue Trash Lovers Association are doing, they have contributed to "permeating" and "absorbing" into each citizen, the concern about plastic waste will no longer be a problem for the living environment in the near future.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/nguoi-tre-tu-te-voi-moi-truong-post802707.html
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