Keep the environment green through small actions.

From trashwaste to green value

In late May, amidst the early summer heat, members of the Women's Association of Block 12, Ha Huy Tap Street (Vinh Phu Ward), gathered to sort plastic bottles, cans, and scrap paper after the recycling collection. This is a regular activity of the association to implement the campaign "Building a family with 5 no's, 3 clean's, and 3 safe's." Not only does it contribute to reducing waste in the environment, but the money collected is also put into the "Turning Waste into Money" fund to support members in difficult circumstances.

The bags of scrap materials collected in Block 12, Ha Huy Tap Street, not only serve to raise funds to support disadvantaged members, but also represent a shift in environmental awareness occurring in many localities throughout the province. With over 704,000 members, the Women's Union of Nghe An province is becoming a bridge connecting families and communities with messages of green living.

From small things like keeping the house clean, limiting the use of single-use plastics, or sorting waste at the source, environmental awareness is gradually formed and spread. The campaign "Building a family with 5 no's, 3 clean, and 3 safe" is the foundation for these activities to become part of life, transforming seemingly simple criteria into concrete actions in each family.

In Do Luong commune, thousands of households have proactively used microbial products to process organic waste from their kitchens and agricultural by-products. Leftover food, spoiled vegetables, leaves, and post-harvest by-products are no longer discarded indiscriminately but are composted into organic fertilizer for agricultural production.

This approach not only significantly reduces waste generation but also contributes to building environmentally friendly agriculture, limiting the use of chemical fertilizers.

Environmental protection activities are no longer confined to the family; they have expanded to every street, alley, and residential area. The "Green Sunday" movement has become a regular activity in many localities. The image of women's association members clearing bushes, sweeping, collecting waste, or tending to flower-lined streets has become familiar.

Many innovative models have been implemented, contributing to changing the face of rural and urban areas. For example, in Tay Hieu ward, the "Clean, Beautiful Alleyways, Civilized Families" model has transformed old, dilapidated walls into vibrant murals, conveying messages about cultural lifestyles and environmental protection awareness.

For example, in Chau Hong commune, the "Green Areca Palm Row" project creates cool, green pathways, contributing to the beautification of the rural landscape. Many other localities have built flower-lined roads, flag-lined roads, and power lines, creating scenic highlights while raising community awareness in preserving the living environment.

Beyond simply cleaning up the environment, many places are finding ways to transform waste into resources for social welfare. From plastic bottles, cans, and scraps of paper collected daily, more than 700 models of "Turning waste into useful things" and "Turning waste into gifts" have been established throughout the province.

After sorting and selling scrap materials, many localities earn 30-35 million VND annually to purchase health insurance cards for disadvantaged members, provide scholarships for poor students, and support women in developing their livelihoods with seedlings and livestock. The value of these models lies not only in the money earned but also in the change in awareness, proving that environmental protection can begin with very familiar actions in daily life.

Let's work together to keep our homeland's seas clean.

While environmental protection models in residential areas are contributing to changing the face of many villages and towns, the fight against plastic waste in coastal areas still poses many challenges. This is also one of the issues of concern during the "Vietnam Sea and Islands Week" in 2026, as protecting the marine environment is identified as a crucial condition for developing a green and sustainable marine economy.

In recent years, along with the increase in fishing, aquaculture, and marine tourism activities, the amount of waste generated at sea has also grown significantly. From plastic bottles, plastic bags, and styrofoam containers to damaged fishing gear, if not collected and processed properly, it will become a burden on the marine ecosystem. The people who feel this situation most directly are the fishermen.

During each fishing trip, in addition to fish and shrimp, fishing vessels often pull up nets full of garbage. This garbage gets caught in fishing gear, entangles the propellers of boats, increases production costs, and affects fishing safety. In the long term, marine pollution also shrinks the habitats of many aquatic species, directly impacting marine resources and the livelihoods of fishermen.

Aware of these consequences, many fishermen in Cua Lo ward have proactively changed their habits during fishing operations. Previously, used plastic cans, bottles, and bags were often discarded into the sea, but now many fishing boats sort waste on board, collecting scrap materials to bring ashore for processing after each trip.

Having spent over 30 years working at sea, Mr. Phung Ba Thu, a fisherman from Cua Lo ward, said that there was a time when many fishermen thought that because the sea was vast, a few plastic bottles or bags thrown into the water wouldn't have much impact. However, after years of witnessing the increasing amount of waste in the fishing grounds, getting caught in nets, entangled in boat propellers, and washing ashore in large clumps, he and his crew have changed their approach to the sea.

During fishing trips lasting 7-10 days, organic waste is separated, while empty cans, plastic bottles, and plastic bags are collected in containers and brought ashore. "The sea is where fishermen live, so keeping the sea clean is also about protecting our livelihoods," Mr. Thu shared.

From those initial changes, the "Collecting Solid Waste from the Sea to the Shore" model and the "Recycle Waste, Don't Dispose of It in the Sea, Exchange It for Money on Shore, Support the Poor" movement have been implemented in many coastal localities. These models not only contribute to reducing the amount of plastic waste released into the environment but also create a fund to support disadvantaged individuals, thereby spreading a sense of responsibility among fishing communities towards the sea.

Mr. Hoang Van Thang, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Cua Lo Ward, said that the Association is currently maintaining the effective "Green Sunday" movement, actively participating in beach cleanup campaigns, encouraging members to produce clean products, limiting the use of single-use plastic products, and continuing to expand the model of fishermen bringing waste ashore.

According to Mr. Thang, every small action, such as collecting trash on the ship, disposing of trash in designated areas, or participating in beach cleanup, contributes to fostering environmental awareness within the community, thereby creating collective strength in preserving the blue sea.

Alongside activities at sea, numerous environmental protection movements are regularly implemented on land. Regular clean-up campaigns, including beach clean-up, waste collection along the coast, and sanitation of fishing ports and estuaries, are maintained by the Farmers' Association, Youth Union, Border Guard, and local residents. These activities not only contribute to improving the environmental landscape but also raise community awareness about reducing plastic waste and protecting marine resources.

These activities are even more significant as Nghe An is the host province for the 2026 "Vietnam Sea and Islands Week" with the theme "Promoting Sustainable Blue Marine Economic Development: From Institutions to Action". Besides forums, workshops, and activities promoting the marine economy, the overarching message of the event is that protecting marine resources and the environment must become a regular action of the entire society.

From green alleyways in residential areas to ships silently collecting trash offshore, the journey of environmental protection in Nghe An is being written through simple actions. Every plastic bottle disposed of properly, every road kept clean and beautiful, or every bag of waste brought from the sea to shore, adds a touch of green to life.