Responding to the "Earth Hour" campaign: Small actions, big meaning

(Baonghean) -Every small action of people such as turning off and not using unnecessary electrical devices for 1 hour will create great significance in saving energy, protecting the environment and fighting climate change. From now on, let's take action...

Responding to the "Earth Hour" Campaign. Photo: Internet.

QAfter more than 4 years of implementation, the meaning of the "Earth Hour" program has increasingly spread in people's awareness. In order for the program not to be limited to Vinh City, the Provincial People's Committee requested agencies to step up propaganda work to rural areas. Therefore, this year, the number of banners and pennants hung will be greater than in 2013 and will be expanded to remote areas. Mr. Tran Ngoc Tuyen, Deputy Head of the Company's Business Department, said: Since March 20, the company has distributed banners and pennants to district-level units. The total number of banners and pennants distributed is 170. Along with that, the company has issued a written notice to its staff to respond to the "Earth Hour" Campaign by turning off unnecessary power sources, and at the same time, coordinating with local authorities and organizations to widely propagate to raise people's voluntary awareness.

Although the plan to respond to the "Earth Hour" Campaign issued by the Provincial People's Committee was issued in a short time, thanks to the active participation of agencies and mass organizations, the preparations up to this point have basically been completed. The Provincial Youth Union is the unit assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to prepare the main activities for the program. According to the plan, on the morning of March 29, at Vinh University, there will be a rally with the participation of about 1,000 students and youth union members. In addition to cultural activities and program introductions, this year there will be an additional tree planting activity on the campus of Vinh University. After the rally, more than 300 youth union members and representatives of the Provincial People's Committee, departments, branches and sectors will divide into 2 groups to organize a bicycle parade on the streets of Vinh City to create a widespread response among all people.

Mr. Pham Van Toan, Deputy Head of the Rural, Workers and Urban Youth Department, said: The program responding to "Earth Hour" is one of the key activities in March - Youth Month. Determining the importance and significance of the program, the Provincial Youth Union has built a specific, economical and most effective plan. The cycling parade not only raises the awareness and perception of union members, youth and the whole community to participate in responding to the "Earth Hour" Campaign.

To attract a large number of union members and students to participate, the Provincial Youth Union has issued an official dispatch requesting all levels of grassroots Unions to actively participate in response. In particular, it is recommended that grassroots Unions at all levels need to step up propaganda work among union members, youth, children and people to build and form habits of using electricity effectively and economically; raise awareness of planting and caring for trees; responsibility for protecting forests and protecting the living environment to contribute to minimizing the harmful effects caused by climate change, contributing to implementing social security in the whole province. Depending on specific conditions, the Youth Union organizations will organize propaganda activities in many forms such as: Organizing recycling festivals, cycling to promote, turning off unnecessary electrical equipment, propagating the use of energy-saving equipment, planting trees to protect the environment, organizing collective painting with the theme of saving energy and protecting the environment, etc.

For the young generation, the program responding to the "Earth Hour" Campaign is not only a meaningful Youth Union activity but also demonstrates their awareness and role in protecting the environment and combating climate change. After more than 2 years of participating in the "Earth Hour" Campaign, Hoang Truc Linh, a student of the Faculty of Law, Vinh University, always feels excited and happy to contribute a part of her strength in cheering and propagating to society about the meaning of the program. Linh said: Each year has a different theme, but I find this a very meaningful activity. I hope that each student is an ambassador of "Earth Hour" and is aware of saving energy and protecting the ecological environment not only for 1 hour but for all 365 days a year. Responding to climate change is not something too far away, but let's start with specific actions such as turning off unnecessary lights, going to school by bicycle instead of relying too much on motorbikes and cars, limiting the use of plastic bags and plastic straws, using compact light bulbs...

Secretary of the Youth Union of Vinh University, Mr. Nguyen Anh Chuong said: Propaganda on saving awareness and environmental protection is a regular activity that the Party Committee, Board of Directors, Youth Union, and Student Association of Vinh University pay attention to. To respond to the "Earth Hour" Campaign, the school will organize specific activities such as: Parade to promote Earth Hour, environmental sanitation campaign, keeping the school campus green - clean - beautiful, forum "Building a model of Vietnamese youth in the renovation period". Educating students on saving awareness from simple actions such as turning off unnecessary lights and electrical equipment, making the most of natural light in lecture halls, dormitories and private homes.

Not only students save money, but staff and workers must also set an example in promoting the spirit of saving in using electricity, water, gasoline, stationery... During Youth Month, the school will organize and promote activities to respond to the environmental protection program such as launching the movements "Green lecture hall", "Green dormitory", "Save public property, protect the environment" or "Practice saving, fight waste, protect public property..." among staff, workers, students... Thanks to that, the school saves hundreds of millions of dong each year. "Earth Hour" 2014, Vinh University determined to mobilize students to participate actively and consider this an opportunity to raise awareness of building a "green" lifestyle for young people.

Thanks to good propaganda work, people's awareness of the meaning and purpose of the "Earth Hour" Campaign has been increasingly enhanced. For nearly a year now, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa's family, house number 33, Nguyen Quoc Tri Street, Hung Binh Ward (Vinh City) has trained its members to use electricity economically. When not in use, Mrs. Hoa turns off the lights in the yard, hallway and unnecessary appliances. Mrs. Hoa shared: This is a very meaningful and practical program because our family also clearly sees that saving electricity means saving living expenses in the family. On average, my family saves nearly 100,000 VND per month on electricity. The government needs to have more programs because saving electricity is not just one day but needs to become a regular activity. Each person, each family saving a little, multiplied by the whole community is very big.

Climate change has been and will continue to affect people's lives and all socio-economic activities globally. Mitigating and adapting to climate change is the right and responsibility of the whole society. Activities aimed at promoting and raising public awareness of climate change are very practical and need to be widely disseminated. With the active participation of agencies, organizations, unions and the voluntary participation of the people, it is hoped that the program responding to the "Earth Hour" Campaign in 2014 will be meaningful and highly effective. This is the premise and basis for us to better organize this program next year. And even more importantly, to raise awareness of the entire community in saving energy, protecting the environment and combating climate change.

Pham Bang