"Eco Station", initiated by the young in Da Nang, is now on its highly practical mission to create a space connecting people loving the environment in tandem with spreading green lifestyles and raising public awareness of appropriate waste soirting and treatment.

Members of "Eco Station" in a garbage collection activity on Son Tra Peninsula. Photo: XUAN SON

According to Nguyen Thi Hong Phuc, a fourth-year student of the University of Economics, a school member of the University of Da Nang, also the founder of "Eco Station", the group was born in the summer of 2020 when its member had the opportunity to meet with one another at a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s climate change-targeted competition.

Members of the station have shared the same views and awareness on environmental protection as well as exchanged experiences in environmental protection or worked as volunteers in environmental units. 

Currently, Eco Station has 12 permanent members actively participating in all activities to create a connection group for environmental lovers in Da Nang to carry out more meaningful green living activities.

Start from an online talkshow…

During days COVID-19 outbreak had made many localities implement social distancing mandates, "Eco Talks" program was born in the form of online talk shows via virtual platforms such as Zoom, Facebook.

The first of the "Eco Talks" series took the group nearly three months to complete since all members' interactions, discussions, contacts, and work assignments must be done via the internet.

So far, there have been 11 issues of Eco Talks aired with hot topics about the environment such as ‘Living green in the time of COVID-19’, Stories about community gardens, urban creatures, trekking and the environment, the application of circular economy in agriculture, attracting the attention along with positive feedback from thousands of environment lovers in Da Nang and its neighbouring provinces and cities.

In that way, the programme has gradually gained a certain reputation and attracted many influential speakers willing to participate in online sharing sessions. Those are the people who inspire the environment-loving community such as Long Journey - an expert on animal conservation and urban development; Huynh Thanh Du - founder of Meron Farm and Cao Minh Chau - founder of Wildhand.

…to again more actual experiences

After Da Nang eased the distance order and changed the state of pandemic prevention and control, in addition to online propaganda activities from talk shows, reality programs to unite the community to protect the environment such as the program "Clean up Son Tra" officially took place.

On November 14, 50 young people were divided into 5 small groups to clean up trash along a section stretching from Tho Quang beach to the foot of the Son Tra mountain with the support and co-participation from many units.

After the cleaning session on the 24km road, more than 500kg of waste was collected, including 50kg of recyclable waste sent to the collection and treatment venues.

Aside from "Clean Up Son Tra" activity, "Eco Station" group also carried out many activities towards the environment protection such as ‘Green journey’ - in collaboration with Greenviet and farms to organize field trips, educational experiences about nature in Son Tra Peaceful Garden (Son Tra Tinh Vien), Son Tra mountain, Dong Dinh Museum; workshop on recycling - sorting waste guidance; coordinating with gardens and associations being fond of planting trees to guide young people on how to plant trees and apply organic fertilizer.

For the time being, members of “Eco Station" have tried to restore the practical experience activities having been suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, the whole group has cherished the intention of connecting activities with organic farms in Da Nang to enrich the experience programs; build a community garden in a residential area or aim to thoroughly separate garbage from every family.

As shared by Phuc, participating in "Eco Station" not only helps young people gradually have green, clean habits but also enhance their environmental protection awareness. However, every program to be successful always needs the cooperation of the community. Therefore, “Eco Station” members hope that each citizen and volunteer when participating in environmental activities will become an "environmental ambassador" in his or her own life.

Reporting by XUAN SON- Translating by T.VY