Although the municipal Women's Unions at all levels have not organized mass propaganda campaigns, their simple yet persistent initiatives in protecting the environment activities have gradually changed people's habits in daily waste collection.

The idea to clean up empty land for growing vegetables of Thanh Khe Tay Ward chapter of the Women's Union (WU)helps to ensure environmental sanitation and create a new food source to support families having members infected with COVID-19. Photo: T.S

Every early Sunday morning, members of Thanh Vinh 4 chapter of the WU, Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District, have together crept around the streets in residential areas to collect and sort waste to bring back the clean and beautiful space for the locals.

Ms Phan Thi Hoa, a member of Thanh Vinh 4 chapter of the WU, reminisced about previous years when she was not aware that her habits pollute the environment and affect the surrounding landscape.

Fortunately, the WU of the ward has persistently implemented the program "Green - Clean - Beautiful Sunday", so it has gradually changed people's habits. For the time being, it is easier and faster owning to the fact that local residents have known how to sort and gather garbage for women union members to pick up.

In the same vein, the model named "Civilized trash can" implemented by the Hoa Phuoc Commune chapter of WU, Hoa Vang District for nearly 5 years now has not only mobilized people to sort and dispose of garbage according to regulations but also creates funds to help needy union members.

According to Ms Le Thi Yen, the Chairwoman of the above-mentioned WU, it is very difficult to change people's habits at the beginning, so the WU members had persevered in propaganda to people following the motto “Small rain lays great dust”. Finally, the locals have gradually had the habit of sorting garbage at home and putting it in assigned places.

Recently, the union has also continued to implement the "Green Roof" model by placing trash cans at community venues for people to sort and collect garbage. For the time being, this approach brings nearly VND 40 million per year to the budget that comes from selling plastic bottles and packaging to help needy members.

Similarly, Thanh Khe Tay Ward's chapter of the WU has implemented the initiative "Management of solid waste by sorting and recycling at the source" throughout the district.

The union established 9 publicity points in residential areas on garbage classification, especially asking all officials and members to set an example for the people to follow by weekly cleaning and collecting and sorting garbage.

Moreover, the union has also organized to clean up vacant lots to grow vegetables to supply to households having people infected with COVID-19 as well as to donate to poor women since mid-2021. Thanks to this approach, the environment quality in some residential areas has significantly improved.

As shared by Ms Luong Thi Dao, Vice Chairwoman of the municipal WU, the success of women's unions at all levels in calling people to support and join hands to protect the environment is thanks to their discovery of numerous creative initiatives.

However, the most commendable is the persistence of women in persuading people to protect the environment. The image of enthusiastic women officials and members who are not afraid of difficulties and persistently set an example in garbage classification and collection has a strong impact on people's consciousness.

On top of that, the successful implementation of the "Green Living" model by the municipal WU has also contributed significantly to changing people's habits in environmental protection. So far, the whole city has had more than 900 "Green Living" groups with over 16,000 members, creating a network of environmental protection activities to spread widely in the residential community.

All in all, changing residents' long-standing habits to protect the environment has never been simple. However, with perseverance, hard work and many good initiatives, women's unions at all levels have gradually persuaded a host of people to change for the sake of their health as well as the community.

Reporting by THANH VAN - Translating by T.VY