In the face of growing public concern about environmental issues, every simple deed is really essential to make something special in order to change the minds of the public about environmental protection. Recent times have seen active involvement by young people across Da Nang, especially unversity and college students in the ‘One green action every day’ challenge, along with the activities of swapping recyclable trash for gifts, sorting waste at the source and planting trees. Such highly practical activities by unversity and college students has contributed spreading love for the nature and building an eco-friendly community.

Students from the Da Nang University of Economics (DUE) are seen swapping recyclable trash for gifts.

Every simple deed being essential to make something special

On weekends, students from the Da Nang University of Economics (DUE) usually come to school to participate in ‘green’ activities organised by the Green University- DUE project. The school yard is divided into separate areas for displaying paintings on environmental protection, collecting used batteries and paper, planting trees, attaching writings on environmental protection messages onto trees.

DUE student Phuong Hong said that participating in the aforementioned green activities really inspires her and her peers positively changed the public's minds about the environmental protection, starting with the smallest deeds, reducing widely-used, throw-away plastics, for instance.

Another student Pham Thi Ngoc Anh from the Faculty of Accounting, the DUE said she highly lauds an idea for collecting used batteries and other hazardous waste items. In reality, the demand for electronic devices among people living in Da Nang is increasing considerably. Most televisions, air-conditioners, and other electronic devices use battery-powered remote controls.

The majority of batteries contain harmful heavy metals. All of these elements are extremely hazardous to both the environment and human health, and they are able to permeate into the ground soil and thus water supplies when they are placed into landfill. For this reason, placing them in household bins to dispose of them is not a safe option, as their harmful chemical content will ultimately make its way back into our water supplies.

Therefore, all used or defective electronic products must be professionally processed to achieve maximum recovery of natural resources and ensure highly professional waste treatment.

Green living spirit taken whenever and wherever

Till date, the ‘One green action every day’ challenge within the framework of the public attention-grabbing Green University –DUE Project has come to an end. This online contest spreads the spirit of environmental protection and a sustainable green lifestyle in the Da Nang community with such simple yet highly practical actions as vegetarianism, planting trees, using cloth masks, picking up liter left by mindless acts of others, and limiting the use of plastic waste in daily life.

The tough yet interesting challenge attracted more than 1,000 participants embarking upon the habit of reducing plastic waste, and tens of thousands approaching the spirit of ‘green living’.

Mr Nguyen Thanh Dat Anh, Secretary of the DUE Youth Union organisation, Head of the Green University -DUE project organizing board, said, “In 2021, the project will kick off its next stage of the ‘One green action every day’ challenge, with a focus on encouraging the use of personal water bottles, garbage classification and proper waste disposal. At the same time, we will work with organisations and partners to plant trees in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province for a green environment, a green future".

With the specific construction roadmap and meaningful contribution to the community, the Green University -DUE project has been selected into the ‘Spread’ round of the Green Avengers programme launched by the Danang Circular Economy Hub (DCEH).

As part of the Accelerator Lab Viet Nam programme, the Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support-run DCEH aims to provide financial aid for innovative startup projects and solutions about how to improve the quality of solid waste treatment in Da Nang, and other parts across Central Viet Nam.

By THANH TINH- Translated by A.T