Using bamboo and stainless steel straws, wooden spoons, glass cups, take-away paper boxes, or making organic fertilizers are ways that 32-year-old Nguyen Thi Ha Phuong, and 27-year-old Dao Hai Yen, are doing every day to reduce plastic waste. Their daily actions significantly contribute to spread the message of saying 'No' to plastic items to the community.

Nguyen Thi Ha Phuong, the owner of The Hideout café, is spreading a lifestyle of reducing plastic waste to the community. Photo: DAN TAM

Towards "green" business

The Hideout café, located at 72/24 Nguyen Van Thoai Street in Son Tra District, is among coffee shops in Da Nang saying no to plastic items.

Nguyen Thi Ha Phuong, the owner of the coffee shop, said “As for coffee and food shops, single-use plastic products are quite convenient. However, I try to minimize the use of plastics by replacing them with wood, stainless steel, paper or other environmentally-friendly items".

Phuong opened The Hideout café in 2018 and the Pokeman Restaurant in 2019. From the early days of her business, Phuong resolutely choose a "green" business direction by minimizing plastic waste.

According to Phuong, investing in utensils made of stainless steel, glass, paper, etc is expensive at first, but in the long run it will help her save costs.

She added that, due to being familiar with plastic straws, many customers hesitate to use reusable ones. However, most of visitors to her coffee shop are now interested in using the environmentally-friendly straws.

“My coffee shop is designed in a minimalist style, thereby creating a cozy and modern space for guests to study, work or chat with their family members and friends. As for business, I try to create the habit of using paper boxes and glass bottles for customers instead of using many plastic bags and straws, thereby raising their awareness about protecting their health and environment", confided Phuong.

Daily actions to save green planet

Dao Hai Yen, residing in Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District, is spreading the message about stopping the use of plastic straws by her own ways.

Yen uses two large styrofoam boxes to make Vermicompost organic fertilizer. “I can do everything, even small things, good for the environment” affirmed she.

After graduating from the Da Nang-based Duy Tan University with bachelor degree in hotel management, Yen worked for a while at the Refillables Hoi An which is located in Cam Thanh Commune, Hoi An City and sells eco-friendly products without packaging by refilling containers.

The At Refillables, the shop owner turns seemingly useless things into useful things such as soap, cleaner, dishwashing liquid, bags, even refining essential oils from local plants and fruits. Most specially, customers must bring eco-friendly bags to buy products there.

The meaningful actions made by the shop owners and her foreign friends have inspired her to live a green lifestyle.

With their small actions, Ha Phuong and Hai Yen have been conveying to the message of limiting the use of plastics to the community in a bid to protect our green planet.

Reporting by DAN TAM - Translating by M.DUNG