With the desire to spread and create a common channel calling on the community to join hands in protecting the environment, the ‘Tram Xanh’ (Green Da Nang) model, founded by Ms. Le Thi Phuong Thao in Hai Chau District, has contributed to raising public awareness of environmental protection and waste classification at the source.

An environmental activity organised by Green Da Nang for students. Photo: T.H

Established since August 2020, Green Da Nang has been responded to and supported by the environment-loving community in Da Nang. Ms. Le Thi Phuong Thao said that Green Da Nang was established with the purpose of communicating, raising public awareness of environmental protection and implementing waste classification at the source - collecting waste - exchanging points for gifts, bringing waste to recycling facilities to create a new life cycle for waste, limiting disposal to landfills causing environmental pollution.

Up to now, Green Da Nang has created a habit for many people, especially the young, and has been supported by the environment-loving community to recycle waste including valuable waste types such as cardboard, plastic and aluminum cans, and worthless waste (paper boxes, disposable plastic, nylon bags).

According to Ms. Thao, after more than three years of operation, this unit has collected and recycled about 7.9 tonnes of waste; more than 16,700 old batteries have been transferred for proper treatment. Although this number is still limit, it is a positive signal for environmental protection activities in Da Nang. So as to promote environmental protection activities, Green Da Nang aims to collect and recycle about 10 tonnes/year by 2025 and 20 tonnes/year by 2030.

Along with collecting and recycling waste, extending the life cycle of waste, Green Da Nang has organised and co-organised many environmental activities and events. These include regular waste collection activities at this unit from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. every day (from 2020 to 2022); from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every Sunday from 2023 to present.

In addition, members of this unit also responded to events such as the Green Market in July 2023 with the participation of more than 400 people, collecting 58 kg of recyclable waste; ‘Make a change’ international science summer camp themed “Weekend of change for the environment” at the Viet Nam-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education, a member school of the University of Da Nang (UD) in June 2023 with more than 200 participants per day, collecting more than 37kg of recyclable waste; the activity of exchanging waste for gifts at the Da Nang University of Architecture in February 2023 attracting more than 500 participants, collecting 232kg of recyclable waste; along with cooperating with many primary schools to conduct workshops on waste recycling...

These waste collection activities have brought positive effects to society, attracting many volunteers who are young people with high awareness of preserving and protecting the living environment. The large-scale activities have spread the media effect, raising awareness and behaviour of young people, students and people about waste sorting at the source, and green and, minimalist lifestyles.

The amount of recycled waste collected weekly and through the above-mentioned events was transferred by the group to other recycling units for it to be recycled into ecological products such as tables, chairs, roofing sheets, boards, photo frames, flower pots, lockers, thereby creating jobs, supporting other businesses and promoting the development of a circular economy.

Green Da Nang also combines the business of green products such as laundry detergent and Fuwa 3E biological dishwashing liquid in the form of refill (the act of refilling the product when it has run out into old plastic bottles, helping to limit plastic bottles being discharged into the environment and saving costs for users) at Green Da Nang, increasing business and revenue for green product brands in the market.

According to Ms. Le Thi Phuong Thao, after a period of implementation, one of the differences that Green Da Nang contributes to environmental protection activities is to collect low-value waste such as nylon bags, disposable plastic, milk cartons that are not collected and recycled by many specialised units in Da Nang to transfer them to specialised recycling facilities in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, helping to reduce the amount of waste discharged into the environment and into the city's landfill.

The group also always accompanies the city towards green technology, clean technology to contribute to achieving the goal of green growth and reducing emissions to 0 - Net Zero by 2050 according to the commitment made by the Vietnamese Prime Minister at the COP26 Summit.

Reporting by NHAT HA - Translating by A.THU