In their daily lives, young people continue to nurture small green spaces by recycling items, planting potted trees and keeping canals clean. Through these simple yet meaningful actions, the vision of a greener Vietnam is steadily taking shape.
From agricultural waste to green products
At the end of the year, research work becomes even busier, but for Nguyen Bui Anh Duy, it is a joy on the journey to pursue the goal of minimizing agricultural waste, limiting environmental pollution, and contributing to promoting sustainable agricultural development.
As the team leader, Duy and his members have developed green products from agricultural waste, including biodegradable seedling pots and biodegradable agricultural mulch film.
The seedling pots are made from processed peanut shell powder, burnt rice husk powder, bound together with starch extracted from jackfruit and mango seeds, and a small amount of fungus.
Once the seedlings are fully grown, farmers can place the entire pot in the ground without removing it. The pot gradually decomposes and transforms into organic matter beneficial to the soil and plants. Simultaneously, biodegradable agricultural mulch film is used, an alternative to traditional plastic film which leaves behind a large amount of waste after each harvest.
This idea did not originate in a laboratory but took root in everyday life. As the son of a farmer, raised among fields and orchards, Duy and his colleagues grew increasingly concerned that most agricultural products were harvested only for their fruits or seeds, while large quantities of by-products were discarded, creating organic waste and contributing to environmental pollution.
From recycled goods to canal cleanups, youth drive green living in HCMC
In a narrow alley in Hoa Hung Ward of Ho Chi Minh City, on the third floor of a modest house, young and old alike bring old clothes, cardboard boxes, batteries and plastic bottles to exchange for small, carefully tended pots of cacti and succulents.
The space belongs to the “House of Many Leaves” project, launched by Hoang Quy Binh in late 2020. Items that once seemed to have lost their value begin a new and meaningful journey here.
Usable goods are donated to a zero-cost store. Clean paper is recycled into notebooks. Books continue their journey to free libraries or charitable centers in remote areas.
The space has gradually become a familiar gathering place for many families. Ngo Thi My Hang, a resident of Binh Thanh Ward, regularly brings her son’s empty milk cartons and plastic bottles to exchange for green plants. For her, the activity is not only about protecting the environment but also about helping her child develop small yet lasting habits.
Affectionately known simply as “House,” the House of Many Leaves has also become a hub for like-minded young people. Truong Hoang Phuong Nhi, an Environmental Engineering student at the University of Technology under Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, first came out of curiosity and now volunteers there every weekend.
Elsewhere, under the scorching midday sun, Rach Chua Lon 1 canal in Nha Be Commune becomes more vibrant with the appearance of dozens of volunteers from the Saigon Green Club.
Wearing protective suits, gloves, and masks, they wade into the black water, immersing themselves in mud to collect trash and clear the waterway.
Such cleanup efforts have become a familiar activity of Saigon Green since the club was founded in 2022.
Witnessing the pollution of canals and waterways in many areas, Nguyen Luong Ngoc and his young friends chose to directly confront the waste, instead of just stopping at appeals. Each cleanup not only cleans a section of the canal but also sends a message about shared responsibility for the living environment.
These small but persistent actions are gradually fostering a green living awareness within the community. From that foundation, a green Vietnam is slowly taking shape through collective effort and daily responsibility.
