Living green is a healthy, positive, and sustainable lifestyle that not only helps protect the environment and quality of life but also conserves natural resources and ecosystems. Among the many ways to embrace this lifestyle, reducing plastic consumption is one of the most impactful.

Recognising the environmental and societal harms of plastic waste, young people in Hoa Binh have actively and creatively taken the lead in the campaign against plastic waste. Over the past year, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the province and the union of Lac Thuy district, in collaboration with their peers from Agribank’s Lac Thuy branch, launched the eco-friendly market model at the central market of Phu Nghia commune. Similarly, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Kim Boi district has implemented the same model at Danh market in Dong Bac commune. The union of Hoa Binh has maintained two anti-plastic waste models in Dan Chu and Tan Hoa wards.

At the same time, grassroots-level chapters of the union have stepped up communications efforts to raise awareness of plastic waste hazards, encouraging and supporting households in waste sorting at source, shifting daily habits, and reducing the use of single-use plastic items and plastic bags in favour of organic, eco-friendly alternatives. These efforts have gradually helped reduce plastic waste and protect the local environment. 

 Unlike in the past, Nguyen Thi Hai of Phuong Lam ward in Hoa Binh city now brings reusable cloth or plastic baskets when shopping at the market instead of using plastic bags. Lam said that previously, she often come home from the market with around ten plastic bags. The convenience made it a hard habit to break. But after hearing warnings from the authorities and awareness campaigns from local unions and organisations about how harmful and non-biodegradable plastic bags are, she has gradually changed. "Now, I only use cloth bags or baskets for groceries. This simple switch has significantly reduced my family’s plastic waste,” she said. 

 It’s not just young people, many residents have become more proactive and self-aware about sorting waste at source. Recyclable waste is collected and sold to raise funds. A typical example is the women’s association in residential zone 5 in Thinh Lang ward of Hoa Binh city, which has effectively run a model where members collect and sell recyclable materials to fund health insurance cards for disadvantaged members. Launched in September 2023, the initiative has been enthusiastically embraced. Each day, members collect recyclables such as plastic bottles, cans, and cardboard from their households. On the 25th day of every month, they gather to sort and sell the materials. The funds are then used to purchase health insurance for members in need, supporting them with better access to healthcare.

Hoang Thi Hai Trieu, Chairwoman of the Women’s Union of Thinh Lang ward, said that this waste-collection model has proven practical and impactful. It not only promotes environmental protection and reduces plastic waste but also strengthens solidarity, mutual support, and resourcefulness within the community. It has helped foster a culture of saving and collective responsibility, enhancing the union’s activities, she added.

Through simple behavioural changes like bringing cloth bags to the market, cutting down on plastic bag use, and avoiding single-use plastics, people are collectively contributing to building a greener, more sustainable living environment. Every small action matters.