Thao Hoang and “Noi Khong voi tui nlon” project
If there’s one thing travellers take away from visiting Singapore, Japan or Europe, it’s the realisation of just how clean they are. There’s no doubt that, if possible, all of us would wish the same for our beloved country of Vietnam. When it comes to taking action however, the problem may seem like an overwhelming task to fix. As daunting as it may seem, there are shining examples of hope that even one person can help make a difference, such as with environmental activist Thao Hoang. The Hanoi native who took upon herself, the arduous task of bringing awareness of the plastic waste problem now plaguing her country. “The environment is ours and it affects our lives directly. We want a change, but there’ll be nothing left to change if we are all complacent or wait for someone else to fix it. We must take action by ourselves and for ourselves.” Thao explains.
FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS…
“I just wanted to do something good for the environment and community.”
Thao received a moment of epiphany while working and studying for her master’s degree in Japan. During her years in Japan, she was intrigued by how various environmentally-conscious ideas to curb waste were commonplace. Such as retailers offering rewards for reusing containers or having customers pay extra for plastic bags.
It didn’t take long for Thao to learn about the harmful effects that plastic bags were having on the environment globally and she was astonished by the figures related to Vietnam. Vietnam is now among one of the top twenty polluters in the world and is fourth for plastic waste per volume being dumped into the ocean. (link)
On average, Vietnamese citizens generate nearly 18,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste per day. A staggering number, as stated during a seminar held by the Consulate General of the United States on Earth Day in Ho Chi Minh City last year. (link)
It was these bleak statistics that motivated Thao to take action. She created the Facebook page Noi ‘Khong’ Voi Tui Nylon (Say No to Plastic Bags) in 2016 focused on educating Vietnamese people on the seriousness of the environmental crisis. It provided links to news reports, articles, images and videos pertaining to plastic waste and its harmful effects.
This was a task easier said than done. Even though there were enough sources from well-known newspapers and organizations focused on environmental waste, Thao and her team found difficult to find anything written in Vietnamese. A great deal of time was spent translating stories from international sources for local readers.
That all changed in 2018 however, when China, the world’s largest importer of waste, began banning the importing of garbage from foreign countries. This was an effort to curb their own pollution problem. Since then, articles published on plastic waste have steadily increased, as the world is finally taking notice of the issues at hand, according to Thao.
Since its inception, the Say No to Plastic Bag Facebook page has grown substantially. It now boasts 62,000+ followers, many of whom are adamant volunteers that support the cause and help promote the page and its activities. Nothing on the internet comes without its detractors however, as Thao was quick to discover. “Some people still leave comments criticizing the page, but I’ve met more like-minded people, which is the biggest support and motivation for me to continue. I just wanted to do something good for the environment and community” Thao continues. “My family did not support me either, sadly. They told me to stop doing wasteful things that no one did.”
“Some people still leave comments criticizing the page, but I’ve met more like-minded people, which is the biggest support and motivation for me to continue.”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
“After nearly three years, many shops still run the policy. We also see more shops offering it, including those we did not talk with. It’s a very good sign.”
In just three years’ time, Say No to Plastic Bag has managed to leave the confines of Facebook to bring environmental awareness into the real world. What Thao first observed during her time living in Japan have now come to fruition in Hanoi. She has partnered with several stores in Hanoi to implement an eco-points campaign to give customers discounts while charging extra for plastic bags.
“After nearly three years, many shops still run the policy. We also see more shops offering it, including those we did not talk with. It’s a very good sign,” Thao said proudly. Her parents, now seeing Thao’s cause also are trying to reduce the use of plastic bags as well.
Say No to Plastic Bag has managed to leave the confines of Facebook to bring environmental awareness into the real world.
TO A CLEAR FUTURE
“The road is long, but after three years, I can say that I’m happy to see that I’ve done something.”
As there are a wealth of natural eco-friendly materials in a tropical country such as Vietnam, Say No to Plastic Bags’ latest endeavor is their own Go Eco Hanoi shop.
The concept of the store is a one-stop shop that produces no waste to the environment. This is achieved by selling only organic and eco-friendly houseware and personal care products. The shop uses no plastic containers to hold their liquid products or provides no plastic bags for customers. Anyone who makes a purchase is encouraged to bring their own cloth bags or empty refill bottles. The store also accepts secondhand containers for customers who don’t bring their own.
The store has been warmly received since opening, especially by those living an eco-friendly lifestyle. Before Go Eco Hanoi opened, many eco-shoppers had to travel to various locations across the city in order to buy all the eco-friendly products they needed. Go Eco Hanoi connects several local companies into one centralized location in order to bring consumers more convenience and options.
All the profits from Go Eco Hanoi are used to fund other Say ‘No’ to Plastic Bags projects and events. “For the sake of our own sustainability, we think the shop is a good and independent way to fund our projects,” Thao explains. “Compared to fundraising from sponsors, this approach also supports other eco-friendly businesses in Vietnam.”
The demand for such a shop is there. Recently, the team was asked to expand to other locations using the same business model. They are now researching locations that would best benefit from an eco-friendly store. “The road is long, but after three years, I can say that I’m happy to see that I’ve done something,” Thao says while reflecting. “It is still small, but I believe if everyone joins in taking action, we can all together make a big change.”
“It is still small, but I believe if everyone joins in taking action, we can all together make a big change.”
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