Last weekend, attendees at the environmental-friendly Green Vietnam Festival in Ho Chi Minh City received advice from an inspiring source. 

“Vietnam has set the net-zero emissions target by 2050, but this goal can only be reached if everyone works together,” Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H'Hen Nie said at a panel discussion during the festival.

The Green Vietnam Festival, held on November 9 and 10 at the Youth Culture House in District 1, hosted panels on sustainable development and planet protection.

Speakers, including H'Hen Nie, encouraged both businesses and citizens adopting green lifestyles and practices.

She stressed the need for collective action to make sustainability a reality, stating, "Only by working together can we achieve this goal."

H'Hen Nie said at the environmental panel discussion that protecting the environment is an opportunity to ensure a better living environment for posterity. 

The beauty queen drew everyone's attention to practical changes in daily life for environmental protection, including saving energy and minimizing the use of plastic bags in shopping. 

H'Hen Nie also cited statistics as indicating that each household in Vietnam uses around one kilogram of plastic bags per month, a considerable amount, especially as Vietnam is also among the top five countries contributing to ocean plastic waste.

“We all need to seek out more information to understand what changes we are responsible for making in our daily life,” she said. 

"Everywhere in Vietnam is our home, and it’s our responsibility to keep it green, clean, and beautiful. 

“We must show our commitment to the places we visit and the places we live in."

She cited an example of poor behavior when people leave a large amount of trash behind after watching fireworks.

Influencers from the local pageant community also participated in the Green Vietnam Festival to promote environmental protection.

Miss Intercontinental 2022 Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc set up a booth for her Gen Zero project, a non-profit initiative that encourages youth to engage with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly focusing on Climate Action.

“At first, I didn’t think I had a passion for the environment, as I saw it as a broad issue primarily for government agencies and policymakers,” Ngoc said. 

“But one day, when I introduced the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho City to my friends, I was told that the market was covered in trash and plastic pollution.

“That was when I decided to start a project for the floating market and realized that this wasn’t just about plastic pollution, it was a broader environmental issue affecting people’s lives.

“This experience sparked my interest and motivation for launching more projects to raise awareness about environmental protection."

During another panel discussion about waste sorting, Miss Eco International 2023 Nguyen Thanh Ha shared her observation that waste separation is still not effectively implemented in schools and homes.

She also pointed out a challenge many people face: the excessive use of technology, especially when it comes to ordering food delivery through apps.

This habit generates a lot of plastic waste after each meal, but Ha has become aware of it and has started to make changes.

Meanwhile, Miss Universe Vietnam 2022 Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau shared that she and her family have practiced green living daily, by sorting waste at the source, using cloth bags and baskets for shopping instead of plastic bags, or simply using electricity and water more efficiently.

"Every small action for the environment matters when we all contribute," Chau said.

"We don't need to dive into canals to clean them -- simply not littering is already a step toward living sustainably.

"If everyone does this, the canals will be clean.

"I hope to spread positive values, help others understand healthy lifestyles, and inspire everyone to take action for the environment."

The Green Vietnam Festival was part of a long-term Green Vietnam project launched by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper in collaboration with the Packaging Recycling Organization Vietnam (PRO Vietnam) and other partners.

Over the two-day event, the festival welcomed 11,600 visitors and distributed a total of 3,500 eco-friendly gifts to the attendees.

The visitors brought in more than 20,000 items, including plastic bottles, milk cartons, batteries, and other recyclables, to exchange for gifts and participate in festival activities.

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