Youth take action for a greener environment

Environmental protection activities not only help create a green, clean, and beautiful environment and promote a green lifestyle in the community, but also serve as a means of uniting and gathering youth. These activities provide a practical environment in which Youth Union members and young people (referred to collectively as Youth Union members) can develop, contribute to society, and grow.

Therefore, in recent years, Youth Union organizations at all levels across the city have consistently focused on implementing a wide range of environmental protection and climate change response activities, attracting the participation of large numbers of Youth Union members.

Numerous environmental protection activities

Instead of resting, spending time with family and friends, or enjoying recreational activities, many Youth Union members in Dong Nai choose to wear the Vietnamese Youth Union's signature blue shirts and join efforts to eliminate waste hotspots. A few days ago, 70 Youth Union members from Trang Dai Ward, together with volunteers from the Green Dong Nai and Bien Hoa Green communities, coordinated a campaign to address a waste hotspot along the stream section beneath Loc Lam Bridge in Quarter 4C, Trang Dai Ward.

Youth Union members and volunteers collect waste from the stream section beneath Loc Lam Bridge in Quarter 4C, Trang Dai Ward.

Tran Thi Tham, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Secretary of the Trang Dai Ward Youth Union, said the stream section beneath Loc Lam Bridge forms the boundary between Trang Dai Ward and Long Binh Ward. During the rainy season, upstream tributaries carry large amounts of waste into the area. As the water recedes, the waste becomes trapped in trees along both banks, causing environmental pollution and obstructing the water flow.

As part of this year's Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign, the Trang Dai Ward Youth Union selected this stream section for cleanup. Early in the morning, Youth Union members and volunteers gathered to receive tools, waste bags, and protective equipment before promptly beginning the cleanup. The team wearing protective gear entered the stream to collect waste and trim tree branches along both banks, while the transfer team worked near the banks and collected waste along the roadside. Although collecting waste in the water and transporting it to the collection point was physically demanding, the youthful enthusiasm and pioneering volunteer spirit of the Youth Union members and volunteers ensured the cleanup was completed on schedule.

Participating in waste collection for the first time, Do Quang Dat from Quarter 2, Trang Dai Ward, was initially unfamiliar with the work and even slipped and soaked his clothes. However, that did not diminish his enthusiasm. Dat said, “When I first entered the stream, I felt apprehensive because of the large amount of waste, the dirty water, and the unpleasant odor. However, the thought of removing the waste, clearing the water flow, improving the environment, and providing nearby residents with a cleaner living space motivated me to continue.” Thanks to the enthusiasm and active participation of Youth Union members and volunteers such as Dat, the stream section was cleared of waste in just three hours.

In addition to waste collection and the elimination of waste hotspots, Youth Union organizations at all levels continue to organize Green Sunday campaign to carry out environmental cleanup activities, plant and care for trees, conduct waste-for-gifts exchange programs, combat plastic waste, promote waste sorting at the source, and implement "bright - green - clean - beautiful" road projects. These practical activities not only contribute to improving the environment but also enhance the awareness and responsibility of Youth Union members and people from all walks of life regarding environmental protection and climate change response.

Spreading a green lifestyle

Phan The Cong, Deputy Secretary of the City Youth Union and Chairman of the City Vietnam Youth Federation, said that alongside youth projects and activities related to environmental protection, Youth Union organizations at all levels have recently strengthened communication, mobilization, model development, and the promotion of the role of Youth Union members in environmental protection. Environmental protection has been integrated into action movements, youth support programs, and major campaigns organized by the Youth Union and the federation, while also being linked to socio-economic development tasks, new-style rural construction, civilized urban development, and the city's green transition.

The City Youth Union has coordinated the development of communication materials, organized training courses and awareness-raising conferences, and received numerous publications and documents to support communication efforts at the grassroots level. In addition to direct communication, the City Youth Union has paid particular attention to innovating communication methods on digital platforms to improve outreach to young people. During the 2021-2026 period, Youth Union organizations at all levels created and published tens of thousands of news articles, infographics, and video clips promoting environmental protection and the green transition. A notable achievement is that Youth Union organizations have gradually shifted from simple awareness campaigns to creating opportunities for young people to participate directly in environmental protection activities within their residential communities. At the same time, they have become a core force in communicating with and encouraging families and the wider community to work together for a green environment.

One of the targets set by the City Youth Union for this year's Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign is that the City Youth Union and 100 percent of commune- and ward-level Youth Union organizations must eliminate at least one environmental pollution hotspot.

To raise awareness, strengthen responsibility, and promote the pioneering and volunteer role of Youth Union members in environmental protection and climate change response, the City Youth Union issued a plan in June 2026 to implement environmental protection activities and promote source separation of domestic solid waste among Youth Union members. This initiative aims to concretize the objectives of the special 500-day-and-night emulation campaign themed “Unity – Discipline – Efficiency – Breakthrough, building a civilized and modern Dong Nai.”

Accordingly, the City Youth Union requires activities to be organized in a practical, effective, focused, and targeted manner. Communication content must follow policies and orientations on environmental protection, climate change response, green growth, sustainable development, the sorting of domestic solid waste at the source, and the city's socio-economic development tasks. The City Youth Union will organize a launch ceremony in response to the Clean Up the World campaign, along with a conference on environmental protection and the sorting of domestic solid waste at the source. These activities will serve as practical contributions by Dong Nai's youth toward building a green, civilized, and modern city, improving the quality of the living environment, and creating a foundation for the goal of achieving double-digit economic growth by 2030.

By Nga Son – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha