Preventing plastic waste through photo exhibition

Leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Board of Directors of Le Trung Kien High School visited the photo exhibition. Photo: MANH HOAI NAM

In Phu Yen , shrimp farming areas use convenient plastic bags to store lobster food and then throw them into the sea, where the wind blows them ashore and creates a mass of plastic, polluting the environment. Recently, at Le Trung Kien High School (Dong Hoa Town), the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized a conference to promote and display mobile photos and documents on preventing and combating plastic waste for a green future.

Together towards a green future

The mobile propaganda and exhibition conference attracted a large number of students. On this occasion, delegates and students visited 150 photos of the exhibition promoting the prevention of plastic waste. Sharing about some activities of mobile exhibition of photos and documents on environmental protection right at the photo exhibition, Dinh To Nhu, class 11B1 (Le Trung Kien High School) said: The images and documents displayed at the exhibition provide viewers with information about the harmful effects of plastic bags on the environment and human health; thereby contributing to raising awareness and responsibility of the community, changing the habit of using disposable plastic bags to gradually switch to using products that are close and friendly to the environment towards a green future.

According to Dinh To Nhu, through documents and photo exhibitions, she also learned that many people have the habit of using plastic bags to store fresh food and hot food without knowing that if plastic bags are used to store hot food (temperature from 70-80 ^degrees Celsius), toxic substances in the bags will mix with the food. It is even more dangerous if processed food is stored in colored plastic bags, heavy metals such as lead and cadmium will harm the brain, and are the main cause of cancer... Therefore, she encourages her family and relatives to use other friendly tools instead of plastic bags to ensure health.

Visiting hundreds of pictures and documents on plastic waste prevention displayed at the exhibition, Nguyen Bao Ngoc, class 11B4 (Le Trung Kien High School) shared: Through the photo exhibition, I learned a lot of useful knowledge and clearly realized that if we want to build a green future, each individual must really take concrete actions in their daily life and work. The habit of abusing single-use plastic bags is causing the amount of waste to increase exponentially.

Nguyen Bao Ngoc added that he had the opportunity to go to Vung Ro (Hoa Xuan Nam commune, Dong Hoa town) and to Xuan Dai bay (Song Cau town) and saw shrimp farmers using plastic bags to hold food for lobsters, and after feeding the shrimp, they conveniently threw the bags into the sea. Day after day, the plastic bags were gathered by the wind into clumps of plastic that drifted ashore. In residential areas, many people often conveniently throw plastic waste and plastic bags anywhere such as on the road, the beach, and sewers, causing waste to overflow and be difficult to collect and process. In particular, dumping plastic waste and plastic bags into sewers causes clogged pipes, flooding the streets, etc. Therefore, he encouraged his family and relatives to reduce the use of plastic bags, use traditional tools that are environmentally friendly, and join hands towards a green future.

Ms. Huynh Thi Thanh Cuc, a teacher at Le Trung Kien High School, shared: The exhibition held at the school has provided an opportunity for teachers and students to access more information and knowledge about preventing and reducing plastic waste and nylon bags. Students and the school will be active propagandists both now and in the future, contributing to building a green future. Through this meaningful photo exhibition, teachers and students hope to spread messages together, calling on everyone to join hands to protect the living environment with practical actions and deeds.

Mr. Nguyen Le Vu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: Displaying photos and propaganda documents on plastic waste prevention is a practical communication activity to implement the Project to promote propaganda on plastic waste prevention and control in the period of 2021-2025, approved by the Prime Minister in Decision 175/QD-TTg, dated February 5, 2021. Receiving the photo collection and documents from the Department of Grassroots Information and External Information, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized a propaganda conference, along with the display of nearly 150 photos and documents at Le Trung Kien High School with the hope that students of the school and of Dong Hoa Town will be propagandists for the cause of protecting the marine environment, our living environment without plastic waste.

Students of Le Trung Kien High School (Dong Hoa Town) visit a mobile exhibition of photos and documents promoting the prevention of plastic waste for a green future. Photo: MANH HOAI NAM

Say no to plastic products

According to statistics, every year Vietnam releases about 1.8 million tons of plastic into the environment, of which about 730,000 tons are dumped into the ocean. Therefore, Vietnam is currently ranked fourth in the list of countries that discharge the most waste in the world , an alarming number.

In fact, plastic waste is most concentrated on the coasts, stretching from the North to the South. Coastal villages have long been hot spots for environmental pollution. Garbage is strewn with all kinds of things from nylon, styrofoam boxes, plastic bottles, fishing gear, even tires, animal carcasses, etc. In the summer, under the hot sun, the garbage begins to decompose, emitting a foul smell that makes many coastal villages suffocating.

According to the Vietnam Plastics Association, every day Vietnam releases about 80,000 tons of household plastic waste into the environment, of which 20% is recycled and the remaining 80% is landfilled. Plastic waste directly affects the quality of life, human health and other living creatures. The most dangerous thing about plastic waste is that it is very difficult to decompose. Even when buried in the soil, it can still exist for hundreds, even thousands of years, changing the physical properties of the soil, causing soil erosion, making the soil unable to retain water and nutrients, preventing oxygen from passing through the soil, affecting the growth of crops, hindering the growth and development of animals and plants...

Mr. Nguyen Le Vu added: If there are no timely solutions to the problem of plastic waste pollution, plastic waste will seriously affect the environment as well as harm human health. To reduce plastic waste pollution, each citizen needs to promote a sense of responsibility, actively participate, organize activities against plastic waste with specific and practical initiatives and actions; change habits, say no to single-use plastic products and nylon bags; use environmentally friendly products. At the same time, actively participate in environmental protection communication activities.

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/xa-hoi/202505/ngan-ngua-rac-thai-nhua-qua-trien-lam-anh-33214f9/