To help residents and visitors enjoy the landscape, recreational activities, and reduced plastic waste, making both banks of the Huong River in Hue cleaner and more beautiful, the project “Hue - Plastic Smart City in Central Vietnam” (TVA/WWF-Vietnam) has been cooperating with the Hue Green Park Center to install many waste-sorting bins, shelters, and free drinking water stations in areas such as Ben Me Wharf and Thien Mu Pagoda.
In addition, the project will deploy direct communication teams combined with indirect and online communication activities to encourage people to sort waste, dispose of it properly, and reduce plastic waste.
Leaders of the Hue Green Park Center said that the shelters and free drinking water stations funded by the TVA Project have encouraged residents and tourists to reduce single-use plastic bottles and to carry personal refillable bottles. “We hope these water refill points will motivate Hue residents to gradually form the habit of reducing single-use plastics, improve tourists’ experiences at sightseeing spots, and promote a healthy, green-living community to preserve a beautiful Hue City for future generations”, said the representative.
Waste-sorting bins installed by the TVA Project at Thuong Bac Park, on the northern bank of the Huong River. Photo: Van Dinh.According to Hoang Ngoc Tuong Van, TVA Project Manager, to make both banks of the Huong River greener, cleaner, and more beautiful and to reduce the burden on waste collectors, the community’s awareness and positive behavior in waste sorting at the source play a vital role. The project aims, through communication activities and the participation of volunteer groups, residents, and visitors, to encourage better waste sorting and proper disposal, thereby contributing to the protection of Hue’s iconic river.
“In the near future, the TVA Project will install 25 sets of waste-sorting bins at various locations along both banks of the Huong River. The bins will be designed to be friendly, easy to recognize, and clearly labeled for users. At the same time, the project will coordinate with relevant units to arrange volunteer forces to assist and guide people during the initial stage, creating a solid foundation for long-term, effective operation”, Ms. Van shared.
It can be said that protecting a clean and green environment is not only the responsibility of the authorities or organizations but, more importantly, depends on each individual’s awareness and voluntary action. Only when every resident and tourist actively keeps public spaces clean, limits single-use plastic, and acts responsibly can the poetic, pure image of the Huong River remain sustainably preserved for today and tomorrow.