Ho Chi Minh City Open University will stop using plastic water bottles, drinking straws and other products during events held within the school from next month, in response to a movement to fight single-use plastics.
The management board of the Ho Chi Minh City Open University has observed an alarming number of over a hundred thousand plastic water bottles used in meetings, events and even in classes for the past few years, despite the school’s huge efforts on promoting environment campaigns on its campus.
A fresh effort is underway to tackle the issue, with the school expected to cut off the use of plastic bottles, straws and other dining utensils in all internal meetings from the beginning of next month, according to its vice rector, Associate Professor and Doctor Nguyen Minh Ha.
Alternatively, lecturers and students are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles or drinking water provided by the university to reduce plastic waste, Ha added.
Large water containers are expected to be available during meetings, as attendees will no longer be individually given their own water bottles.
The management of Ho Chi Minh City Open University will also offer reusable water bottles to officers and employees and organize environmental campaigns and events among students, as part of this plastic-reduction effort.
Different initiatives to reduce single-use plastics have recently been taken in Vietnam, at a time when environmental protection is a topical issue in the country.
Earlier this month several supermarket chains, including Vietnam’s leading retailer Saigon Co.op, began a step-by-step effort to ditch their biodegradable wrap for banana leaves in their respective systems.
Saigon Co.op also announced it would stop selling plastic drinking straws across its trading system from May 1.
In the meantime, local youth across the country have actively participated in the Challenge for Change, or the #Trashtag Challenge, where they gathered in groups to clean outdoor areas that have been overrun with litter.
According to a report on Tuoi Tre
