The project, which was launched by three young people from Green Hero volunteer group, namely Nguyen Luu Ngoc Han, Tran Thi Bao Ngan and Nguyen Do Nhat Minh, has received support from the Da Nang City Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Nguyen Luu Ngoc Han, leader of the Green Hero, said: “The team was formed when we were 10th graders. At that time, we watched many videos about the alarm of harmful impacts of plastic waste as well as images of marine animals eating plastic waste causing their deaths. Therefore, we decided to do something to minimise plastic waste in the city, starting with plastic straws that have been discharged into the environment at large quantities per day. That was the reason for the launch of the project 'Rethink Your Plastic Straws'.
However, in the beginning, the three young people encountered many obstacles. By mid-2019, once they became higher students, the team’s members continued to implement the project with 23 participants, attracting many volunteers and receiving active support from the city. The members went to cafes to mobilise the use of environmentally friendly straws instead of plastic straws. Within four months, 31 out of 217 coffee shops had joined the project, using straws made of bamboo, rice flour, grass and paper instead of disposable plastic straws.
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Representatives of coffee shops receive the certificates of 'green cafes'.
The Books cafe at No.12 Cao Thang Street, Hai Chau District, was one of the first cafes to participate in the project, attracting numerous young people and students. Manager of The Books coffee shop, Nguyen Thanh Khiet, said: “When we were not involved in the project, many customers asked me why I had not replaced plastic straws and they also refused to use them. That caught my attention. Later, after listening to the Green Hero’s members sharing on the use of plastic straws and alternative products, I saw that it is necessary to join the project”.
Similarly, Nguyen Quang Thanh Son, the owner of Trinh coffee shop in Ngu Hanh Son District, shared that he did not pay much attention to using other products to replace plastic straws; however, later he decided to use inox straws and found that customers have been happy.
These are the pioneering cafes in using environmentally friendly straws instead of disposable plastic straws in Da Nang City. Their managers agreed that this is a necessary and significant action towards environmental protection and food safety. Bamboo straws are currently used the most because they are both environmentally friendly and reusable, so they do not generate as much waste into the environment as the disposable straws. All participating cafes have been honoured and received certificates as ‘Green Cafes’ from the Da Nang City Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
The Department’s Deputy Director Dinh Quang Cuong said that the movement against plastic waste in the city has gained initial results with many activities and forms. “As a director of the Environmental Protection Fund, I encourage young people to develop a project on collecting plastic waste and the Fund will invest in the project if it is feasible”, he added.
Deputy Director Cuong also expressed his hope that the effective models against plastic waste will be expanded so that Da Nang can become a leading city in limiting disposable plastic products, being worthy of the title ‘Environment City’.
