Green Summer Volunteers Sow “Green Seeds” from the Smallest Acts
From mountainous regions to remote islands, thousands of student volunteers participating in the Green Summer Campaign 2025 are promoting sustainable living through simple yet impactful actions: distributing waste-sorting bins, organizing training sessions, and cleaning up local environments. Accompanying the campaign is the For a Green Future Foundation, an initiative of Vingroup, helping drive meaningful change from awareness to everyday behavior among local communities.
From Small Beginnings to a Sustainable Future
On Bạch Long Vĩ Island (Hải Phòng), the family of Mr. Trần Trí Tráng has gradually adopted waste sorting at source, once an unfamiliar practice.
“In the past, all household waste was collected and buried together. Now, with three-compartment bins, our family has learned to separate organic, recyclable, and residual waste. It takes a bit more effort, but the benefits are clear-materials can be reused, and the environment is cleaner,” Mr. Tráng shared.
Due to the island’s geographical isolation, waste was previously managed through manual burial. “Glass bottles could be sold, but plastic bags and food waste were mixed together, then burned or buried,” said Vũ Minh Thuận, a resident of Residential Area No. 2.
A survey conducted by the Youth Union of Hanoi University of Culture revealed that most waste had not been properly sorted, with non-biodegradable materials such as batteries, plastics, and grease posing a threat to local water sources. With the message “Sort Today – Clean Island Tomorrow,” student volunteers braved rough seas to deliver waste-sorting bins and organic composting kits directly to residents.
Student volunteers from Hanoi University of Culture directly guided residents on Bạch Long Vĩ Island in sorting household waste.
In Lóng Phiêng Commune (Sơn La Province), Ms. Bùi Thị Diệu Linh, Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union at University of Education – Vietnam National University Hanoi, noted that household waste was often burned indiscriminately in outdated containers, causing pollution and fire hazards.
“We organized a two-day training program, guiding residents on waste sorting while working together to clean areas around schools. Witnessing the transformation after just a few hours of collective effort helped people truly understand the value of a clean environment,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Tân Mỹ Commune (Tuyên Quang Province), the distribution of 100 waste bins has significantly reduced littering. According to Mr. Hoàng Trần Trung, Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, “Waste management used to be fragmented, leading to pollution and visual degradation. With support from the For a Green Future Foundation, a model for waste sorting and microbial organic waste treatment has been effectively implemented.”
Community awareness has also seen a clear shift. Many households have begun sorting waste, with young people and women leading the movement. “What matters most is that training helps people understand and change their behavior, turning waste sorting into a daily habit,” Mr. Trung emphasized.
A team of student volunteers from the Youth Union of Da Nang University of Technology and Education distributed waste bins and guided residents on household waste sorting in A Rớch Village, Sông Kôn Commune, Da Nang.
For a Green Future Foundation: Connecting Youth Power Nationwide
The Green Summer Campaign 2025, supported by the For a Green Future Foundation, has been implemented across 33 universities and organizations nationwide. Beyond material support, the campaign is planting lasting “green seeds” of awareness that drive long-term behavioral change.
On Bạch Long Vĩ Island, Vũ Minh Thuận, who has witnessed many changes over time, shared emotionally: “Thanks to the program, people are more aware, and the island is becoming more beautiful each day. I believe future generations will live in a cleaner environment.”
In Tân Mỹ, the waste-sorting model is now being expanded through community self-management groups and local communication teams in each village. “If implemented consistently over time, it will undoubtedly improve living standards, creating a cleaner environment and more sustainable agricultural production,” Mr. Trung added.
From small waste bins placed in remote islands and rural villages, Green Summer volunteers are not only spreading eco-friendly habits but also quietly nurturing a generation that lives responsibly toward the environment and the community. While the journey may begin with waste, its ultimate destination is a sustainable future, where people and nature thrive in harmony.
“The For a Green Future Foundation does more than provide material support, it serves as a bridge that allows the energy of youth to reach every corner of the country. With its support, we have laid the first bricks for building a green lifestyle, for the community and for the future,” affirmed Trần Chiều Phụng, Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union at Hanoi University of Culture.
