Stolen car keys VW files criminal complaint against Greenpeace

Status: 23.06.2021 3:09 p.m.

A Greenpeace campaign in which 100 stolen VW keys were brought to the Zugspitze has legal consequences: the Volkswagen Group has filed a criminal complaint against the environmental protection organization. Around a month after the Greenpeace campaign against Volkswagen in the port of Emden, the car manufacturer took action and filed a criminal complaint against Greenpeace. “We do not tolerate any violations of the law”said a VW spokeswoman in Emden. However, she emphasized that VW was still interested in a dialogue with the environmental protection organization. The criminal complaint suggests a change of heart among the Wolfsburgers: Initially, they reacted surprisingly moderately to the Greenpeace campaign at the end of May and initially waived a criminal complaint.

First of all, understanding and loose tweets

In order to protest against what they considered to be the slow change to electromobility at VW, the activists climbed over a fence onto a loading area in the port of Emden and removed the ignition keys from unlocked cars that were ready for shipping overseas. Shortly afterwards, the organization brought the keys to a glacier on the Zugspitze in Bavaria. There she was supposed to pick up VW boss Herbert Diess after her introduction.

Instead of directly filing a criminal complaint, Diess replied loosely on Twitter: “Gladly Zugspitze, but today I can’t manage anymore – I don’t want to use the plane. Coming soon in good weather?” And VW brand boss Ralf Brandstätter expressed understanding in a detailed comment on the action on his LinkedIn profile that “change is not going fast enough for many”.

Investigations are already running ex officio

Theft as part of the climate debate culture? The public prosecutor and the police had already seen it a little differently before the change of heart at VW: They are already investigating ex officio against around a dozen activists on charges of trespassing and particularly serious theft. In order to initiate criminal prosecution, today’s criminal complaint from VW would no longer have been necessary.

Investigations also after Greenpeace action at the EM

Last week, a Greenpeace campaign directed against VW failed at the German national soccer team’s first EM game. Shortly before the game against France kicked off, a paramotor plane staggered over the Munich arena and finally landed on the field. He came dangerously close to the audience, two men had to be hospitalized because of their injuries.

Numerous politicians condemned the action in the strongest possible terms. The police are investigating various offenses under the Criminal Code and the Aviation Act

Growing industry Billion dollar business with environmental protection

Status: 23.06.2021 10:45 a.m.

Environmental protection is increasingly becoming an economic factor, especially in manufacturing. According to the Federal Statistical Office, sales are increasing and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created in Germany. Environmental and climate protection are increasingly proving to be a lucrative business for industry and service providers. As the Federal Statistical Office announced, the industry achieved sales of 73.6 billion euros in 2019, 3.1 percent more than in the previous year.

Three quarters of this was achieved in the manufacturing sector, first and foremost in mechanical engineering (22.1 billion euros), followed by electrical equipment (6.5 billion euros) and the manufacture of cars, trucks and buses – and parts for them (5.8 billion euros) Euro).

The construction and maintenance of apparatus for air pollution control has grown particularly strongly. Here sales climbed by more than a third to 10.5 billion euros. These were mainly products for exhaust gas and exhaust air treatment, such as catalytic converters. In the area of ​​electromobility (limited to cars, trucks and buses), sales of 2.5 billion euros were reported in 2019, 24 percent more than a year earlier.

Over 300,000 employees

Energy-saving drive and control technology, the construction of onshore wind turbines, the thermal insulation of buildings, and the renovation and construction of sewer systems also ensured business worth billions.

The growing importance of environmental protection for the German economy is also leading to the creation of new jobs, so-called “green jobs”. The number of employees who contributed goods or services to the industry was 305,000 in 2019. Compared to the previous year, the number rose by almost 16,000. More than two thirds of the employees in the sector were employed in manufacturing companies

The registry examines the incoming vehicle for registration. (Photo: Hoang Hung/VNA) In the written response to the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association and the three-region taxi association, the Ministry of Transport agreed to allow car inspection cycle will increase from 18 months to 24 months to remove difficulties for transport businesses affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Currently, the Ministry of Transport is directing agencies and units to advise on finalizing the draft Circular amending Circular No. 70/2015 regulating the inspection of technical safety and environmental protection of vehicles. road motorized traffic. “The inspection cycle of passenger cars of all kinds up to 9 seats with transportation business will be adjusted from 18 months to 24 months for the first cycle and from 6 to 12 months for the periodic cycle,” said the leader. The Ministry of Transport said. For the proposal to have appropriate policies and mechanisms for BOT investors to reduce road use fees according to Circular No. 112/2020 of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transport said Circular No. 112/2020. of the Ministry of Finance stipulating the rate of road use fee (toll collected per vehicle) for automobiles doing transport business of transport enterprises, transport business cooperatives, and transport business households. “The collection of road service fees is not specified in Circular No. 112/2020, so investors do not have to follow the guidance of this Circular,” the leader of the Ministry of Transport affirmed. . On the other hand, a number of investment projects in the form of public-private partnerships managed by the Ministry of Transport have reduced road user service fees; BOT projects have not been considered to increase road use prices, although it is time to increase prices in the last 3 years in order to share and harmonize the interests of the State-people-enterprises. Moreover, BOT investors are also businesses and are also affected by COVID-19 epidemic due to the reduction of vehicle traffic through the station, revenue will be reduced, affecting the financial balance of the enterprise; increase in interest expense and operating expenses of the business. Regarding the proposal for exemption from submission road maintenance fees By the end of this year, according to leaders of the Ministry of Transport, this agency is coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to comment on amendments to Circular 112/2020 and related circulars to assist in removing difficulties for production and business in response to the COVID-19 epidemic chaired by the Ministry of Finance. Previously, in 2020, the Ministry of Finance coordinated with relevant ministries and agencies to develop and issue Circular No. 112/2020/TT-BTC dated December 29, 2020 providing for the extension of the reduction period. fees and charges (mainly reducing fees in the field of transportation (road use fees; fees, aviation fees…) until the end of June 30, 2021 to support and remove remove difficulties for production and business, ensure social security in response to the COVID-19 epidemic.

VinFast electric bus during test run Not only buses, coaches should also be encouraged to use trams Air pollution and fine dust threaten people’s quality of life. Every year, Vietnam has to pay a large amount of money, about 8-10 billion USD to import gasoline. Part of this is spent on operating traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles. In addition to the proposed inner-city electric buses for application in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In Ho Chi Minh City, it is thought that the government should consider the early policy of putting electric-powered intercity passenger cars into operation in order to both exploit the superiority of electric vehicle technology, while protecting the environment and bringing a a new look for public passenger transport in the new era. The world’s two major problems, which are environmental pollution due to emissions and energy security due to the finiteness of fossil energy sources (coal, oil, gas) have gradually become urgent. Air pollution, fine dust in Vietnam has become serious with big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, etc. Ho Chi Minh. Here, it is recorded that there are maximum number of days in a year with the most dramatic air quality index – the most polluted air in the world. In the past two years, authorities at all levels have met to discuss and direct long-term radical solutions to further strengthen the control of air pollution, including the control of carbon emissions and fine dust from the air. means of transport. And fossil energy sources are not available in all countries. Vietnam is one of the importing countries, still heavily dependent on the world’s oil (although it is also partly domestic), it is estimated that it still has to import about 8-10 billion USD per year. With zero emissions and using electricity instead of petrol, electric vehicles are said to be a breakthrough solution for Vietnam in the context of the need to strengthen air pollution control, ensure energy security and suitability. with the development trend of the world’s means of transport. Simple structure of electric vehicles compared to vehicles using internal combustion engines “Electric vehicle” (EV) is often understood as a vehicle with an electric motor drive system. From the outside, an electric car looks like a car with an internal combustion engine (petroleum car). However, except for some parts and components for sharing, about 70% of the components of the two vehicles are different. The significant difference between electric vehicles and vehicles using internal combustion engines is the number of moving parts. Electric vehicles have only one moving part, which is the electric motor (motor), while cars using internal combustion engines have tens of thousands of different parts. Important components of electric vehicles include: battery, electric motor control system, regenerative braking system and powertrain. The number of spare parts for moving parts is less than in electric cars, which leads to another important difference, which is that electric cars require less maintenance (more economical to operate) and safer. safer, in addition to the advantages of environmental protection, civilized and modern technology. Why electric cars are becoming more and more popular At the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP 21) held in Paris (France), the participants reaffirmed their efforts to strengthen the response to climate change. The Paris Agreement announced in December 2015 has set a target to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius. This goal can only be achieved when the energy and other sectors significantly reduce emissions. greenhouse gas emissions. The transport sector accounts for about a quarter of emissions from energy-related industries. The goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to contribute to achieving the goal of reducing global warming below 02 degrees Celsius can only be achieved with a strong commitment of the transport sector. The Sustainable Development Report of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has shown that, to achieve this goal, by 2050, the world’s transport sector must contribute at least one-fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions. cuts from energy use activities. Electric cars are identified as a key factor contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector, increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in general, encouraging the development of new energy sources and recycled energy. In the context of rapid urbanization, the development of electric cars also contributes to reducing air pollution and noise pollution in big cities. The main obstacles to the development of electric cars are the initial cost of the car and the time available between two charges of the battery. However, the recent rapid development of science and technology has shown positive signs. According to a recent report by the US electric car company Proterra, a single charge for the bus can be up and running for 650 km and the price is becoming more and more relevant to the market to ensure more competitive exploitation than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. Level of use of electric vehicles in countries around the world To date, China is the leading country in production, domestic consumption and export, with the famous electric car manufacturer BYD. In China, according to the data at the end of 2018, the total number of electric buses put into operation is over 421,000 units, Shenzhen city uses 100% of electric vehicles in public passenger transport, while Beijing and Shanghai , the utilization rate of electric buses has reached over 80%. Electric buses are increasingly popular in provinces and cities in China. Europe ranks 2nd among countries using electric vehicles with 2,250 units, the number of electric vehicles used will increase as some European countries such as the Netherlands set a target to convert and use 100% electric vehicles. (including buses, coaches plus and private cars) by 2024. The United States is also the country that is starting to shift towards using more electric vehicles. Although there are only over 300 electric buses in the United States, the number of electric buses is increasing in the near future, with the city of Los Ageles having just decided to buy 155 electric buses to serve all passenger transport activities. in this city. With the new energy policy (Green New Deal), led by many famous electric vehicle manufacturers such as Telsla, Proterra and even Apple recently announced the new Apple car electric car model, there is sure to be a boom in usage. electric vehicles in the United States under the new administration are clearly visible. For electric vehicles, environmental protection is always a top priority Why use an electric car? As mentioned above, electric vehicles are vehicles without chimneys, do not emit CO2, greenhouse gases into the environment. Therefore, the exploitation of electric vehicles in passenger transport is completely environmentally friendly, which is not controversial. Many researchers, policy makers still argue. The first is the traceable environmental issue of electric vehicles, that is, the source of electricity that electric vehicles use is clean electricity, that is, electricity using renewable energy such as solar power, wind power … or electricity from heat. Obviously, over the past time, the Government has called on businesses to invest in the production of solar power, rooftop voltage and wind power…, this electricity has been purchased by the state and connected to the national grid. Only the current supply has not met the demand and more clean electricity is needed to connect to the network. The second is the problem that the production of batteries for electric vehicles is still energy-intensive and emits a significant amount of CO2. As stated, today’s technology is evolving like crazy. As the demand for electric vehicles and batteries increases, mass production of large capacity batteries will result in better environmental control and lower loss and emissions. Here, it is a matter of deciding for the electric vehicle industry to have a direction in which to invest, cooperate and develop. When domestic manufacturers have been proactive in technology, it is possible to produce and recycle used batteries, thereby closing the production and exploitation process effectively and ensuring the problem. environment. What are the implications for passenger transport in Vietnam in the new period? Facing the environmental context, the challenge of air pollution as well as ensuring national energy security, Vietnam should consider the development of electric cars as a breakthrough policy for technology development, domestic auto industry. The introduction of electric vehicles into transport operation has really been a push to change for the progress to serve the travel needs of people and socio-economic development in the new period. The use of electric vehicles for public passenger transport is not only in the inner city as the project of electric buses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City as the media recently mentioned, but also hereby recommended that the State should have a policy to encourage the development of electric vehicles for inter-provincial passenger transport (both for fixed and non-fixed routes). To do this, the state has policies to socialize and encourage transport business owners to use electric vehicles in transport business activities; encourage businesses to invest in charging station infrastructure at rest stops, bus stations and other concentrated stops for re-energized vehicles to serve well for transport activities. In short, the policy to encourage the use of electric vehicles is a right one, in terms of both environmental protection as well as energy security. In addition to electric buses as currently proposed to be applied in the inner city of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City is also considering the application of intercity buses running on electricity. With a national electric passenger transport network being formed, improving user experience, increasing the quality of transport services, electric cars will have a good future in Vietnam, gradually replacing the traditional means of transport. fossil fuel-powered transportation.

In the past, most of the waste from livestock and household waste was dumped by villagers in village 4, Hai Dong commune (Mong Cai city), into the village’s garbage dump, causing significant pollution to the environment. living. However, in recent years, people here have gradually formed a new habit. Garbage instead of being carelessly dumped into the environment now has new destinations, which are brick-built garbage pits with lids or plastic drums, holes dug in the garden lined and covered with tarpaulin, built in many areas. household. Ms. Dinh Thi Ngan, hamlet 4, Hai Dong commune, said: Composting from buffalo manure, vegetable roots with rice husks has created fertilizer. With this fertilizer, we can use it back to fertilize plants, which has a much better effect on plants than ordinary inorganic fertilizers. Model of composting waste into organic fertilizer in Ninh Duong ward, Mong Cai city Composting organic waste has become a new habit of the people here. Thanks to that, the roads become clean, no more offensive images, and no longer see the unclean smell from livestock waste or waste that previously caused pollution. As a result, the village also became more civilized. Ms. Nguyen Thi Dong, Chairwoman of the Women’s Union of Hai Dong Commune, said: Before, every day the whole village had to collect up to 3 full garbage trucks, now it is still 3 trucks but the amount of garbage has decreased a lot. Collectors can also reduce the arduous effort of collecting, sorting and treating garbage at the same time. Not only solving the problem of organic waste, to be able to compost it into manure, each family must do a good job of sorting waste at the source. This is also one of the solutions contributing to solving economic problems for farmers. “At first, we were afraid to do it, but gradually we can make compost from our own household waste, we can also save a lot of money on buying fertilizer for plants, so everyone is proud. inspirational, positive” – ​​Ms. Pham Thi Moc, village 9, Hai Dong commune, shared. This can be considered as an effective model in waste treatment in rural areas or suburbs of large cities, where people still cultivate and raise livestock. Therefore, in Mong Cai city, this model has been replicated to most communes and wards, even in Vinh Trung and Vinh Thuc island communes and is being deployed to border communes and ethnic minority areas. The army coordinated with the people of Vo Ngai commune, Binh Lieu district to clean up and protect the environment. Recently, in the province, there have appeared many models of reducing waste by women’s members and the Youth Union, typically the model of household waste sorting and turning waste into money. the model “Let the fish ask for plastic waste” implemented by the Youth Union of the provincial agencies in collaboration with the Youth Union of Cai Chien commune (Hai Ha), the model of a domestic waste incinerator… Many models have received positive feedback from residents and visitors; positively affect the awareness and social responsibility of people participating in environmental protection activities. Volunteers of Quan Lan commune (Van Don district) carried out the campaign “Let’s clean up the sea”, December 2019. Photo: Hoang Giang Strengthen handling of violations However, it should also be seen that, in environmental protection work in the province, there are still limitations, due to the lack of awareness and respect for the law of some units, organizations and individuals. Over the past time, the provincial functional forces have promptly detected, arrested and handled violations of the law on environmental protection, enhancing the efficiency of environmental management in the province. According to Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duy Dung, Head of the Environmental Crime Prevention and Control Division (Provincial Police), there is still a situation in the province where a number of units and enterprises are engaged in industrial production, service case of violations of regulations on hazardous waste management; dumping waste not according to planning; transportation of materials without implementing environmental protection measures. In addition, there is illegal exploitation and recovery of land and sand, exploitation outside the licensed boundary; trading and transporting smuggled food that does not meet standards, especially during holidays and Tet. A seafood company in Ba Che was discovered and fined by the police force for discharging untreated wastewater into the environment. Photo taken in 2020. Most recently, on May 13, a unit specializing in large-scale ceramic production in the province was caught by the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department (Provincial Police) red-handed discharging waste causing environmental pollution. school. According to residents, for many years, the unit has regularly discharged waste into the common drainage system of residential areas. During production activities, the police force discovered that this company discharged wastewater in excess of the national technical regulations on industrial wastewater into the environment and did not collect hazardous waste in accordance with the law. the law. Immediately after that, the Environmental Crime Prevention and Control Department advised the Provincial Police to issue a decision to impose a fine of VND 80 million and require the company to take measures to overcome the consequences of environmental pollution. Previously, in April, the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department also issued a decision to impose an administrative fine of VND 100 million on a construction company for discharging waste in an area not approved by the competent authority. browsing, polluting the environment. Practice scenarios to respond to oil spills in Ha Long Bay, October 2020. In addition to sanctioning violating units, Quang Ninh Provincial Police also requires businesses to overcome environmental pollution incidents. Statistics of the Provincial Police show that, from 2015 to now, the Provincial Police directly detected 1,678 cases against 130 organizations and 1,578 individuals; prosecuted and investigated 23 cases against 1 organization and 48 individuals for violating environmental laws; with a total fine of over 10 billion VND. Besides, the Inspector of Department of Natural Resources and Environment has also fined 109 organizations and individuals with a total amount of over 8.6 billion VND. It is the more drastic handling of environmental violations by the competent forces that has actively contributed to reducing and curbing environmental pollution, creating deterrence and raising awareness about environmental protection of the local authorities. units, enterprises, organizations and classes of people. Efforts are rewarded As a province with many risk factors for environmental pollution, in fact, it has suffered from environmental pollution in the previous period, but so far, with the drastic and right direction, Quang Ninh has achieved many achievements. positive effects from environmental protection. TKV focuses on investing, increasing the capacity of mine wastewater treatment stations, ensuring the standards of wastewater discharged into the environment. Resolution No. 12-NQ/TU, dated March 12, 2018 of the Provincial Party Executive Committee on environmental protection in the period 2018-2022 is considered as one of the guidelines for reflection in the implementation process. . In the 2016-2020 period, Quang Ninh province will continue to increase the concentration of resources for environmental protection. The state budget is arranged to increase annually, not less than 3% of the total state budget expenditure for environmental non-business activities, higher than the level prescribed by the Central Government of not less than 1% of the total expenditure of the local budget. Up to now, the targets on environmental protection under the Resolution have been achieved and exceeded by the province, creating a driving force for the province’s socio-economic development. Most notably, in 2019 and the past 2020, the Environmental Governance Index of Quang Ninh Province (including 3 component indexes: Seriousness in environmental protection, Air quality and Water quality) stands. 2/63 provinces and cities and is one of 8 indicators contributing to the ranking of the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index – PAPI of Quang Ninh province ranks 3rd in 2019 and 1st in 2020 on 63 provinces and cities in the country. Classification of hazardous waste and common waste at New Century Chemical Fiber Company, Cai Lan Industrial Park (Ha Long City). With many ways, innovative models to mobilize the participation of the people and the drastic protection of the environment, currently the proportion of urban solid waste in Quang Ninh that has been collected and treated hygienically is 950.5 tons/day, reaching 96.2%. The amount of solid waste in rural areas reached 70.7%, with the main treatment methods being hygienic burial and burning. The whole province currently has 6 concentrated solid waste treatment plants/zones with incineration technology (20 incinerators) and 5 localities are treating domestic waste by burial method. Industrial solid waste in the province is gradually decreasing in recent years with the trend of reuse and waste reduction. Currently, 91% of the total amount of hazardous waste generated has been treated by waste generators under contracts with units licensed by competent authorities; the remaining 9% of hazardous waste generated by new generation with a small volume is stored at the hazardous waste warehouse of that unit. The province has proposed many specific solutions and ways to reduce environmental pollution and drastically implemented it. Notably, the Nam Cau Trang Coal Selection Plant has stopped working since January 1, 2019, has completed the relocation of production and business facilities, manual lime kilns that cause environmental pollution or are unsuitable for use. in accordance with the planning (89/89 manual lime kilns, 77/77 manual brick kilns causing environmental pollution in the province); the percentage of concentrated industrial parks with standard wastewater treatment systems reaches 100%; the rate of hazardous waste and medical waste collected and treated reaches 100%. Moved 89/89 manual lime kilns in the province. Photo: Nguyen Thanh In addition, 100% of production, business and service establishments with wastewater discharge scale of 1,000m3/day or more, industrial parks in operation have installed automatic wastewater monitoring systems. and transmit data to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment… In order to realize the roadmap and goal of turning Quang Ninh into a “sustainably developed urban under the green growth model, adapting to climate change” requires the province to have a lot of work to do in the coming time. Quang Ninh province has and will continue to consistently implement the roadmap to transform the growth model from “brown” to “green” in a methodical manner, resolutely not trading the environment for economic growth. The province also needs to continue to strictly manage the environment and biodiversity; strictly handle organizations, businesses and people that violate the law on environmental protection. At the same time, focus on applying science and technology to treat wastewater and waste; environmental monitoring and environmental pollution control. Besides, the environmental restoration of polluted and degraded areas; Maintaining and improving the quality of the environment also needs attention. Most importantly, it is raising the awareness of complying with the provisions of the law on environmental protection and arousing the role of responsibility, the joint hand of the community to actively protect the environment to contribute to the improvement of environmental protection. capacity to adapt to climate change, for a green and safe future.

The project “Urban embellishment” of the People’s Committee of Truc Bach ward has been “socialized”, attracting a large number of people to contribute and jointly implement. Facing this situation, the People’s Committee of Truc Bach ward has planned to implement a project to improve the environment of this lakeside road (section from Ngu Xa 1 bridge to Ngu Xa 2 bridge). The project implementation route has a length of 200m, one side is Truc Bach flower garden, the other side is a row of houses of 28 households. With the motto “Building to fight”, in the spirit of “The State and the people work together”, most of the funding for the project has been “socialized”, attracting a large number of people to participate in the project. contribute and join hands to implement. Hoang Duc Long (80 years old, living in Ngu Xa Street, Truc Bach Ward) said, after 24 years living here, for the first time his family and households here feel get fresh air; No more garbage piled up, no more fish dying in the water. Mr. Long’s house and other households are put on a new “clothing”, the yard in front of the house is planted with trees and carefully installed with a fence system. 28 houses of households along Truc Bach ditch are put on “new clothes” from the project. Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Trang added that the most impressive thing is in the evening, when the sunset gradually fades, it is also when 200 lanterns light up. From the lakeside route to the flower garden campus, it becomes shimmering and fanciful by the color of lanterns. Mixed with the lantern light are frescoes reproducing the old town space, ancient beauty and culture of the old Hanoians. Nguyen Dan Huy, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Truc Bach Ward, affirmed that, in the context of the complicated development of the COVID-19 epidemic, as soon as the project was completed, many residents and tourists also came to “check-in”. but local officials have propagated and reminded people not to gather in large numbers. When the city controls the epidemic better, this place will become one of Hanoi’s tourist attractions. Although the scale of the project is still small, this is a very important premise so that many models can be replicated in the ward in the near future. Earlier on the evening of June 8, the People’s Committee of Truc Bach ward also held a ceremony to attach the sign “Urban embellishment work” for this project. Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, the ceremony’s activities took place quickly, avoiding large gatherings, and strictly following epidemic prevention rules. Video and photo series of News reporters recording the success of the project “Urban embellishment” of Truc Bach ward, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi: 200 brilliant lanterns beside Truc Bach canal. Image of large format propaganda poster “Protecting the environment and repelling plastic waste”. The flower garden is also attached with lanterns on the trunk to create a clean and beautiful environment. Many large frescoes are decorated along the wall of the route along Truc Bach lake. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, this area is currently limited to gathering people. In the future, this place will be a tourist attraction. Mixed with the lantern light are frescoes reproducing the old town space, ancient beauty and culture of the old Hanoians. At the end of March 2021, the project “Urban embellishment” of Truc Bach ward was implemented. This project is “socialized”, attracting a large number of people to participate in funding support and jointly implement it. Previously, this place was flooded with garbage, but now the living environment has improved. People have more entertainment spots, and the quality of life is improved. Many large-format billboards propagate people to protect the environment. On June 8, the People’s Committee of Truc Bach ward held a ceremony to sign the project “Urban embellishment”.

People ride bicycles to celebrate Car Free Day in Brussels, Belgium, September 22, 2019. Photo: THX/VNA For more than two centuries, the bicycle has always been considered a sustainable means of transportation, with obvious convenience. For many people’s lives, bicycles are a simple but effective, practical, “affordable” tool. Today, the use of bicycles is also a solution to improve health and raise environmental awareness. In fact, bicycles are a tool to support the development of transport, education and health sectors. In some underdeveloped areas, bicycles are an essential means of life for people who cannot afford to own a motor vehicle. The bicycle helps people take their children to school, to work, to medical care, etc. In big cities, bicycles can become a bridge between public transport solutions. People can use bicycles to move between transit stations, bus stops or piers. For places where there is no infrastructure to serve the needs of fitness and sports, cycling is a way to help people exercise their health and flexibility. According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), regularly cycling can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes or cancer. In addition, the use of bicycles clearly shows the trend of “clean transportation”, being environmentally friendly in today’s time. Bicycles can send messages about sustainable consumption and production, making a positive contribution to environmental and climate protection. Cycling can also help people develop creative thinking, have more awareness about society and the surrounding life. UN calls for attention to the role of bicycles On the occasion of World Bicycle Day 3 June 2021, the United Nations General Assembly calls on Member States to support the use of bicycles to promote sustainable development and strengthen social areas such as health, education and training. sex. The UN also emphasized the role of bicycle use in the process of improving health, preventing diseases, and ensuring social justice. Based on the important and practical values ​​​​of cycling for social development, the UN encourages countries to focus on the role of bicycles in domestic development policies and strategies. , regionally and worldwide. The United Nations urges member states to strengthen road safety and develop sustainable transport infrastructure with a focus on pedestrians and cyclists. To achieve the goals of reducing emissions, improving air quality and improving traffic, road infrastructure needs to meet mobility needs and ensure pedestrian and pedestrian safety. bike. The UN encourages Member States to adopt policies and measures that encourage and support the use of bicycles in everyday life. The United Nations General Assembly actively welcomes movements to promote “cycling culture” in Member States and around the world. Bicycles in Vietnam Photo: Manh Linh/Newspapers In her speech at the celebration of World Bicycle Day 2018, Ms. Nguyen Phuong Nga, former Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the UN emphasized that the bicycle is a close “companion” of the people. Vietnam in the past, present and future. During the two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, our army and people used bicycles to supply food and ammunition to the front lines. The image of bicycles on the road in support of the Dien Bien Phu campaign is a testament to the important role of bicycles in the struggle for independence of the Vietnamese people. The war ended, before the motorcycle became popular, the bicycle was the main means of transport for workers in the process of development, restoration and national construction. Currently, bicycles are still a useful means of transportation with low cost and high popularity throughout the provinces of Vietnam. In addition to the health benefits, cycling can also help young people express their own style and personality. Ho Chi Minh City has started piloting public bicycle rental systems through smart devices in District 1. This vehicle model is a solution to help people move around economically. and convenient between public bus points or in the city. According to Mr. Khuat Viet Hung, Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, public bicycles play an important role in the development of public transport modes such as buses and trams because they can help reduce personal motor vehicles and connect railway stations, bus stations, or transit points in urban areas.

When they love each other, even though they live in two places, they always have fun conversations about what they want to do in the future. Especially both love nature, want to do something on the countryside land. The couple came together from a love of gardening. “I started to get inspired about gardening, growing plants, producing food after going to the farmers market in the city every week,” Lauren shared. She then learned about the benefits of growing her own plants, cooking broths from fresh produce, and baking. After marrying Tyler, the two together continued to study nutrition and transmit useful gardening information to many people. Returning to the town is not as vibrant as in the city, the couple feels like they are enjoying the life that is exactly what they both wanted for a long time. Tyler shared that the two chose to live on the east coast of Australia, with more than 4 hectares of land for farming. In addition to planting trees, the couple is also interested in improving the natural ecosystem, avoiding harm or killing beneficial insects. One of the natural ways to prevent plant pests is to keep ducks and chickens around the garden. In addition, they also raise a few sheep. The couple said: “We live in the tropics so high temperatures, strong winds, drought, some other natural disasters are challenges with gardening. But we believe that whatever you plant, If you put your heart and effort into nurturing them, they will pay off, so happy to see them grow day by day.” Lauren and Tyler not only grow crops to provide food for their families, but also store seeds to share with many people, inspiring those who love to create clean food for their families with their own hands and aim for a better life. sustainable living. “We’re not inheriting land from our ancestors, we’re borrowing land from future generations,” says Lauren. “This reminds us not to focus entirely on immediate needs, but instead take responsibility. responsibility, a sense of how current actions will affect the world our children live in. I hope everyone has positive thoughts and intentional actions to live a life of purpose and connection with together”. Hoang Dung ( translation summary)

Ms. Bea Yuri, the representative of Gangwon province, introduced the culture and potential of cooperation between Vietnam and Korea in the online signing ceremony. Korea is currently a developed country with a strong capacity in capital, science and technology and rich development experience, is deeply involved in the global value chain, and is in need of a young and large market to continue. development momentum. Vietnam is a dynamic developing country that actively integrates into the world. Vietnam is a suitable destination with a golden population structure with nearly 100 million people, nearly 70% are aged 15-64; Vietnam and South Korea are two countries with unique factors that contribute to bringing the two countries’ relations closer and closer, facilitating the expansion of investment cooperation. The two sides have established dialogue mechanisms on economic cooperation, besides the culture between the two countries Vietnam and Korea have many similarities. The people of the two countries have a deep understanding of each other’s customs and practices, and the population of one country in the other is large; Before the Covid-19 pandemic, traffic between the two countries was increasingly convenient with more than 1,000 flights per month. Representative of Kotra Vietnam – Korea Company, Icon International and Asean Healthcare Company at the cooperation signing ceremony Today’s event marks an important step towards implementing Korea’s trade promotion, investment and technology transfer cooperation programs into Vietnam. Kotra Vietnam – Korea, Asean Healthcare are the exclusive distributors in Vietnam market of many lines of pharmaceutical products – cosmetics, functional foods, health promotion products, air cleaning, disinfection, insurance. protect living environment. In the context of the global crisis caused by the epidemic, the Korean partner has designed and developed many technological solutions, comprehensive solutions for health protection and disease prevention through special products. : IONIC – Air purification system, sterilization, virus removal in cars, families, schools, hospitals, offices, and crowded areas; HEYO – Water electrolyzer, disinfection, VirusKill – Antibacterial wearable in the air; Alkaline-rich Hydrogen generator…
Representative of Gangwon province Ms. Bea Yuri shared: “In recent years, provincial leaders have made great efforts to cooperate with the government and localities in Vietnam to promote exchanges between people, entrepreneurs and businesses. Currently in the context of the Covid -19 epidemic that is turning the world upside down, affecting all aspects of people’s lives, stagnating trade and investment, and declining health, we hope to approve the signing of the agreement. This cooperation will further promote the support of high technology transfer, increase import and export, and develop investment in Vietnam.” Mr. An Jun Sun General Director of Kotra Vietnam – Korea introduced the products at the launch ceremony Speaking congratulating the signing ceremony of strategic cooperation, Mr. Vu Minh Ly – Deputy Director of the Center for Communication of Resources and Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) highly appreciated the efforts of the parties in promoting and implementing a cooperation program, this is a practical and beneficial direction for consumers to have more proactive health care and protection options that Korean friends have researched and developed technology to deal with, prevent The fight against the Covid epidemic is going on as complicated as it is today.
At the signing ceremony, the units officially launched to Vietnam market a product line for environmental protection, proactive disease prevention, VirusKill wearable card, Ionic device, Heyo… Besides, Kotra Vietnam – Korea and Asean HealthCare cooperates with businesses in Vietnam to cooperate in investment, technology transfer, production, and bring to consumers in Vietnam many high-quality products and technologies, proactive health care. such as functional foods made from Red Ginseng, Cordyceps; Herbal cosmetics, alkaline Hydrogen water purification equipment…. distributed in Southeast Asia and the world.
In the context that Vietnam and other countries around the world are learning how to live with newly arising diseases and Covid-19 is complicated, the product Heyo – Ionic – Virus Kill will be a useful tool. for the community to help protect their own health and protect the living environment.

According to CNN, billionaire Elon Musk said that Tesla will suspend plans to accept Bitcoin as a means of payment when customers buy its cars. The reason Musk gave is that using Bitcoin costs the environment. This is a completely opposite move after a few months Musk launched Bitcoin “to the cloud”. According to the billionaire: “We are concerned about using more and more fossil fuels to mine and trade Bitcoin, especially coal. Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe in it.” “That is a promising future, but accepting and using digital money cannot come with a hefty price tag on the environment.” Immediately after that, the Bitcoin price fell 5% just minutes after Elon Musk’s announcement. A few hours later, Bitcoin price even bottomed to just over $ 46,000 / 1 Bitcoin and then recovered slightly. The fact that Elon Musk publicly supports Bitcoin while claiming Tesla is a “green” company when it comes to making electric, eco-friendly cars has always been controversial. Photo: TL. Everyone knows that mining Bitcoin takes a lot of energy and pollutes the environment. Bitcoin miners consume a lot of power to solve mathematical equations, validate transaction codes to receive back a certain amount of money worked. Some calculations show that the total electricity consumption of Bitcoin miners in the world is equivalent to the total electricity consumption of Finland. The fact that billionaire Elon Musk publicly supports Bitcoin while claiming Tesla is a “green” company when making electric cars, environmentally friendly has always been controversial. However, the CEO also left open plans that Tesla will still use Bitcoin when it finds a cleaner source of energy. “Tesla won’t sell any Bitcoin and we intend to accept Bitcoin for transactions as soon as mining converts to more sustainable energy. We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use less. 1% of energy / transactions that Bitcoin uses “. This new statement by Elon Musk surprised many people because earlier in a statement on the social audio application Clubhouse, the billionaire said “Bitcoin is a good thing”, adding that he is “late” and perhaps out bought cryptocurrency 8 years ago. The richest billionaire in the world added that he should have bought Bitcoin eight years ago. “I have been quite slow. But at this point, I think Bitcoin is a good thing,” billionaire Elon Musk said. Is the “pump blow”? Bitcoin is not the only cryptocurrency Musk has pumped in in recent weeks. He has repeatedly praised Dogecoin through his Twitter account with 54 million followers. Dogecoin even dropped when Musk joined Saturday Night Live and said: “Recently, the prices of many cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and especially Dogecoin have increased”. Musk’s last tweet before the Bitcoin-related surprise announcement was also a question to poll his followers to see if they wanted “Tesla to accept Doge as a means of payment”. Photo: TL. Earlier in February, Tesla publicly stated that it had spent $ 1.5 billion on Bitcoin investments. Later in April, records showed they sold 10% of their Bitcoin holdings, making a profit of $ 101 million. The move caused a few rumors to emerge, suspecting that there was some kind of fraud when Tesla bought Bitcoin, Elon Musk said like it and then Tesla sold it. Twitter user Dave Portnoy had a post that would have tagged Elon Musk on this. Dave used the word “pump” to describe Tesla’s actions on Twitter. He wrote: “As I understand it: Elon Musk bought Bitcoin then he blew up, praised Bitcoin. Bitcoin price increased. Then Elon Musk sold out and pocketed a lot of money.” Elon Musk then responded under this post, “Oh no, I don’t. Tesla selling 10% of its Bitcoin holdings is necessary to demonstrate Bitcoin’s liquidity as an alternative channel to hold money. face”.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the current situation of pollution of plastic and plastic waste in our country is very serious, the amount of plastic waste and plastic bags in Vietnam accounts for about 8-12% of the waste. domestic snake. The amount of plastic waste, plastic bags discharged increases year by year, causing serious harm to the ecological environment. Plastic is a compound made to last forever, yet up to 33% of all plastic items, such as water bottles, plastic bags and straws … are used only once and then discarded. According to experts’ calculations, plastic bottles of water have decomposition time after 450-1,000 years; straws (decomposes after 100-500 years), plastic cups (decomposes after 50-200 years), plastic bags / plastic bags (decomposes after 500-1,000 years), diapers / diapers (decomposes after 250 years) -500 years) … An Phu youth join hands to protect the environment Responding to the “Anti plastic waste” movement, all levels and branches in the province have implemented many practical activities. For the education and training sector, up to now, many units have built propaganda and coordination plans to disseminate at the unit, through regular meetings of unions; branch meetings, school council meetings, activities under the flag, extra-curricular activities, extracurricular activities … thereby raising awareness of staff, teachers, staff and students. Limiting the use of plastic waste to protect the environment. Many schools have combined to implement the movement “Small Plan” to collect plastic waste to sell scrap to help students in difficult circumstances. Through that, to educate students about environmental protection awareness and compassion. Many units, schools also collect plastic waste to recycle as school supplies and household activities. Many schools have organized movement activities: contests, skits … with the content “Anti plastic waste”, the risk of pollution of plastic and plastic bags in order to change behavior, proceed to eradicate the habit. Use hard-to-biodegradable plastic bags, single-use disposable plastic products. In order to contribute to sustainable environmental protection, the Department of Education and Training orientates schools to continue implementing education integrating environmental protection into the following subjects: ethics, nature – society, civic education, student study, geography … at appropriate extracurricular activities. Schools proceeded to arrange a separate plastic waste container with other types of waste in the unit for easy collection. On the other hand, educate the habit of restricting the use of plastic waste for members of the unit and students. Continuing to organize propaganda and mobilization of staff, teachers, staff and students to change their behaviors, habits of using disposable plastic products, hard-to-decompose plastic bags, contributing to minimizing pollution. environment, protecting human health and ecosystems. Extensive propaganda about the “Anti-plastic waste” movement for all staff, teachers, staff and students, and at the same time mobilizing relatives to “say no to plastic bags and used plastic products 1” times ”. Organize movements: contests, skits … to change, eventually give up the habit of using hard-to-biodegradable plastic bags, single-use hard-to-biodegradable plastic products. Implement education to integrate environmental protection contents into subjects: ethics, nature – society, civic education, biology, geography … into extracurricular activities suitable to each grade level. , each student object. Limiting the use of disposable plastic products that are difficult to decompose and actively looking for disposable plastic product alternatives in the activities of agencies and units. Encourage each officer, teacher and employee to uphold their sense of responsibility, actively participate in and organize anti-plastic waste activities with specific and practical initiatives and actions. Change habits, say no to disposable plastic products, plastic bags through shopping, living, working, daily labor; using environmentally friendly products instead. Actively participate in environmental protection activities in the place of residence by the smallest actions, such as: sorting, recycling, reusing waste, using raw materials, fuel …

The amount raised through long-term bonds is only a small portion of the total debt that Amazon has issued, estimated at about 18.5 billion USD. The company says it can use these funds to invest in clean transportation and carbon-free buildings. Amazon’s projects will include purchasing electric vehicles for fleets, as well as other electric delivery vehicles. In addition, Amazon said it will also use electric heating and cooling systems powered by renewable energy at the company’s new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. In one pledge, Amazon will cut all carbon emissions by 2040 and power all renewable energy operations by 2030. Amazon’s decision to raise funds for social projects comes when the company faced criticism around the labor issue. In addition to being charged with unsafe procedures and affecting employees’ health, Amazon has also been criticized for illegally firing workers and forcing them not to unionize. However, Amazon has denied these allegations and said it has always supported employees’ equal rights. According to Reuters According to Reuters

Products made from moau are both beautiful, unique and environmentally friendly, so they are very popular in foreign markets. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc Earn hundreds of million dong per month from moau. Quang Ngai is famous for growing areca, areca fruit is considered a stable source of income for people. As for moau, which has only been burned or thrown away, now it has added new uses: Becoming input material to produce dishes, dishes, spoons … These days, Nguyen Van Tuyen (38 years old) and his friends at Dong Dinh industrial cluster (Nghia Hanh district, Quang Ngai province) are operating at full capacity. Within the past month, his facility has completed an order for 50,000 dishes, dishes, and rice trays for partners in Korea. Each piece is purchased for 1,000 VND to help growers have more income. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc The trailers after purchasing from the people are washed before being put into production. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc To have the success today, Mr. Tuyen and his friends have had to put in a lot of effort. As a native of Phu Yen, during a business trip in Quang Ngai, he noticed that this land planted a lot of areca. Normally, the burnt by people is very wasteful and not good for the environment. Through researching and seeing countries in the world creating products from moau, in Vietnam, I have not seen much so I decided to try it. By September 2019, Mr. Tuyen and his friends decided to invest in a production line for cups and plates from moau. Heat presses are used to create molds. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc Each production machine has 5 molds to create 5 samples of different sizes and dishes with a capacity of 200 products / machine / day. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc “In the past, all of the areca trees fell in the garden, people burned or left, now they collect them and sell them to themselves. Each piece is purchased for 1,000 VND, helping the gardeners have more income, contributing to environmental protection and reduce waste “, Mr. Tuyen shared. In addition to generating income for areca growers, Tuyen’s facility also creates jobs for 6-10 workers with an income of 5-8 million VND per month. “The operation of the machine is quite simple, the job is quite light, but it brings quite a high income. The income per person is from 5 to 10 million VND per month. This income is much higher than farming or working as a job. the number of other jobs, “said Ms. Phan Thi Kieu, a long-time employee of a trailer production establishment. Products have formed. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc After passing the heat press, the products are exposed to UV sterilization. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc Mr. Huynh Luu Tin – production manager shares, after buying, you must ensure whiteness, no mold. In the production process, the raw materials will be washed and dried, then put into the high-temperature press to create products such as cups, plates, spoons, rice trays … Mold shaped products with temperature From 80 degrees C to 120 degrees C, the trailer is pressed for 40 seconds to shape and dry. “The temperature is too high or too long will burn the product. After pressing the finished product, it will be disinfected by UV projector and then packed and sent for testing according to regulations before exporting. This is the product. environmental protection products, quite unique, so foreign markets are very popular “, Mr. Tin said, adding that the establishment’s revenue reached over 100 million per month and is continuing to increase. Products are made from trailers. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc Currently, the facility has 5 presses, each with 5 molds with a capacity of 200 products / machine / day. Depending on customer requirements, the facility produces different types of injection molds. The price of each product ranges from 1,000 – 6,000 VND. Packaged products are exported to foreign markets. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc Mr. Pham Quoc Vuong, Head of the Economic and Infrastructure Division of Nghia Hanh District, Quang Ngai Province, said that Nguyen Van Tuyen’s production base of dishes and food containers is a new and promising direction. . Highly rated products, which can replace plastic items or made from less environmentally friendly materials. “In the coming time, the locality will create conditions for this facility to develop different types of products, develop production, and create more jobs for workers,” said Mr. Vuong.

Initially Leafy house The activity was planned to be carried out in two weekends (April 17-18), but the battery collected in just 2 days has exceeded expectations and still many people have yet to participate. Therefore, the project is extended by young people from April 19 to 25. Young people bring used batteries to the Leafy House in exchange for green trees Hoang Ai Nghi (in charge of the program “Exchanging batteries for trees”) said, as of the afternoon of April 24 (on the 8th day – PV), the program has received a series of batteries, including: primary batteries , phone battery, laptop, rechargeable battery … For every 5 pieces / battery given away, you will receive 1 green tree, a small stone lotus or cactus. “Over the past few days, we have welcomed many people to send batteries and take back trees. Tracking and knowing about the program through fanpage or sharing from friends, students, employees, parents or even children bring batteries to support the program ”, Ai Nghi shared. The activity of “exchanging batteries for trees” actively contributes to the transmission of the message of green living and environmental protection You volunteers join hands in the program In addition to the activity of “exchanging batteries for trees”, Many Leaf Houses also sell green products and recycled products By the end of April 24, the program had received more than 120,000 broken batteries and electronic equipment; donating 6,000 trees. The collected batteries will be sent to the gathering point of Vietnam for recycling to be disposed of most thoroughly. It is known that each battery thrown into the environment or improperly disposed of will contaminate 1 cubic meter of soil and 500 liters of water within 50 years. Once received, these batteries will be volunteered by volunteers Leafy house bring to the gathering point of the Vietnam recycling program for the most thorough treatment. On the same occasion (April 24 and 25), Leafy house also organized the activity “Exchange plastic bottles for recycling socks” to receive more recyclable materials. “Many Leaf Houses” known as a chain of social activities in terms of culture, education and environment, has been deployed in Hanoi City and recently Ho Chi Minh City. Next to the activity “Change batteries for trees”, Leafy house also received plastic bottles and paper, implemented a free book library in the form of “lending books by trust”, sold trees to raise funds …

People are excited to buy clean agricultural products. On April 25, in Da Nang, many people and tourists were excited to visit and shop at The Good Market – an event organized by HealthyFarm – a social enterprise in Da Nang. The fair with 42 booths, selling agricultural products, food, handicrafts, health care products, booths of non-governmental organizations, non-profit organizations … joined family. The program wants the community to be able to buy safe, high-quality products directly from local farmers and producers across Vietnam; Both bring natural, healthy food, and display handicraft products with sustainable and environmentally friendly values, contributing to bringing “kindness” to customers and the earth. This is also an opportunity for partners, businesses, localities, retail stores, non-profit organizations … to connect with each other, want to raise funds or reach more people and share about the project. their. Coming to the fair, the counter of Green Da Nang (Green Station), made by a group of young people in Da Nang, attracted a large number of people and children to exchange gifts. The types of trash include paper, cardboard, milk cartons, plastic, plastic, cans, old batteries, old electronic equipment … in exchange for stone lotus, plant pot; sprouts seeds; new lifestyle experience gift boxes (containing environmentally friendly products); green living books … The trash exchange for gifts was well received by many people. Le Thi Thu Thao, founder of Green Station, confided: At this event, I and the volunteers want to share the lifestyle of environmental protection with people and tourists. These waste products, after being collected, will be sent to a plastic waste recycling company for continued use. HealthyFarm is a pioneer in the field of clean food and food safety in Vietnam and is the organizer of the first Farmer Fair in Da Nang. Up to now, the unit has organized 23 clean food fairs with more than 25 thousand people participating in shopping.

Earth Day is launched by the United Nations, held on April 22 every year, to encourage movements to protect the environment around the world to prevent more frequent disasters. climate change and environmental destruction. April 22 this year will be the 51st Earth Day in the world. Since 1970 until now, the Foundation for Earth (Earthday.org) has been working with more than 75,000 partners in more than 190 countries to promote active action to protect planet Earth. In response to Earth Day 2021, from April 20 to 22, the Foundation for the Earth calls on the world to take action with world leaders to prevent the upcoming catastrophes of gas change. posterity and environmental destruction; together restore the Earth. “Restoring our Earth” is also the theme of Earth Day 2021 in the context of the world facing the Covid 19 pandemic and towards restoring normal life, economic recovery and restoration. Earth. Our Earth Restoration theme focuses on the emerging green technologies and natural processes that can restore the world’s ecosystems. In this way, the subject rejects the notion that mitigation or adaptation is the only way to address climate change. Rubbish at Lake Uru Uru, in Oruro, Bolivia, March 30, 2021. EPA photo. The global summit on climate was initiated by US President Biden On Earth Day this year, it is very special that the “Leaders Summit on Climate Change” will take place on April 22 and 23 and chaired by US President Joe Biden. This is one of the outstanding activities of the events celebrating Earth Day this year. The summit on climate is held in an online format with the participation of leaders from countries with major economies in the world. This summit also marks the 5-year anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change (December 12, 2015). On April 21, in a statement, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the summit on climate change organized by the US via online form. and there will be an important speech. President Biden has invited 40 world leaders including those who care about the environment along with leaders from the countries rated as the most polluting, such as China and India. This will be an opportunity for the new US president to commit his intention to fight climate change through a clean energy revolution for businesses and job creation for the people. The event will be streamed live for the public to follow. Many events are held for Earth Day Official poster of Earth Day 2021. Source: earthday.org. There will be hundreds of events held around the world during the largest event on the planet. The Organization for the Earth alone will organize “Three Days of Climate Change”, a three-day conference with many seminars and presentations. The event started on April 20 with the Global Youth Summit hosted by Earth Uprising. This global youth summit includes seminars, speeches, discussions and messages with the participation of prominent climate activists such as Greta Thunberg, Alexandria Villasenõr and Licypriya Kangujam. On the evening of April 20, the Hip Hop Caucus organization and its partners organized an online summit “We Shall Breathe”. This digital event will look at climate and environmental justice and equity, the links of the climate crisis to pollution, poverty, and racism. and pandemic. On April 21, the Multilingual Online Summit that spanned various time zones with the participation of prominent activists from the continents, focused on the important role of climate change educators and why we need climate change education right now. The conference is hosted by Education International (Education International) with the theme Education for the Earth. In parallel with the aforementioned global climate summit, the For the Earth Organization will hold seminars, special discussion groups to focus on the topic “Restoring Our Earth”, in That will cover natural processes, green technologies and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems. Selected topics include: Understanding of climate and environment; Climate recovery technology; Efforts to reforest forests; Regenerative agriculture; Equity and justice for the environment; Science and civic education about the Earth and the environment; Clean up the world and more. Create beautiful pictures from the many pieces of the Earth NASA’s #ConnectedByEarth program will connect participants around the world. Photo: NASA. To celebrate Earth Day 2021, the US Aerospace Agency (NASA) will host an online Earth Day event from April 21 to 24, focusing on a more sustainable way of life on the home planet. Explore our relationships between Atmosphere, water cycle, forests, fields, cities, ice caps and Earth’s climate. The program #ConnectedByEarth will feature live presentations by NASA scientists, conversations with astronauts and space scientists, videos, interactive science content, an kid-friendly play area, a scavenger hunt, hundreds of downloadable resources and more. Additionally, on Earth Day and throughout this week, each individual can celebrate with people all over the planet by posting an image on social media of the part of Earth connecting you with planet and tag this image with #ConnectedByEarth. Through #ConnectedByEarth, NASA says, aggregated images of various regions, humans and other creatures shared by people create a beautiful picture of the many pieces of the puzzle that are connected to each other in our world.

From Lucretia Gather, SWR Mainz The “Weiselhof” is located on a hill about 15 kilometers outside of Mainz. Located between two villages, surrounded by vineyards and fields, with a wide view of the Rheingau. Anne Berk has lived on the farm for two years with her husband Bernd and their children Aaron, 3, and Caspar, 1. But also with 13 other residents. Each of the six parties has its own apartment. And they all have a common goal. “We want to live as environmentally conscious and self-sufficient as possible,” says Berk, “and we believe that you can do it better together than alone.”

Potatoes, leeks and beans – home-grown

The community grows its own fruit and vegetables. Almost one hectare of land belongs to the farm. Each party has its own garden, and there are areas that are cultivated together. Carrots, potatoes, leeks, beans and lettuce grow there in summer. The vegetables thrive on the principle of so-called permaculture, a form of organic farming that relies on biodiversity instead of monocultures. We do not use any kind of fertilizer. What Anne Berk appreciates about life at the “Weiselhof” is that she has planted and watered almost everything that ends up on her plate herself. And everything in organic quality. “It couldn’t be more regional,” says Berk. “It’s great that my children just casually see how leeks and spinach actually grow – and then they prefer to eat the vegetables.” Today the Berk family has fried eggs for lunch – and they come from the chickens that run around the “Weiselhof”. There are also three beehives that provide their own honey and sheep. They are primarily used as lawn mowers – but their wool is also used as fertilizer.

Anne Berk planted almost everything that ends up on her and her family’s table herself. Image: SWR Mainz

Buy groceries together – avoid rubbish

As a rule, whatever groceries the residents of the “Weiselhof” have to buy, they do it together. There is a large warehouse in the basement – with pasta, rice, flour, but also detergent and soap. Here, too, the community makes sure to choose organic and regional products as far as possible. “This is our Weisel store,” says Anne Berk. “We try to buy bulk packs for basic foods in order to avoid packaging waste.” Anyone who needs something can help themselves in the basement and write down what they have taken with them.

Agricultural scientist Silke Steinbronn started the project. Image: SWR Mainz

Own power generation through photovoltaics

The project was founded by Thomas Hahner and his wife Silke Steinbronn. They had the idea for such a residential project for a long time. In 2018 they bought the site between Ingelheim and Wackernheim in Rheinhessen – and gradually expanded and renovated the former inn. “We want the people who live here to have good living conditions and that these conditions are also good for the environment,” Steinbronn describes the shared vision. As a PhD in agronomy, she worked a lot abroad and gained international experience in the field of organic agriculture.

Renovation with sustainable materials

Even when the courtyard was being renovated, they attached great importance to ecological renovation using sustainable materials. The facade is insulated with hemp, the roof with thatch. “With this type of eco-renovation, we now only use half the energy that was used here before the renovation,” says Steinbronn. The photovoltaic system on the roof donates so much energy that the farm is almost completely self-sufficient. “We have so much electricity that we can be 99 percent self-sufficient.” The community receives hot water from a solar thermal system, and wood pellets are used for heating.

With the “Weiselhof” the residents want to show what is possible when it comes to environmental protection. Image: SWR Mainz

Share instead of owning

There is also enough electricity to charge the two electric cars that belong to the yard. Sharing instead of owning is particularly important to the residents of the “Weiselhof”. This doesn’t just apply to the cars. In the hall there is a cupboard with everyday items that everyone can use: from the iron to the hand blender to the waffle iron. “At some point we realized that we all have way too much stuff that we don’t need all the time,” says Anne Berk. “And it’s nice to share that.”

Goal: To be a “beacon” for environmental protection

The residents of the “Weiselhof” are aware that their way of life is somewhat exotic. And also that their life model is not the right one for everyone. “We don’t judge anyone who can’t or doesn’t want to live like this, that’s very important to us,” says Berk. The group wants to “be a lighthouse”, she says, and “show what is possible in terms of environmental protection.” And Steinbronn adds: She is already happy when someone simply decides to grow his tomatoes on the balcony himself instead of buying plastic-wrapped foreign tomatoes in the supermarket: “Every small step is good for the environment.”

Climate change is described as increasingly severe. Billionaire, philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates has published his latest book titled “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster”. Not only rich, considered the owner of a great brain, Bill Gates is also known for his predictions about the future, like a global pandemic Covid-19 that he saw six years ago. During a presentation at the TED Talk 2015, Gates urged nations to work together to prepare for a pandemic that could come at any moment. At this point, when the Covid -19 translation was on the verge of being controlled, the billionaire turned a new interest. He said that the world should prepare for a possible climate disaster, and we should best work together to find ways to prevent it. Here are some excerpts from the book “How to avoid a climate disaster” by billionaire Bill Gates. Billionaire Bill Gates. “Letter” of billionaire Bill Gates “As of February 2021, Covid-19 has claimed the lives of more than 2.2 million people worldwide. The pandemic has changed the way we work, the way we live and the way we communicate in society. But at the same time, 2020 is also a pivotal year for us to have new hopes on climate change … In 2021, the United Nations will gather in Scotland for a summit. Another big peak on climate change. Of course, there is no guarantee that we will make any progress in addressing climate change. But opportunities still open from there. Bill Gates continues: I plan to spend much of my time in 2021 talking to world leaders on both climate change and Covid-19. I will make it clear to them that many lessons from the pandemic can also be applied to climate change. Let’s say our values ​​and principles guide us to a pandemic. First, we need international cooperation. The phrase “we have to work together” is easy to be seen as cliché, but it’s true. As governments, researchers, and pharmaceutical companies work together during the Covid-19 pandemic, the world has made remarkable progress, including that the development and testing of vaccines are already in place. show in record time. And when we don’t learn from each other, we prolong our own misery. The same is true of climate change. If rich countries work hard to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions without thinking of sharing clean technologies with everyone, then we will never reach zero carbon emissions. . In another passage, billionaire Bill Gates writes: We need science – indeed, interdisciplinary science – to guide our efforts. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we looked to biology, virology and pharmacology, as well as political science and economics – after all. And just as epidemiology tells us about the risks of Covid-19 but does not say how we must stop it, climate science also tells us why we need to change. changing course but not telling how we should do it. To do this, we have to rely on engineering, physics, environmental science, economics … And our solutions must meet the needs of the group of people most severely affected. With Covid-19, the people who suffer the most are the ones with the fewest options – for example, they cannot work from home or take time to care for themselves or their loved ones. And most of them are people of color, people on low incomes. Among those hospitalized for treatment, the death rate from Covid-19 was four times higher than among the poor. Globally, Covid-19 has erased many progress after decades of efforts to reduce poverty and disease. It took us 25 years of progress in just about 25 weeks. Therefore, we need to plan a precise transition into a zero-emission future. People in poor countries need help adapting to a warmer world. Ultimately, we can do things that both help rescue economies from the Covid-19 catastrophe and spark innovation to avoid a climate catastrophe. By investing in clean energy research and development. Do not let the “war” be forgotten The impacts of climate change are visible globally, but reality shows that vulnerable people in developing countries suffer most of the extreme weather events such as storms, floods and periods of extreme heat, while the impact of climate change is visible globally. At the 2021 Climate Change Adaptation Summit hosted by the Netherlands in an online format, people had access to the issues raised by Germanwatch Environmental Consultation Organization. This organization has emphasized the “fate” of poor countries in the climate change process. The organization also said that the $ 100 billion a year that industrialized countries committed to contribute to climate change will not come true, because only a small portion of this amount is used because climate change adaptation goals. Germanwatch Foundation’s David Eckstein also said that eight of the 10 countries most affected between 2000 and 2019 were developing countries with low or even low per capita incomes. “Poorer countries are hit hardest because they are more vulnerable to the effects of a hazard and are less able to cope.” Over the past 20 years, globally nearly 480,000 deaths are directly related to more than 11,000 extreme weather events. Economic loss amounted to about 2.56 trillion USD (in purchasing power parity terms. “The global Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us of the fact that vulnerable countries are exposed to various risks – climate, geophysical, economic, health and holes. That gap is systematic and all linked together ”- Ms. Laura Schaefer of Germanwatch Foundation said. Fortunately, besides the urgent fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the fight against climate change has not been completely forgotten. A recent survey shows that nearly two-thirds of people polled around the world currently consider climate change a threat to humanity. However, the same number of respondents said that national governments are not interested in the “hook-up” to combat climate change. The survey, titled “Survey on the people’s climate” organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in conjunction with Oxford University, covers over 50 countries. About 1.22 million people of all genders, ages and education levels participated in the survey, in which young people participated in a significant number (about 550,000 people aged 14-18 years old participated). Cassie Flynn – UNDP Strategic Advisor Cassie Flynn said: “People are frightened, they are seeing wildfires in Australia and California, they are seeing acute storms. years and in the Caribbean, they are witnessing floods in Southeast Asia. We have to do something about it. ” Environmental protection organizations have agreed to put in place the top 4 policies, including: 1 / Forest and land conservation (54%) 2 / Use solar, wind and renewable energy (53%) 3 / Climate-friendly farming techniques (52%) 4 / Invest more money in green businesses and jobs (50%). The least favored options for dealing with climate change are plant-based diets, with only 30% of respondents believing it to be the best approach. To date, the question of what the world has done in the fight against climate change, is considered to be still “hanging”. Nearly six years ago, the international community gathered in Paris to develop a joint approach with the aim of combating climate change and reaching the Paris Agreement. Countries have agreed to set a goal to increase their capacity to respond to global climate change by limiting the increase in the Earth’s surface temperature to no more than 2 degrees Celsius and trying to be 1.5 degrees C lower than with the pre-industrial stage. However, in July 2019, the global temperature exceeded 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, equal to or even surpass the record of the hottest month since the start of the temperature statistics. . The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has repeatedly stressed that our planet is on its way to experiencing the hottest years in its history. Mr. Guterres said that in order to win the war in climate change, the most important thing is the voluntary contribution of the countries. Here, very important are the rich countries. The UN Secretary-General also said that the international community is still not acting fast enough given the rising global emissions and the rising temperatures. “If we continue to act late, there will be a catastrophe that will raise global temperatures by 3 degrees C or more in this century,” Guterres said, emphasizing that, there is a need to change the head from a gray and dirty economy to a green one. “We have technology and now we have to make it available to all people in all countries. And must act now! Every factor that leads to global warming is likely to exist, and the longer we wait, the greater the negative impact will inevitably be. ” And, it is extremely important that even though the war against the Covid-19 epidemic is not over, it is impossible to neglect the global fight against climate change.

The event was attended by Ambassador of Israel to Vietnam Nadav Eshcar, Secretary of Hoan Kiem District Party Committee Vu Dang Dinh, Vice Chairman of Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee Nguyen Anh Quan. With events Clean & Green , Israel will launch a solar drip irrigation system for flower plants at the Uncle Co flower garden as a gift to Hanoi city. Drip irrigation is an Israeli invention to save water for crops, bring high efficiency to plant health and reduce emissions of environmental pollution. The irrigation system uses electricity from pre-programmed solar panels and pumping stations. Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam Nadav Eshcar and guests take photos at the event. Israel is a world leader in water conservation, water reuse and smart water use. Offering the city an economical irrigation system affirms Israel’s commitment to support Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general in environmental protection, creating a green, clean and beautiful society. On the same day at the Uncle Co flower garden, the Embassy of Israel in collaboration with the Central Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the non-governmental organization Green Life organized the activity “Redeem paper for trees”. Each resident brings paper, plastic, metal and battery items to the activity to be collected and sorted for recycling, and at the same time receive a decorative stone lotus tree. Activities aimed at raising public awareness and action on recycling. Uncle Co Flower Garden is also a space for biogas technology demonstration and photo exhibition of eco-friendly technologies in Israel. Add some photos of the event:

Tobacco factory of BAT (British American Tobacco) – Vinataba Joint Venture Company in Dong Nai Previously, the National Assembly passed the Law on Environmental Protection in 2020, with additional regulations on minimizing, reusing, recycling and treating plastic waste; restrict the use of disposable plastic products and persistent plastic bags; encourage the production of environmentally friendly products to replace traditional plastic products. This is an important legal basis for Vietnam to strengthen the management, reuse, recycling, treatment and reduction of plastic waste in the coming time as well as promote international cooperation in this field. In parallel with the solution in terms of policy, with the role of state management on environmental protection, ministries, agencies, especially the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have actively coordinated with localities and organizations. politics – society, businesses organize propaganda to raise community awareness about waste and sustainable development. BAT has provided more than 26 million seedlings free of charge to farmers in Cao Bang, Lang Son, Gia Lai, Tay Ninh, Dak Lak and Dong Nai provinces, on an area of ​​more than 11,300 hectares. Up to now, the awareness of enterprises, especially related to production and business, on measures to reduce waste, protect the environment and become responsible corporate citizens has been raised. Large manufacturing companies, both at home and abroad, such as Saigon Paper, Vinamilk, HEINEKEN Vietnam, Nestle Vietnam, May 10, Unilever Vietnam or BAT Vietnam … are showing their responsibility for sustainable development. me. For example, Saigon Paper, over the years, has applied automation technology – saving energy and raw materials – fuel to expand production at its factory, building wastewater treatment systems. for the whole factory. Or HEINEKEN Vietnam is continuing to apply the circular economic model in facilities across the country. By 2019, 5 out of 6 factories of this business have used 100% renewable heat, 100% of bottles and kegs after being released to the market will be returned to the factory, 100% of beer cans. Recyclable, more than 2,000 tons of CO2 emissions are also cut from optimization of logistics and distribution. Besides, p Sustainable development is always the top goal of British American Tobacco (BAT) in the world as well as in the British American Tobacco Vietnam (BAT Vietnam). Activities to conserve natural resources such as saving water, being active in protecting forest resources, avoiding soil erosion, maintaining soil fertility, managing energy … are all important factors. that BAT wants to create a sustainable agriculture. The tobacco factory of BAT (British American Tobacco) – Vinataba Joint Venture Company in Dong Nai has always been the leading unit in implementing these activities. Waste sources such as medicinal steam from the drying system, production wastewater … have not been discharged into the environment but are reused, committing that no waste will be buried. Not only that, the company also actively collects and uses rainwater instead of source water. Along with the A standard, the wastewater system of the BAT-Vinataba plant has been used for the deodorizing system and other water-saving activities of the plant. Thereby, the BAT-Vinataba joint venture has saved an annual amount of water, from 2.2 m3 / ton of product (2014) to 1.82 m3 / ton of product (2020). According to the Environmental, Social and Governance – ESG 2020 report of BAT, during the past 18 years (2002-2020) in Vietnam, BAT has provided more than 26 million seedlings for free to farmers in Cao Bang, Lang Son, and Gia provinces. Lai, Tay Ninh, Dak Lak and Dong Nai, on an area of ​​more than 11,300 hectares. These contributions contribute to the greening of cultivated land and barren hills as well as bringing economic benefits to farmers in participating localities. These are remarkable efforts of this business. BAT also actively supports many programs on afforestation, biodiversity and environmental conservation, with 14 projects in 9 countries, by the end of 2020. In 2020, BAT has installed and used solar energy in factories in eight countries, including Brazil, South Africa and Pakistan. BAT plans to expand the installation of two more locations in 2021. In its ESG 2020 report, BAT stated that the Group’s goal is to increase the number of users of non-flammable (smoke-free) products to 50 million people, commitment to environmental protection, carbon neutralization by 2030; In the next 5 years, BAT will move to eliminate plastic packaging, use recyclable or compostable packaging; BAT will also increase the amount of water reused to 30% and 100% of the production sites will be free of landfill waste and fully renewable energy use.

An old phosphorus mine in Florida.

According to information from the BBC, China uses rare earths as a trump card in the trade war with the US. China has signaled that it could limit exports of rare earth minerals to the US as the trade conflict between the two countries escalates.

By far, China is the largest producer of raw materials vital to many US industries including high-growth industries such as electric vehicles and wind turbine manufacturing. The US Geological Survey has determined these minerals are very important to the economy and defense of this country.

Restricting exports to the US, if implemented, could have a major impact on major US industries worth trillions of dollars that rely on rare earth minerals.

Rare earths are a valuable resource that plays an important role in the industry.

Rare earth is a group of 17 elements used in many fields, including renewable energy technology, oil refining, electronics, … Called “rare” because they are difficult to exploit. This raw material is believed to be in the Earth’s crust. There are very few places in the world that exploit or produce rare earths because rare earth exploitation is both difficult and potentially harmful to the environment.

Rare earth exploitation is very difficult and poses a risk to the environment.

Currently, Chinese mines account for about 70% of global rare earth production. Myanmar, Australia, the US and some other countries only exploit a small amount, accounting for the remaining 30%.

According to US government data, about 80% of imported rare earths come from China. Estonia, France and Japan also supply treated rare earths to the US, but the original ore is from China.

The US mines rare earths and sends ore to China for processing, but China has imposed a 25% import tax. Consequently, the United States considered developing its own rare earth refining industry.

Information from the New York Times and Bloomberg said that the US is seeing the potential to exploit rare earth from old phosphorus mines in Florida. The process of handling leaked waste here helps to protect the environment and is an opportunity to reduce dependence on rare earths from China.

China is holding back most of the world’s rare earth supply.

A sewage leak at an old phosphorus mine in Florida prompted authorities to issue an evacuation order and declare a state of emergency near the Tampa area amid a potential collapse of the mine’s radioactive waste. Cleaning up the forgotten giant pile of phosphorus scattered in Florida and other parts of the southeastern United States could help resolve America’s dependence on important imported raw materials, while eliminating Threats of environmental disaster are lurking in the local people.

Phosphorus is a byproduct of the production of fertilizers from phosphate rock. For every ton of organic phosphoric acid produced, more than five tons of phosphorus are produced. This waste is worthless in its raw form due to the concentration of uranium, radium and other heavy metals making it radioactive toxic, unable to be used as soil amendment or building material.

According to the study, there is a large amount of rare earths and radioactive metals present in phosphorus piles in Florida. However, those are not the only scarce metals that can be found in phosphorus ores. Rare earths are a collection of elements that are important for high-tech applications such as magnets and lasers. A 2017 analysis by the US-China research group showed that rare earths are present at a rate of about 0.2% in a waste pile of about 1 billion tons in Florida, equivalent to two million tons of rare earths, enough to cover global demand for a decade.

Many laboratory studies have been done to look at phosphorus recycling processes. However, prices for phosphorus, rare earths and uranium have been mostly curbed in recent years to limit the commercial appeal of phosphorus recycling around the world.

Every year, the US government spends a substantial amount of money monitoring and managing risks at the old phosphorus mine in Florida. The US plans to spend about $ 111 billion to clean water pipes and water infrastructure.

Under the Donald Trump administration last year, the US environmental protection agency authorized the use of raw phosphorus as road construction materials. However, the cost of waste treatment here is so high that investors are still afraid.

The US government has to spend a lot of money on the treatment of the phosphorus mine in Florida.

Huge open-pit ponds the size of the entire city block, filled with toxic wastewater, and underneath there is a lot of radioactive waste.

Recently, local officials allowed residents to return home after an urgent effort to pump millions of gallons of water out of ponds and into inland waterways. The environmental impacts of releasing large amounts of polluted water have not been evaluated. But in the past week, the “ghost” of a great cataclysm caused the government to evacuate hundreds of households from the dangerous area.

Researchers fear that, when giant puddles collapsed, radioactive waste will leak, it will lead to unpredictable dangers. The environment will be affected by the emergency discharge of polluted water, which contains many substances that can cause harmful algae to bloom and kill fish.

Wastewater in the area near Wilmington in North Carolina.

Florida is considered the largest producer of phosphorus in the world, accounting for about 80% of phosphorus mining in the US – where the exploitation and consumption of about 23 million tons of phosphorus per year.

When coal-fired power plants generate electricity, they leave hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic sediment known as coal ash, mixed with water and dumped into ponds within the plant.

Across the United States there are more than 700 landfills and large bodies of water still store coal ash discharged from coal-fired power plants. Under the Obama administration, there were regulations to close coal ash ponds in 2018. Currently, the North Carolina region authorities also began requiring power companies to dig coal ash ponds under the new law. state, also requiring the closure of all coal ash ponds by 2029./.

Starbucks switched to paper straws, but other tools still used plastic.

The trend of using paper straws

The campaign to stop using plastic straws has created a global craze over the past few years, with many reputable brands and a large number of consumers turning to paper straws.

In Vietnam, a number of major beverage brands have also responded to the messages of environmental protection, limiting the use of plastic waste, and encouraging the replacement of biodegradable and recyclable materials.

Pioneering brands can be mentioned as coffee shop chain The Coffee House, Trung Nguyen Legend Café, Starbucks Coffee … replacing plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable plastic spoons with bio straws, bags Bio, bio-spoon is completely biodegradable. Gong Cha and Phuc Long tea chains have replaced plastic straws with straws made from bagasse and paper.

But are paper straws really the same eco-friendly alternatives as the brands claim? Chung Shan-shan, scientific director of environmental management and public health at Hong Kong Baptist University, doesn’t think so.

According to SCMP, the main argument for using paper straws instead of plastic straws is that paper is biodegradable. That is, paper straws can decompose naturally and do not float in the ocean and then be swallowed by fish or turtles. However, environmental protection is not simply about swapping plastic for paper.

Although paper straws will decompose into smaller pieces, they are still capable of being swallowed by small animals. Furthermore, the term “biodegradation” can be misleading.

“The Hong Kong Environmental Protection Agency’s Biodegradability Test Standard considers the degree of degradation of different materials by keeping them at a constant temperature of 56 to 60 degrees Celsius for 180 days. . If the carbon content of that material is reduced by 60% then it can be considered biodegradable. So in fact, the so-called biodegradable materials can last longer than 180 days and even then, they do not disappear completely “, this expert emphasized.

“Although paper is biodegradable, it will not decompose even after a very long time if it contains too much pulp. You can find newspapers in landfills, where even after 10 or 20 years, the words on it can still be read.

Also, the garbage in the cities is ultimately in landfills, not in other spaces. The waste that decomposes in landfills still releases toxic methane gas into the atmosphere.

Paper straws spoil the taste of drinks

Paper straws easily spoil the taste of drinks.

Since China introduced restrictions on the use of plastic materials last year, non-biodegradable single-use plastic straws have begun to be phased out from the country’s food industry in late 2020. and the eco-friendly straws that are used nationwide.

Experts say, thanks to the trend of protecting the environment, paper straws and similar products are bringing huge revenue for manufacturing companies. According to a report by Huaan Securities Co Ltd, the size of the paper straw market in this country could reach 28 billion yuan (4.33 billion USD) by 2025.

But in addition to the controversy over the degradability, the paper straws have also complained about the quality, as well as affecting the taste of the drink. Most of the time, biological straws are worn out when left in water for a long time. They mix paper flavors into drinks, causing discomfort for diners.

Huang Xinyi, a 30-year-old worker in Beijing, told China.org: “Paper straws taste like paper or cardboard and cannot be soaked in drinks for long. That is why, I need to drink all the drinks right after I buy it.

No matter how environmentally friendly the paper straw is, it is having trouble being accepted by the consumer. “Paper straws also have an impact on the environment. On the one hand, they consume a large amount of wood resources, on the other hand, they also pollute the production process. More efforts are needed for research and further work.” developing other alternatives, “said expert Lin Boqiang from the Energy Policy Research Institute at Xiamen University, China.

When complaints related to paper straws became a popular topic, Chinese netizens made comments about alternative straws such as biodegradable plastic, metal straws …

Environmental protection half-hearted

Highland Coffee is the brand that propagates the most about environmental protection but still uses plastic cups and plastic straws.

While major beverage brands in Vietnam such as Gong Cha, Phuc Long, The Coffee House, Trung Nguyen Legend Café, Starbucks Coffee … are replacing straws, mugs, bags with environmentally friendly materials. Responding to customers’ requirements as well as environmental responsibility, there are still opinions that this is just a half-hearted change, stopping at the level of “cutting”, not giving up altogether.

Some companies only change straws, but still use plastic cups, others are the opposite. Or even the most controversial recently is Highlands Coffee, when shouting out loud environmental campaigns on media channels but doing it in a way unlike anyone else.

This chain of drinks uses the highly reputed beverage handle section: “Biodegradable, eco-friendly handle”. However, in addition to the handle, the other things are still plastic cups, plastic spoons, even using a plastic straw, not using a paper straw.

The online community said that the changes and calls of the above brands are still only polished and “colored”, instead of serious implementation for the environment, as required by consumers.

It is said that firms can not completely replace plastic utensils for the purpose of maximizing profits. To replace the whole process and equipment, it will take a lot of time and cost.

Regarding the trend of moving from plastic to paper straws, Chung assessed that people want to reduce the use of plastic products but do not want to sacrifice convenience. Even though they are paper straws, they are still disposable waste.

“Unless you get rid of disposable items in natural places with a lot of wildlife, swapping plastic straws for paper straws won’t make any difference in the city,” Chung added.

The only guaranteed way to make a difference to the environment, says the expert, is that people stop using disposable straws.

“Even if we create products using the most eco-friendly materials, if they are still single-use products, the Earth’s environment will still be affected.” said.

This expert suggests that users can drink it directly or use a chopstick or spoon to eat topping in a cup.

In conclusion, it doesn’t make much sense to switch to environmental materials unless we use reusable items.

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On the afternoon of April 14, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City had a meeting with representatives of foreign agencies in the city.

HCM City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen (middle) and Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong exchange with representatives of foreign agencies. Photo: TL

Expanding many new investment areas

Speaking at the meeting, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong informed that in 2021, the city will expand the field of investment, proposing many comprehensive development plans and projects, of which construction is outstanding. Smart city, financial and development center of Thu Duc city.

He said that these projects aim to improve the working ability, quality of life and sustainability of the city. “I firmly believe that foreign businesses will find here (Ho Chi Minh City and Thu Duc City) a lot of potential and great investment opportunities” – Mr. Phong said.

Thu Duc City will be a Silicon Valley

Regarding the development of Thu Duc city, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong informed representatives of foreign agencies that this is of special concern. For this reason, the current labor productivity of the Hi-Tech Park in Thu Duc City is 16.6 times higher than that of the country and 6.6 times higher than that of Ho Chi Minh City. Since then, Phong expects that after 5-10 years, Thu Duc City can contribute 30% to the economy of Ho Chi Minh City, equivalent to 6.6% of Vietnam’s GDP.

The head of the Ho Chi Minh City government added that the city is currently researching to build a specific mechanism for Thu Duc City with the expectation of building this place into a high-tech commercial urban area, similar to Silicon Valley. of America.

On the smart city project, Mr. Phong said that he would build four main centers (pillars). In particular, with shared data warehouses and developing open data ecosystems, the city is in need of intelligent or artificial intelligence solutions to analyze collected data, serve decision making and the administration of the city government. With the center of socio-economic forecasting simulation, the city is calling for investment in two areas: Construction of facilities, equipment to update advances in science and technology and human development …

Regarding the project to build a financial center, Phong said when the center is formed, it will allow the city to keep pace with trends in the era of comprehensive globalization in investment, commerce, finance and technology. .

Therefore, he wishes to seek additional external support resources in training human resources in financial technology; consulting on legal and regulatory frameworks for the development of financial centers; developing financial technology infrastructure in Thu Thiem urban area … Along with that, he also wants to support connecting the city with world financial centers.

Maximum support for investors

At the meeting, representatives of consular offices, economic – commercial – cultural offices, international organizations in the city raised many exchange issues such as when Vietnam plans to open tourism again. again, Vietnam’s vaccination plan.

For Ho Chi Minh City alone, they propose to have a private working trip with Thu Duc City to learn about projects in this new city. At the same time looking forward to more information about foreign investment support in the city.

Talking back, Chairman of the City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said that the city currently has a cooperation agreement and cooperation agreement with 57 localities of the countries in which Vietnam has diplomatic relations.

One of the contents that many foreign diplomatic agencies are interested in is to find out about investment in Thu Duc City. Mr. Phong informed that the city had built a table about Thu Duc city to introduce eight creative points of this city. This is one of the places where investors can learn about investment.

Besides, Mr. Phong also shared a number of policies to support the development of auxiliary technology, foreign small businesses investing in the city. At the same time, he said that in order to support the fastest possible procedures for investors, the city has established an investment working group and a working group for external relations and international integration.

Therefore, he wants international friends and partners to join hands and accompany the city to complete the set goals. This will be an opportunity for investment cooperation to make Thu Duc City soon become a highly interactive, creative urban area in the shortest time.

Ho Chi Minh City: High goals, great aspirations for the mighty country

Speaking at the meeting, Member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen affirmed that in the periods, the city development always has your companionship, sharing, support and help. international friends. He is grateful for that contribution.

Answering the question of a representative of a foreign agency about the development of Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Nguyen Van Nen affirmed that economic development is associated with environmental protection, definitely not exchanging environment for development. economy.

According to Mr. Nen, the foreign policy of Ho Chi Minh City is not exclusive, but is according to the general foreign policy of Vietnam. But Ho Chi Minh City is always for the whole country, the same country and has ambitions and aspirations to match the leading economic role of the country.

Regarding the question of whether the aspiration raised by Ho Chi Minh City is too high, Mr. Should affirmed: “We have relatively high requirements, objectives and tasks, along with activating people to make efforts to fulfill their thirst. hope. During the war, we used the desire to unify the country to sacrifice, but now we use the desire to turn the country into a mighty country to strive ”.