Ho Chi Minh City strives for 100% of supermarkets to use environmentally friendly plastic bags in 2021. Photo: CAO THANG Many consequences The project “Building a system to observe plastic waste in society and the environment” (COMPOSE) implemented by the French Embassy in Vietnam has shown that, out of 250,000 tons of plastic waste per year in Ho Chi Minh City, there are 48,000 tons. buried, more than 200,000 tons are recycled or discharged directly into the environment. Alarmingly, the Saigon River has the 5th largest amount of plastic waste in Vietnam and 45th in the world. The amount of plastic waste dumped into the Saigon River in March 2018 recorded 5.6 – 10.3 tons. Based on this figure, the amount of plastic waste is estimated at 7,500 – 13,000 tons/year. Every liter of water the Saigon River pours into the sea has 1,000 times more microplastics than the Seine in Paris. According to research by scientists, each broken microplastic will produce a lot of toxic substances harmful to health. At that time, people can suffer from hormone balance, neurological diseases, respiratory diseases… Microplastics less than 5mm long, when not properly collected and handled, will have a negative impact on the environment and the ocean. , underwater creatures. Microplastics are found in most of the products we use every day such as cleansers, shower gels, toothpastes and some cosmetics. Each time we wash 6kg of clothes, we also release 728,000 microplastic fibers into the environment. Researchers from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) also argue that plastic pollution is a transboundary problem, with global impacts. Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, is most vulnerable as the region bears most of the consequences of the overload and inefficiencies of the global recycling system. Plastic pollution causes negative economic impacts on the region’s industries, estimated at $1.3 billion per year. Although most national governments have announced or are in the process of establishing national regulatory measures, these measures are limited in their ability to address the broad cross-border challenge. borders of ocean plastic pollution due to lack of effective coordination among countries. The time has come for countries to consider establishing a legally binding international treaty to combat plastic pollution. The convenience and popularity of plastic products on the market, especially single-use plastic items, make consumers consume and use a large amount of plastic. Therefore, we need to come up with basic solutions to limit such as incentives for new innovative products, promotion of more sustainable or plastic-free alternatives. Create a labeling mechanism to promote better choices from consumers. It is necessary to encourage the participation of businesses in handling plastic packaging. Combine multiple solutions To join hands with the Government to realize the goal of reducing plastic waste, the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has issued a plan to strengthen the management, reuse, recycling, treatment and reduction of plastic waste. Accordingly, Ho Chi Minh City strives by the end of 2021, 100% of supermarkets and trade centers to use environmentally friendly packaging for living purposes to replace difficult-to-decompose plastic bags; Small traders at the people’s market reduce by 50% using non-biodegradable plastic packaging in product packaging. State management agencies and public non-business units must be exemplary, active, and take the lead in reducing and reusing plastic waste, not using non-degradable plastic packaging and single-use plastic products. times (bottles, jars, straws, foam boxes…) at offices, conferences, seminars. In particular, limit the use of single-use banners, slogans, etc., and switch to using electronic devices for propaganda purposes. To achieve these goals, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoa Binh directed relevant departments and units to jointly develop action plans for implementation. In particular, focus on waste control at source. Minimize and move towards not using non-biodegradable plastic packaging and single-use plastic products in all daily activities of state agencies, factories, schools and people’s daily activities. . Mobilize restaurants, hotels, tourist resorts, tourism and catering establishments, etc. to have plans to reduce plastic waste and gradually switch to using recycled and environmentally friendly products. Plastic waste generated from tourism, marine services, maritime economy, marine mineral resources, aquaculture and fishing must be collected, stored and transferred to functional units. handling. In parallel with the source control solution, HCMC also encourages the reuse and recycling of plastic waste through the development and deployment of the 3T model (Reduce – Reuse – Recycle). , encourage and create favorable conditions for organizations with functions and conditions to perform the service of collecting, reusing and recycling plastic loads in the city. Ho Chi Minh City will also strengthen the inspection of environmental violations such as indiscriminate dumping of waste and plastic waste in public places. Inspect and handle violations of environmental protection tax, value-added tax, corporate income tax, etc. in import, production and distribution activities, and trading in non-degradable plastic packaging and plastic products. disposable; encourage recycled products, environmentally friendly products.

This is a drink made from brewed tea, then added sugar and milk, then shaken well in cocktail jars. In fact, at first, bubble milk tea was “identified” by the bubble layer when shaking the drink. Although there are several figures in Taiwan who claim to be the creators of bubble milk tea, it is still impossible to determine for sure who made the drink first. In addition to the popular English name bubble tea, people also call it by countless other names such as boba, boba nai cha, zhen zhou naicha, pearl tea, tapioca tea, momi milk tea… Some people think that milk tea made with fresh milk is more delicious and fresh, but most milk tea is made with cream powder, which helps the milk tea cup to be greasy. This drink loads a lot of calories into your body. Although not counting the feet, milk tea alone contains a lot of sugar and fat. Pearl is considered an important factor contributing to a delicious cup of milk tea. Standard pearls must be tough, crispy, not too crushed nor too hard, ideally you can chew the pearls 5-6 times before swallowing. Many people love milk tea, but not everyone knows how to properly open a cup of milk tea. Although there are many variations, the classic milk tea flavor (black tea, powdered milk and sugar) is still the most popular flavor.

Yamaha R7 – the rival of the upcoming Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. Recently, motorcycle company Yamaha Japan has released a video hinting that a new R series motorcycle from the company is coming. While no details regarding the model were revealed in the footage, speculations have quickly suggested that the upcoming model will be the Yamaha R7. Now, the Japanese company has released a second video that shows a glimpse of the new sportbike and confirms that the new motorcycle model will be announced globally on May 18. Through a series of leaked images, the Yamaha R7 – a rival to the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R – is actually the successor to the Yamaha R6. Although it is a new motorcycle, the R7 still carries the silhouette of the R6. The front appearance of the new Yamaha R7 has a projector headlight placed in the center, reminiscent of the new Yamaha MT-07. On either side of the headlights are LED DRLs and a pair of small air intakes. The crankset of the car is aerodynamically designed and is kept neatly with only the R7 logo. In terms of equipment, it can be seen that the Yamaha R7 will have a USD fork in front and a monoshock at the rear for shock absorption. The brake unit will include two rotors in the front and one in the rear. This model will likely be equipped with a completely new digital instrument cluster along with some important electronic supports for the driver such as traction control, different driving modes, anti-lock braking ABS, … As for the engine, it is likely that the new Yamaha R7 will be equipped with a 689cc engine block, producing 73.4 PS of power and 67 Nm of maximum torque.

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 …

Do not squint much. Squinting and facial expressions such as raised and frowning can also cause wrinkles. When you squint, your facial muscles contract. This causes the skin cells to squeeze together, losing their elasticity. Squinting is a habit of many people and requires a conscious effort if you want to prevent wrinkles. Let the skin dry If your skin is dry, you are at increased risk of wrinkles. People with dry skin produce less sebum, which is a barrier that protects the skin from many adverse effects. Regularly moisturize your skin, at least twice a day, to prevent wrinkles. Habit of squinting and frowning You know, expressive movements like squinting, frowning, and even laughing too much that repeated daily create markings and slowly the facial muscles form deep grooves – or called wrinkles. Because at first, these wrinkles appear only when you express them, called dynamic wrinkles, but daily routine will turn these dynamic wrinkles to static, meaning that no need you to express it, it will still show up. your face. And so, you will look old before your age because your face appears wrinkled too soon. Besides, there are many people who like to raise their eyebrows to make their eyes look wider, but inadvertently create wrinkles across the forehead. Get rid of these bad habits now, and remember not to over-express and repeat it often. Low-fat diet To prevent wrinkles, you need to consume more omega-3 fatty acids. This ingredient will keep skin soft and smooth. A diet low in fat leads to a lack of omega-3 in the body, leading to premature aging of the skin. Use a straw Drinking water with a straw can form wrinkles around the mouth. You should drink directly from the cup. This is similar to when you smoke, so if you are a smoker, try to quit.

Inside Krizna jama, a place for tourists traveling by boat. Photo: National Geographic Where the rivers mysteriously disappeared With 20,271 square kilometers and 2 million inhabitants, Slovenia provides the world to more than 20 famous caves out of more than 8,000 karstic formations called jamas. Here, it is easy to see with the naked eye the majestic rivers suddenly mysteriously disappearing into the ground, then forming the system of underground paths through the limestone mountains forming caves. There are also traces of cave dwellers of nearly 5,000 years ago, autographs of an expedition in 1557 left on the cliffs of Krizna cave, and since then cave tourism in Slovenia has flourished. from the seventeenth century. Krizna jama, birthplace of cave exploration. Exploration of karstic limestone caves is very dangerous, even with taking pictures in a world completely different from space under the sun. Robbie Shone, British photographer and cave researcher, spent 10 years taking pictures of Kacna caves. The window entry was 250 feet (250 feet) higher than the ceiling, and an additional 250 feet was added to the underground river, the common pillar with up to 500 free-fall, up and down thanks to ropes and lifters. The key to the Slovenian cave system lies in the rivers, when hidden when present, the most famous of which are the rivers Reka, Rak, and Pivka. River caves are not uncommon, however, there are only some karst landscapes where river caves reach as vast as in Slovenia. The karst plateau forms a special geographical area here, it extends from the Adriatic coast in the south to the Vipava Valley, forming a corridor connecting the limestone regions of northeast Italy. Beneath the village of Škocjan are caves of the same name, a UNESCO heritage site, in which an entire river – the river Reka – seems to be swallowed up by the earth. From the ground, the river suddenly plunged into a straw (siphon) in the rock, continuing to winding along underground currents, then emerged 24 miles away near Italy’s Monfalcone before joining the Timavo River into the sea. Adriatic. Where people live with caves More than anywhere, Slovenia is not only the birthplace of the cave tourism industry, but also a place of symbiosis between people and a special geological structure. The Italians and Slovenes living along the limestone corridors have created a unique Teran grape for the famous iron-rich red wine. Caves have played many roles throughout history. They used them as a source of water, a refrigerator, and even an ammunition storage room during the war. During the Ice Age, Krizna jama was an important bear sanctuary – some 2,000 bear skeletons remain. Today, river caves are important habitats for many species of animals, some of which are endangered. Postojna jama is Slovenia’s largest and most touristy cave, complete with trains that take you through tunnels and fossil-filled labyrinth halls and pristine caves. pretty. Nearby Postojna and Planinska jama are home to the proteus anguinus, an endangered species of underwater cave salamander affectionately known as the “human fish”. During Christmas, a scene of the Child God was erected in Postojna and more than 500 people gathered in a stone hermitage to witness a festival performance staged between stalactites and stalagmites. Postojna jama is completely designed with trains taking tourists through the tunnels … Photo: postojnska-jama.eu Here you can choose the right level of cave travel for you. The Postojna Cave is considered the largest jade, where the cave train will take visitors to magnificent sculptures, stalactites, stalagmites and halls. The beautiful Škocjan Cave is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here you can see the deepest and largest underground gorges in the world. And more than that, behind the cave doors is a place for travelers who have a lot of courage to explore. Krizna Cave impresses with a series of emerald green underground lakes, on which visitors can sail to magnificent limestone halls under the safety guidance of experienced explorers. The birthplace of cave exploration The history of cave exploration is associated with Krizna jama located in the Cerknica Polje limestone belt near the Loz settlement. The length of the cave is up to 8,273m, of which about 600m is arranged for regular tours of tourists, the rest is for explorers. In fact, Krizna is considered one of the most attractive tourist caves in Slovenia, due to the large underground lakes with clear water formed after dams of quartz stone and decorated in various styles. way by rolling rocks. One of the tourist attractions is the bear cave. Currently, Krizna jama is under the management of the Krizna Cave Caving Society, and is here by guided boat travel. The first inscription of the Krizna expedition engraved on a cliff, in 1557. Krizna’s original name was Loz Cold Cave (Mrzla jama pri Lozu), changed to Cold Cave under Mount Krizna (Mrzla jama pod Krizno goro), and now takes the name of the Cross Church located on the hill given to the cave system. , called Cerkev Svetega kriza. The first inhabitants of Krizna cave were in the metallic era with many relics including pottery, but their ancestors lived in caves belonging to the Paleolithic period, around 2,800 BC. Perhaps this was the reason why the Krizna expeditions were so intriguing, and the expedition’s first autograph inscribed on the cliff 1557. The expeditions continued through the centuries as a kind of discovery tourism. , but it was not until 1832 that an official report was produced by JJ Tobin, and in 1838 J. Cerar provided the first descriptive sketch. The discoveries weren’t really easy, and it wasn’t until 1962 that a group of high school students from Ljubljana Šiška crossed the first lake under the guidance of Professor Prezelj. Explorers from Slovenian and foreign clubs spent decades, from 1970 to 1990 searching, discovering new cave passages and halls, and especially diving to survey pipes. suction of the Kittlow well. Measurements, surveys and expeditions were promoted between the 1990s and 2003 through the Speleological society of Karlovec and the Assotiation of Krizna cave lovers. They began cleaning the caves, photographing it, and discovering new tunnels with deep diving, searching for new straws. And today, cave tourism has become a unique economic activity in Slovenia. Hoang Quan __________ References: Go Inside These World-Famous, Rarely Seen River Caves
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/destinations/europe/slovenia/photos-hidden-river-caves/ Slovenia is the cradle of historic cave exploration and karst science.
https://www.jamarska-zveza.si/index.php/foreigners/36-introduction History of Exploration
https://krizna-jama.si/en/history-of-exploration/

“Here, if you want to hurry, you have to go early, at around 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm when the shop first opens, the more late the night, the longer the queue will be until midnight. If you go on weekends, you must queue at all times ”, Nhu Quyen (living in District 11), a regular customer of the restaurant, told Zing . Ms. Dung tea shop has only two people making and a table for all tools and materials for preparation. Today, due to her late arrival, Quyen and her husband had to queue for more than 30 minutes to buy 3 glasses of water. The couple had to continuously take turns letting one person line up, the other rested and looked after the car. Just received the cup from the shop owner, Quyen’s husband quickly plugged the straw and passed it to his wife. The client used to take a drink, nearly half a glass of water had run out. “The water here is delicious and cheap. A glass of about ten and a few thousand only. This hot season has nothing to drink. But if I buy it here, I have to wait in line for a long time, ”Quyen said while wiping the sweat on his face. Line up until 2am Her peach tea shop Ha Thi Dung (56 years old) does not have a signboard, but still has two names given by customers. In addition to Co Dung Mashed Peach Tea, which is named after the owner of the shop and the typical water dish of the shop, this place is also known by many people as “Tra Doi”. The shop is open for sale from 19:30 to 2 am the next morning and is always in a crowded state. There are only two people selling, so it is almost impossible to work without a break for 6 hours. All mixing tools and ingredients are neatly arranged on a table, above is hung an electric light for both lighting and customer identification. The more guests come at night, the more crowded the customers are, especially on weekends. Tea Wait also does not have a menu. However, in turn, any customer who is that customer can read the names of the drinks that need to be purchased. While the shopkeeper brews water, buyers also prepare bags, straws, and even calculate cash in hand to save time, making latecomers wait longer. When asked about the restaurant’s best food, the guests waiting could tell about a dozen dishes: pickled peach tea, milk-sweetened blueberries, milk orange, blueberry syrup, pickled strawberries … And concluding a sentence: “But everything here is delicious”. Mr. Nhu (23 years old) said that she comes here almost every weekend with a group of friends. One day Nhu’s group arrived after midnight and had to line up until almost 2:00 in the morning to buy water. “After buying water, we pick up the chairs on the sidewalk to sit eight until almost morning. We like this place because the water is delicious, there are many dishes and the price is for students. The queue is a bit long but on weekends, so sometimes it’s also free. Just take turns waiting, the rest just sit and talk ”. Meanwhile, Mr. Thanh (37 years old) knew about Co Dung’s digging tea shop through online reviews. Curious, he wanted to wait in line for a drink, but after 15 minutes of waiting and still not his turn, he gave up. “I heard it was crowded, but I didn’t expect it to be this crowded. I guess I have time to come back in line, drink it to see what it tastes like, ”Mr. Thanh said. Peach tea “wait but not upset” The owner of the tea shop, Ms. Dung, said her shop has been selling for more than 30 years, at the corner of Nguyen Chi Thanh street intersecting Duong Tu Giang. “Because there is not enough rent for the premises, I only sell the evening. Also thanks to the people around for help, creating conditions so it can be sold until now ”, said Ms. Dung while still slowly making tea and peach beams for customers. The restaurant’s water dishes such as pickled peach tea, milk pickled blueberries, pineapple ginseng … cost 10,000-15,000 VND. Meticulously selecting each apple, counting the amount of syrup and condensed milk to put in a cup, Ms. Dung confided many times that many customers are also impatient, but not so that it can be reckless. “Everyone who came here had to wait in line, so I had to work hard to make delicious water, according to the customer.” Having just visited the restaurant a few times, but Ha Thi (living in District 5) is especially impressed with the service attitude of the owner. Regardless of any request from customers such as less sweet, more sour, proportion of ice…, Ms. Dung happily responded. “Once I bought it on a long way, I was afraid that the drink was no longer delicious, she enthusiastically advised. Although the shop is crowded and has to wait a long time, she is always happy, never upset, ”Thi said. According to many customers, another plus point of this sidewalk tea shop is that it has almost no price increases. The drinks here are less than 20,000 VND, the typical peach tea dish of the restaurant is only about 11,000 VND, 14,000 VND in blueberry. “I drank at this restaurant from 2017-2018. After the epidemic, I thought the price would increase like many other places. But now the price remains the same, unchanged ”, Nhu Quyen (27 years old) said.

Rubbing eyes: The skin around the eyes is very fragile and vulnerable. When you rub your eyes, the skin stretches, the collagen and elastin under the skin are destroyed, causing the skin to become wrinkled. Don’t wear a hat or umbrella in the sun: Blinking of the sun – or even squinting at an electronic screen – forces muscles between the colored hairs and around the eyes to contract, which may be the cause. leading to the formation of wrinkles. Wearing contact lenses: Wearing contact lenses by itself doesn’t create wrinkles, but the way you wear them can be the cause of your aging seeing. When wearing contact lenses, many people often raise eyebrows, frowning. This movement, if repeated many times, will cause your forehead to form wrinkles. Eat too much sugar: Sweet candies are actually not “sweet” for the skin. Eating too much sweets can lead to the formation of AGEs – these harmful compounds can destroy collagen and elastin, leaving skin wrinkled and sagging. Lack of sleep: Sleep is extremely important to your health and beauty. While you sleep, your skin regenerates and repairs itself. If you do not get enough sleep, this regeneration process is not effective, leading to dull, sagging skin, especially the skin around the eyes. Sleeping on your tummy: When you sleep on your tummy, your face is pressed against the pillow, causing the skin to accumulate. Lying in this position for a few hours, the pinched skin will form wrinkles. Get down to look at your phone screen: When you look down at the screen of an electronic device for a few hours, your neck has to be bent for a long time. This causes wrinkles to form in the area of ​​your neck. Drinking water using a straw: Drinking water or other beverages with a straw requires pursed lips. This action, if repeated regularly, will cause wrinkles to form at the corner of your mouth. Using your hands to support your face: Many people have a habit of using their hands to support their face or head when neck fatigue. However, when your hand has to support the weight of your head, your facial skin will be pressed and if this action continues, wrinkles on your face will begin to form. Chewing gum: Chewing gum requires continuous work of the chewing gum muscles. If you chew gum regularly, the collagen in the cheek area will be destroyed, causing the skin to lose elasticity and start forming wrinkles. Exposure to polluted air: Polluted air is bad for your health in many ways, and your skin is no exception. Constantly exposed to dust, cigarette smoke and car engine smoke will damage the skin barrier, leading to oxidative stress and premature skin aging.

Nuoc Mot is one of the famous drinks in Hoi An. (Photo: An An)

Accordingly, in the clip, it can be seen that the shop’s staff scoop each ingredient into a cup very professionally and quickly. Each step seemed to be memorized, so the hand ran quickly. However, what makes many people pay attention is that around this person and the pot of water there are many strange insects.

(Source clip: TikTok @ nvk09101992)

Some viewers of the clip said that it was a fly, specifically Facebook RB expressed: “It feels disgusting to see flies surrounded, like this, it hurts my stomach”.

However, many other netizens immediately protested, saying this was a bee, not a fly or any strange insect. Due to the ingredients of Mot water including herbs such as lemongrass, lemongrass, basil, cinnamon, chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, green tea leaves, dried herb, lotus, jujube …, they have attracted bees fly over.

Besides, many customers have come here to confirm that the shop is very clean and the owner is also careful. In fact, if you look closely at the clip, you can see that even though the glass maker is doing it quickly, he still pays close attention to each stage. When taking the straw, this person does not use the handle directly but uses a tongs to ensure hygiene.

The ingredients of Mau Water are mainly from herbal ingredients.

Furthermore, the type of straw that the restaurant uses is also a bamboo straw, environment-friendly material. This has made many people love the special water that is only available in Hoi An.

It is known that Mot shop owner is Nguyen Huu Xuan. Xuan’s grandfather used to be a medicine man, so he used what he learned from him to cook this sweet and cool water. What makes many people curious is that the name “Mót” does not know where it comes from and what it means. According to Xuan shared in the press, Mót was his childhood name. When he opened the shop, he decided to take the names of his grandparents, his parents still called it for this kind of water.

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.