Celebrate Tet, live green

This Tet holiday, I was quite surprised when my son and his grandmother spent an evening cutting and pasting old calendar pages into lucky money envelopes. Before Tet holiday, his class launched the "Green Tet" movement. The homeroom teacher guided and suggested ways for the children to celebrate Tet economically and protect the environment according to the launched theme. Therefore, this Tet holiday, my son had interesting experiences with "Green Tet".

Not only did my child make lucky money envelopes from calendars or old newspapers, he also taught my grandmother to sort waste at the source, keep plastic bags when releasing fish on the day of worshiping the Kitchen Gods; use baskets to go to the market... Responding to the movement of my child's class, during the Tet holiday, my whole family practiced a green lifestyle, not only because we set an example for our children but also because we ourselves see that protecting the environment is necessary and meaningful at the beginning of the new spring.

On the occasion of Tet this year, residential area No. 6, Tan Binh Ward (Hai Duong City) where my family lives has also been propagandized early on about frugal living and environmental protection. Since the 26th of Tet, the loudspeakers of the residential area have regularly reminded people not to throw peach trees after Tet on the street, but to replant them in vacant lots.

Is it difficult to implement a "Green Tet" or more broadly, to live green? Personally, I think it is not difficult. We can live green from small actions such as: prioritizing the use of recyclable products, limiting the use of plastic bags when going to the market, balancing shopping to avoid waste. In particular, the story of shopping for Tet just enough, avoiding hoarding goods that lead to expiration or damage when not used up during Tet and having to throw them away is also a demonstration of a green lifestyle...

A survey by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the end of 2024 showed that the rate of food waste in Vietnam is about 10-15% compared to the total amount used daily. A previous survey by CEL Consulting (a consulting firm on agricultural supply chains and operations) clearly stated that Vietnam ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of food waste with nearly 10 million tons of food lost or thrown away when it is still edible or usable, causing a loss of about 4 billion USD each year.

The mentality of shopping and consuming too much during Tet is not only wasteful but also has a negative impact on the environment as the amount of waste each day during Tet is often three or four times greater than normal days.

Green living has become a national strategy. The Resolution of the 23rd Congress of Hai Duong City Party Committee, term 2020 - 2025 also sets the goal of striving to become a green, smart, friendly and safe city by 2030. The general planning of Hai Duong City until 2040 also identifies "building Hai Duong City towards a green, smart city. Completing the criteria for a type I city; building a modern urban infrastructure system".

In many localities of Hai Duong, the general planning has outlined many solutions to protect the environment, prioritizing green lifestyles.

The traditional Tet holiday is not only a time for reunion but also an opportunity for us to think about our responsibility to the environment. A recycled red envelope, carrying a basket to the market, limiting the use of plastic bags, saving food, shopping just enough for Tet... are small things but have a deeper meaning for the reunion. Let this spring be the time for us to act for the environment, not only to have a complete Tet but also to welcome a greener, safer, and better future.