Workshop on UEH Zero Waste Station Model: An initiative expected to reduce 65% of buried garbage at UEH

24 Apr, 2022

UEH Zero Waste Station, a university garbage classification and processing model, is an exciting discussion topic of more than 50 environmental specialists, project experts, and lecturers of universities located within Ho Chi Minh City in the online and in-person workshop held by University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) on the afternoon of April 20^th, 2022.

With the aim of orientating into a Sustainable and Multidisciplinary University in the 2021 - 2030 period, UEH collaborated with its partners on implementing the project UEH Zero Waste Campus. In 2021, the project created platforms and deployed many communication activities spreading knowledge and green-living values and the message of “Rethink & Be Green” to UEHers, the community, and the society. The project was excellently awarded the first prize in the international competition "Zero Waste City Challenge” held by the non-governmental organization Waste Aid and various international sponsors. In 2022, UEH continued deploying 03 groups of activities and solutions pioneering in the community of Vietnamese universities including UEH Living Lab, UEH Zero Waste Station Model - Garbage classification at its sources and carrying out mutual communication, empowering the young generation to join hands spreading and practicing “zero waste, green lifestyle” not only within universities.

With the aims of discussing and identifying solutions with leading specialists in the field of environment, UEH Zero Waste Station Workshop - the classification, processing, and managing model at universities - was held successfully and received lots of practically contributive comments on the morning of April 20th, 2022.

Attending the program, in terms of UEH, was Ph.D. Bui Quang Hung - Vice President of UEH and lecturers who are members of the Sustainable University Project Board and members responsible for the project UEH Zero Waste Campus. In terms of guests, there were the participations of 30 specialists in environment, garbage classification and management, and specialized lecturers from other universities within the city.

The overview of the program

Delivering a speech at the workshop, Ph.D. Bui Quang Hung - Vice President of UEH shared: “With the main aim of building a zero-waste university, green campus, bringing a green - clean - beautiful and comfortable learning environment, lectures, and officials, the first stage of “UEH Zero Waste Campus” with the message “Rethink - Be Green” has been implemented since 2021 to explain to students and lecturers of UEH what is zero-waste. This is an initial project in the process of building and developing a Sustainable and Multidisciplinary UEH, performing its responsibility in the mission of carrying out 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Right from the beginning, this project has been particularly focused by the university, “người thật, việc thật”, which is not only a movement or communication activity but it was truly practical. It empowers students to be global citizens acting for sustainable development. Therefore, UEH hopes to listen to sharing, contribution, and consultancy of specialists to deploy the model effectively, at the same time, connects with the community, spread, and share its experience with other universities in Ho Chi Minh City, in particular, and in Vietnam, in general, impacting positively the economy, environment, and society”.

Ph.D. Bui Quang Hung - Vice President of UEH - sharing at the workshop

On behalf of the Board of UEH Sustainable University Project, Master Le Thi Hanh An shared about the project, UEH Zero Waste Station Model, with garbage separating and classifying principles at UEH. With the aim of reducing 65% of buried garbage at UEH, “UEH Zero Waste Station” offered innovative initiatives to separate, classify - unify, transport - connect with recycled partners to transfer garbage into resources - practice recycling, reuse, and refill at their sources.

UEH Zero Waste Station Model - a new solution referred to and learned by many universities

Under the moderation of Ph.D. Trinh Tu Anh, Director of Institute of Smart City and Management - Head of the Board of UEH Sustainable Project. Environmental experts and lecturers from universities within HCMC interestingly discussed and contributed to the methods of garbage classification at UEH as well as how to stream and process garbage at the university according to the system of trash bins put at UEH Campuses and Zero Waste Station. In that process, all experts placed their emphasis on mutual communication impacting the awareness of learners aiming to actively garbage-classifying behaviors and environmental saving. Particularly in the program, UEH continued to connect with specialists, the Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance (VZWA), related units listed as TC BALL, Recycle One, Veca, Lagom, and so on, to assist them to unify and recycling garbage into useful resources, units owning those programs that exchange garbage for presents, and units processing environmental impacts.

Ph.D. Trinh Tu Anh, Director of Institute of Smart City and Management - Head of the Board of UEH Sustainable Project, moderating the discussion session in the program

Specialists attending online and offline contributed their ideas to the project

UEH Zero Waste Station Workshop - the garbage classification, processing, and management model at universities is a wonderful opportunity for UEH to learn from and cooperate with organizations to together incubate and develop maximally the project. Thanks to the consultancy and assistance of the related organizations, UEH will adjust its activities to implement them in reality and gain the best results and get rid of possible risks. Especially, it opens the connection and cooperation network of UEH to integrate the universities within the city with the community to together carry out more projects aiming at green development, circular economy, and sustainable development.