Cycling in nature
Getting close to nature
At 4:30 am, Than Quynh Thu (living in Hue City), together with a group of friends consisted of 10 people, are present at Nam Giao Esplanade in preparation for the journey to climb Mount Kim Phung. The climb is usually done by Thu and her friends on weekends.
Their destination ranges from Kim Phung, Hon Vuon to Bach Ma. Being close to nature to immerse in the fresh air of the mountain forests is how Thu and her friends live a green lifestyle.
To Thu, being able to go under the tree-lined forest roads, smell the taste of plants mingled in the strong aroma of the land, listen to the sound of murmuring streams and rustling leaves, etc., always brings about a great deal of positive energy.
Ms. Bich Van (living in Thuy Van Ward, Hue City), would rather ride a bicycle. Van said that cycling every morning not only improved her health, but also helped her explore the beautiful landscapes of her hometown. Every morning road makes her love Hue more and motivates her to live green, as well as preserve the environment and landscapes of her homeland.
Taking the stretch of road from Truong Tien Bridge to Huong Vinh Commune, you can enjoy Thanh Ha Lotus Lake, which is surprisingly beautiful when the sun rises. Meanwhile, the road to Thanh Toan Tile-Roofed Bridge has fragrant rice fields, greenish Khe Ngang lake with rolling hills in the morning mist, etc.
By roaming on each stretch of road, discovering new destinations and enjoying fresh air, Van and her friends always become optimistic about their lives.
To Thao Vi, swimming is to her taste. On hot summer days, being immersed in cool water always makes her satisfied. But Vi's favorite is swimming in the river.
"Feeling the cool water naturally patting your skin; listening to the waves crashing; hearing the smooth water flowing quietly through you; no words can describe these excitements," said Vi.
In spite of being a good swimmer, Vi still wears a life jacket and goes in groups when swimming in the river to ensure safety. The wharfs on the side of Kim Long and Huong Ho are destinations usually chosen by Vi and her friends in the summer days, instead of confining themselves in the closed swimming pools reeking of chlorine.
Getting rid of laziness and pride
There are many ways for young people to implement their green living method, but according to Phi Khanh, in order to live green, each person must first get rid of laziness and pride. By getting rid of laziness, Khanh can mix black locust extract with lemon and lemongrass to wash her hair 3 times a week, use soapberry extract to wash dishes and clothes or wake up 1 hour earlier every morning to run and take care of plants in the home garden.
The young girl working in the design industry boasted that despite the limited space, she always tried her best to keep some green plants in her house and workplace.
“Although my job is stressful, I feel refreshed immediately after looking at the plants. Watching each leaf growing and each branch blossoming makes me love my life more”.
To Khanh, living green is as simple as that, just like how she brings a food box every time she goes to buy food in the morning instead of using a plastic wrap or a foam box. When buying bubble tea, she always brings with her a thermos and refuses to use disposable cups at any costs.
As Thao Vi said, getting rid of pride to pursue a green life enabled her to ignore the eyes of people looking at her as "an exotic" when carrying a box to buy take-away bun bo and pho, or the look of friends and acquaintances who never saw her buying new clothes, changing a pair of shoes or a “trendy” handbag.
According to Thao Vi, her green living method includes keeping calm to maintain her lifestyle under any circumstances, getting rid of pride to shop less, and reducing waste.
Living green not only brings benefits to yourself, but also contributes to the environment and society. Vi likes environmental-friendly products such as cups, spoons and chopsticks made from wood, baskets made from bamboo instead of plastic, clothes woven from bamboo and jute, or organic food. Cooking a meal with sufficient amount of food so that there will be no wasted leftovers which may create a burden on the environment, is also how the young girl implements her green living method.
Problems such as the environment being increasingly polluted, the natural forest being increasingly shrinking, the sea encroaching on the land, droughts and floods occurring everywhere, etc., require people to gradually change their way of life. Going green is never easy, just like changing any habit is not easy.
However, in order to maintain our own health and a friendly environment, people who dare to change and live differently are necessary. Make a change to live a simple green lifestyle from the smallest things, will you?
Story & photo: Linh Chi