Toyota Motor Viet Nam (TMV) has opened the Go Green Club in HCM City with the aim of expanding its environmental protection work among young people. Around 100 volunteers participated in the opening ceremony. They will also take part in training courses to upgrade skills in social and environmental activism.
The club’s first "Hi! My Name Is Go Green" campaign will be organised at three big universities and colleges in HCM City to introduce the club and promote environmental protection among the student community.
The northern Go Green Club was set up in Ha Noi last August. The club implemented many programmes in the first eight months, including "Hi! My Name Is Go Green", "Eco Bag" and "A Day Without Motorbike". At present, it has 500 volunteers.
"With a good organisation and a clear vision for development, I strongly believe that the Go Green Club will be a place for volunteers and the younger generation to take action for a greener and cleaner Viet Nam," said Do Quoc Anh, director of the Ministry of Education and Training’s branch office in HCM City.
The club is a part of the Go Green programme co-ordinated by the TMV, the Viet Nam Environmental Protection Agency and Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).
It has three main aims: real activities to protect the environment, education to increase environmental awareness and promoting sustainable development.
Go Green carried out a pilot project to have generators operating on diesel oil switch to using biogas in farms in the central region; expand a biological village model at national parks and nature reserves. The project has also taken preparatory steps to set up a "green company" model at the TMV.
A mini TV series sending a message of environmental protection to the younger generation aired on VTV1.
The website: www.gogreen.com.vn carries updated information about the programme and also hosts an online forum for citizens to discuss environmental issues.
The first phase of the Go Green Club programme will last until 2011.