The drive to act is all around and within
The motivation is not just in big problems; it is in us. In our love for nature and green spaces, our desire to protect what soothes us. Back in the United States, as Mr. Nhân hiked through Shenandoah Valley, immersed in nature and inspired by the eco-conscious hippie lifestyle, he found his drive. Vietnam, too, is rich with inspiration. “We’ve long embraced thrift, reuse, herbal knowledge and harmony with nature,” he reflects, “And today’s youth are reimagining those roots”. Our surroundings are calling us to care. Environmental problems are connected and encroaching on our green spaces, seeping back into our bodies and compromising a culture where environmental damage becomes normal and change feels optional.
Once motivated, then what?
Then we act. Because solutions are everywhere. The visibility of litter is a daily reminder of environmental neglect. Local action might seem small, but it shifts us from abstract worry to concrete everyday actions, just as Mr. Nhân did.
When he joined RMIT in 2003, he began small and near- supporting student-led initiatives, advising green clubs, hosting workshops and supporting the redesign of campus waste systems. Then came bigger projects- co-founding Vietnam Clean and Green (KVCG), organising cleanups, zero-waste campaigns and air quality monitoring. “Don’t litter. Separate your waste. That’s the easiest thing you can do. Do small, do good and inspire people around you”. If Mr. Nhân’s impact came from individual agency, why not start with yours?
Fixing and creating
Once you start, sustainability will not be just about fixing; it opens new doors, driving business, innovation and economic growth. Green entrepreneurship is growing, like how Mr. Nhân co-founded Refill Đây to promote waste-free consumption. “Biobased plastic, for example, the topic of a book I edited, is a fast-growing field. There are innovative approaches and real opportunities to profit, especially in an entrepreneurial country like Vietnam”. This green engine helps businesses thrive financially, unlock markets and improve well-being, which eventually fuels prosperity.
We’re not alone
Progress is all around us if we get involved. “I’ve met so many who care and act, who will do good for the planet,” says Mr. Nhân, “Students, communities, leaders. And countries like the U.S., Japan, Indonesia- they’ve done it, so can Vietnam. Have hope.” To hope is to believe change is possible. To act is to make it real. Keep going and you sustain both.
Start small, start here
“Vietnam has a unique collective power. Once we have the right mindset, we move fast collectively, like during COVID,” stated Mr. Nhân, “so, let’s start from one and multiply as a country”. Mr. Nhan also suggested that universities have the advantage of tackling sustainability from all angles: teaching, research, student clubs, school initiatives and events. RMIT is committed to this: a platform where students both learn sustainability and live it.
Let’s begin here on campus.
Sustainability starts with us and continues with you.
Authors: Tran Ngoc Kieu Khanh, Vu Le Bao Vy, Nguyen Duc Bao Ngoc, Le Khanh Ngan
