How the Ghosts of iPhones Past Haunt Vietnam's Low-Income Communities
The current e-waste crisis in Vietnam is one example of global environmental apartheid.
Waste-to-Energy Plants Might Be the Remedy for Vietnam's Struggling Landfills
Lam Van Quyet lives three kilometers from the Tây Bắc waste facility in Ho Chi Minh City, but he knows exactly what time the garbage trucks arrive there.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
Charting the Flow of the Nhiêu Lộc Canal From Start to Historical Start
When I fall in love with an album, I seek out the artist's first mixtapes and demos. When I come to admire a poet, I hunt down their early poems and chapbooks. I even linger over the old highlight ree...
Khôi Phạm in Society
Nhiêu Lộc Canal Hosted Trudeau's Night Run. Why Is It Not as Famous as Obama's Bún Chả?
You know how much Vietnamese culture revolves around food by the fact that one of the first questions we pose to any foreign visitor is “What’s your favorite Vietnamese dish?” Asking about other aspec...
Paul Christiansen in In Plain Sight
On a Boat Ride Through Nhiêu Lộc Canal, a Fish's-Eye View of Saigon
Could your life in Saigon be made into a quirky indie film?
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
The Fraught Human-Earth Dynamics in 'Revenge of Gaia,' a Collection of Vietnamese Eco-Fiction
Stories focusing on the natural world and humanity’s relationships with the environment existed before the term eco-literature became popular in the west in the 1970s, but since its coinage, writers a...
Cô Tô Island District Says No to Single-Use Plastics From September
With insufficient waste management facilities, many island localities in Vietnam face literal barrages of trash.
Hanoi Students Create Green Material From Durian Rind to Aid Oil Spill Cleanup
A group of university students has created an aerogel material from durian rind which can help clean up oil spills.
Saigon Postcard No. 30: The Cacophony of a Healed Saigon
It doesn’t feel so long ago that Saigon went into battle mode against invaders of microscopic scales.
In Đà Lạt, Greenhouses Revolutionize Farming, but at What Environmental Cost?
Plastic greenhouses in the city of Đà Lạt may protect farmers from the impacts of erratic weather, but the environmental toll of agri-plastics is building in the agriculture-dependent region.
Photography Exhibition Spotlights the Beauty and Perils of Vietnam's Mangrove Forests
Transcending the boundaries of a conventional art exhibition, “Midnight in the Mangroves - Đêm Trong Rừng Ngập Mặn” tackles the beauty and important environmental role of mangrove forests via the lang...
Ride-Hailing Changed How We Commute. Can Ve Chai-Hailing Change How We Recycle?
Mentions of ve chai might evoke images of uncles and aunties pushing around their cart or perched on bicycles, ferrying a host of plastic bags and scrap metal, and occasionally calling out: “Đồng nát ...
Ever Wonder What Happens to Your Plastic Bags? Ask Vietnam's Ve Chai Army.
Lacking an effective official scheme, Hanoi relies on an army of informal workers to recycle its waste — a situation that hasn't changed over the last four decades.
NPO Keep Hanoi Clean Prepares to Collect Plastic Waste After Kitchen God Day
Keep Hanoi Clean is preparing for its biggest event of the year: cleaning up Lễ cúng Ông Táo, or Kitchen God day.
Over 70% of Parents of Grade 1 Students Don't Support In-Person Classes
In-person learning for Saigon's Grade 1 students is set to resume on December 13 for two weeks as a trial program, but more than 70% of parents don't want their children to return to the classroom.
Hanoi Suffers Vietnam's Worst Air Pollution in 2020, Scientists Say
While many northern provinces scored poorly, Hanoi took the distinction of having the highest average PM2.5 concentration for 2020.
A Factory Where 'Dead Plastics' Are Reborn as Contemporary Furniture
Saigoneer arrived at PLASTICPeople’s factory on a Friday afternoon after a long-winded ride on National Highway 1A. The sides of the road we took there were casually strewn with unpruned bushes, depos...
Dr. Plastic, the Hanoi Duo Who Give New Life to Single-Use Plastic
Plastic pollution is considered one of the main environmental threats to our planet’s health.
Air Pollution is Robbing Hanoians of Roughly 80,000 Years of Life
Due to PM2.5 exposure, Hanoi has suffered 2,855 premature deaths, accumulating to 79,933 years of life lost.
Saigon Aims to Remove Plastic Bags From Supermarkets by Year-End
Have you switched to reusable bags yet?
Saigoneer Podcast: Levi Oi on Her DJ Career; Saigon's War on Karaoke
Our new episode is out now!
Saigon Vows to Tackle Rampant Noise Pollution Caused by Karaoke
Is there an end to Saigon’s scourge of non-consensual public karaoke sessions?
After Backlash, Mitsubishi Pulls out of Binh Thuan Coal-Fired Power Plant Project
Global companies face growing pressure to stop backing thermal power.
Hanoi Greenlights Pilot Project to Install Solar Panels Atop Dong Xuan Market
Some new additions to the roof of Dong Xuan Market will pave the way for more green developments in the city to come.
The Story of Hồng Hoàng: From the 1st Vietnamese in Antarctica to a Fervent Wildlife Activist
For Hồng Hoàng, a career in environmental activism in Vietnam began with a polar expedition.
Online Ranking Places Hanoi, Saigon Among Cities With Lowest Quality of Life
Do you agree?
As Air Pollution Worsens in Hanoi, Heavy Smog Disrupts Flights at Noi Bai
Dark days for residents of the capital as local air pollution gets thick ahead of Tết.
Japan Plans to Ban Sale of Gasoline Cars by Next Decade
By the mid-2030s, all new cars sold in Japan will need to be hybrid gasoline-electric or fully electric.
Ngõ Nooks: Hidden Gem, the Cafe that Recycled Knick-Knacks Built
It is difficult to describe Hidden Gem Café without paraphrasing its name, but I have not found a better way to characterize this wonderful establishment.
Dams, Sand, Rice: The Life and Possible Death of the Mekong Delta
What would Vietnam be without the Mekong Delta?
Hanoi Aims to End Burning of Straw in 2021 to Reduce Pollution
The burning of straw and other agricultural byproducts is a perennial problem for the capital's air quality.
Vietnam Increases Carbon Emissions Reduction Target in Next Decade
The country is now aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 9% by 2030.
Vietnam's Coal Imports Reach Record High in First Half of 2020
Demand for electricity in the country is surging.
Tay Ho Alley Grapples With Trash Problem Caused by Photo-Seeking Visitors
Just the latest example of people ruining the very the beauty of a spot that drew them for its beauty.
Phu Yen Partners With WWF to Reduce Plastic Waste by 30% in 5 Years
The plan is the result of a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) aimed at reducing non-biodegradable waste.
Hai Phong Company Fined $4,300 for Sourcing Water From Dirty Ditch
Liem Son sourced its water from a canal filled with agricultural run-off and passed it off as coming from a thousand-year-old source in the mountains.
Hanoi to Deploy Water Trucks to Keep Dust, Summer Heat at Bay
Hanoi authorities are planning to re-deploy water trucks to city streets to keep dust and heat at bay in the sweltering summer months.
Drug-Resistant Bacteria Flourish in Southeast Asia's Antibiotic-Filled Sewage
The fetid vapors of a sewer canal may be unpleasant, but what lurks beneath the surface can be a killer.
Hanoi Commences Project to Build Sewer System Below To Lich River
An underground sewer is being constructed beneath the To Lich River to lead wastewater to a treatment plant project.
Air Pollution in Saigon, Hanoi Reduces Noticeably During Social Distancing Period
In addition to allowing people to finish all of their puzzles and amass Animal Crossing playing time, Vietnam's social distancing campaign has led to air quality improvements in major cities.
Saigon Starts $1.5m Project to Clean Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal
Starting from February 26, 122,000 cubic meters of sludge will be removed from the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal and processed to reduce the stench that negatively impacts local residents.
Saigon Moves Ahead With Plan to Evaluate Motorbike Emission
Authorities received the green light to test and study motorbike emissions in an attempt to improve air quality.
Air Pollution Is Costing Vietnam's Economy $10.8–13.6bn a Year, Research Shows
Air pollution has been a daily annoyance for many Saigoneers, but how does this urban ailment translate into economic terms?
Saigon Has 13 New Air Quality Monitors, Mostly at Public Schools
They will provide residents with more accurate air quality readings across the city.
Singaporean Scientists Find New Way to Break Down Plastic
It's a brave new world.
Da Lat Hit by Toxic Air From Cam Ly Landfill Fire
Blazes were burning at the Cam Ly landfill for over a week.
Old Motorbikes Are the New Target of Saigon's Plan to Reduce Air Pollution
City officials hope to get a pilot program to regulate vehicle emissions off the ground in January 2020.
PM Releases Highly Ambitious Plan to Reduce Coastal Plastic Waste
A highly ambitious new plan aims to dramatically cut down on plastic waste in tourist areas and coastal environments.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Air Pollution Problem; the Bubble Tea Bubble Bursts
Episode 70 is out now!
Saigon to Build Broad Environment Survey System Measuring Air, Water, Land Data
The project costs VND495 billion (US$21.3 million).
Inside Nhật Tảo Market, Saigon's Biggest Informal Recycling Center
The areas around Nhat Tao Market, spanning the border of District 10 and District 11, are well-known for their bustling economy of second-hand electronics and machines.
New Wastewater Discharge Fee Proposed for Hanoi Residents
If approved, the fee will be implemented in 12 of the capital's 27 districts.
Environment Ministry Officials Propose Plastic Bag Tax
Would it help break Vietnam's plastic addiction?
JICA Suggests Urban Railway Could Help Reduce Air Pollution in Saigon, Hanoi
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is helping authorities to develop a measuring, reporting and verification system for Vietnam’s urban railway systems.
Saigon to Focus Restoration Efforts on 5 Severely Polluted Drainage Canals
The municipal People’s Committee said recently that it would focus on the restoration of five canals that comprise the city’s drainage system.
Company Fires Director Responsible for Hanoi Water Crisis
The aftermath of the Hanoi water crisis lingers on.
To Combat Smog, Hanoi to Ban Coal Stoves From 2021
The move is part of a major effort to improve air quality and living conditions in the capital.
Is Tourism in Vietnam Reaching a Tipping Point?
Tourism is surging in Hanoi and Vietnam as a whole, but is it too much of a good thing?
Ocean Cleanup to Pilot Trash-Collecting Boat in Can Tho
Ocean Cleanup is a non-governmental organization found by Dutch engineer Boyan Slat, who aims to remove plastic from the ocean using technology.
Survey Fails to Find Two Sea Turtle Species Off Northern, Central Coasts
Bad news for Vietnam's sea turtle population.
Starbucks Closures, Arrests, Confusion: Hanoi's Water Crisis Deepens
Hanoi's ongoing water crisis took several dramatic turns over the last few days.
Cat Lai Area in District 2 Has Saigon's Worst Levels of Air, Noise Pollution, Study Shows
On October 9, the Center of Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring held a press conference reporting its findings on Saigon’s environmental quality.
Vietnam to Launch Its Own Air Pollution App After Netizens' Attack on AirVisual
Following what was described as a 'coordinated attack' by netizens on independent online air quality index monitor AirVisual, the Vietnamese government has announced plans to create its own air p...
Vietnam Has Returned Over 500 Containers of Scrap Waste so Far This Year
After China announced its ban on plastic waste imports, Southeast Asian shores have received countless containers of scrap from the developed world.
Ministry of Environment Bans Binh Thuan Power Plant From Dumping Waste Into Local Sea
Local authorities in Vietnam are taking heed of environmental issues in the country after numerous disasters in recent years.
Power Company Requests to Release Waste Into Sea Near Binh Thuan Marine Reserve
A power company located in Binh Thuan province is seeking permission to dump 2.4 million cubic meters of "matter" into the sea less than 10 kilometers from a marine reserve.
Binh Thuan Power Plant Wants to Dump 1.5m Tons of Waste Into the Sea
Officials from the Binh Thuan Environmental Department are pushing back after a power plant in the southern province recently proposed dumping 1.5 million tons of waste into the sea.
