Record Turnout for Weekend Environmental Initiative

Over 350 local volunteers gathered at Xuân Hương Lake on Sunday morning to participate in one of Đà Lạt's largest community-led environmental initiatives in recent months, collecting nearly 600 kilograms of trash from the iconic lake's shoreline.

The cleanup effort, organized by the Đà Lạt Green Youth Association in partnership with the city's Environmental Protection Department, drew participants from across Lâm Đồng province, including university students, local business owners, and families with young children.

"We see this lake every day, and it's the heart of our city," said Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu, a 23-year-old volunteer and university student. "When we saw plastic bottles and food wrappers accumulating along the eastern shore near Thủy Tạ Restaurant, we knew we had to do something."

Targeting Problem Areas

Volunteers focused their efforts on several critical areas around the 5-kilometer shoreline, particularly the stretch between Yersin Park and the Đà Lạt Flower Garden entrance, where tourist foot traffic has increased significantly over the Tết holiday period.

Trần Văn Hùng, coordinator of the Đà Lạt Green Youth Association, reported that the most common items collected included single-use plastic bags, drink containers, cigarette butts, and food packaging. "We also found several abandoned fishing lines and tackle, which pose serious risks to the lake's ecosystem," he noted.

Community Response and Future Plans

Local authorities praised the volunteer effort. Phạm Thanh Tùng, deputy director of the Ward 5 People's Committee, attended the event and announced plans to install 15 additional waste bins around the lake perimeter by mid-February.

"This kind of community engagement is exactly what Đà Lạt needs as we welcome more visitors each year," Tùng said. "Clean public spaces reflect our pride in this city."

The collected waste was sorted for recycling, with approximately 40% being recyclable materials that were delivered to the city's recycling center on Nguyễn Văn Trỗi Street.

Organizers announced that monthly cleanup events will continue on the last Sunday of each month, with the next gathering scheduled for February 23. Interested volunteers can register through the association's Facebook page or by contacting the Ward 5 community center.

Several local businesses, including Đà Lạt Coffee Roasters and Hoa Binh Bakery, provided refreshments and supported the initiative with donations to purchase cleanup equipment for future events.

Record Turnout for Weekend Environmental Initiative

Over 350 local volunteers gathered at Xuân Hương Lake on Sunday morning to participate in one of Đà Lạt's largest community-led environmental initiatives in recent months, collecting nearly 600 kilograms of trash from the iconic lake's shoreline.

The cleanup effort, organized by the Đà Lạt Green Youth Association in partnership with the city's Environmental Protection Department, drew participants from across Lâm Đồng province, including university students, local business owners, and families with young children.

"We see this lake every day, and it's the heart of our city," said Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu, a 23-year-old volunteer and university student. "When we saw plastic bottles and food wrappers accumulating along the eastern shore near Thủy Tạ Restaurant, we knew we had to do something."

Targeting Problem Areas

Volunteers focused their efforts on several critical areas around the 5-kilometer shoreline, particularly the stretch between Yersin Park and the Đà Lạt Flower Garden entrance, where tourist foot traffic has increased significantly over the Tết holiday period.

Trần Văn Hùng, coordinator of the Đà Lạt Green Youth Association, reported that the most common items collected included single-use plastic bags, drink containers, cigarette butts, and food packaging. "We also found several abandoned fishing lines and tackle, which pose serious risks to the lake's ecosystem," he noted.

Community Response and Future Plans

Local authorities praised the volunteer effort. Phạm Thanh Tùng, deputy director of the Ward 5 People's Committee, attended the event and announced plans to install 15 additional waste bins around the lake perimeter by mid-February.

"This kind of community engagement is exactly what Đà Lạt needs as we welcome more visitors each year," Tùng said. "Clean public spaces reflect our pride in this city."

The collected waste was sorted for recycling, with approximately 40% being recyclable materials that were delivered to the city's recycling center on Nguyễn Văn Trỗi Street.

Organizers announced that monthly cleanup events will continue on the last Sunday of each month, with the next gathering scheduled for February 23. Interested volunteers can register through the association's Facebook page or by contacting the Ward 5 community center.

Several local businesses, including Đà Lạt Coffee Roasters and Hoa Binh Bakery, provided refreshments and supported the initiative with donations to purchase cleanup equipment for future events.