The Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will launch “Clean Up the World” campaign 2011 in Ho Chi Minh City on September 17, with a series of activities to highlight the event. The campaign will kick start in Phu Nhuan district, attracting over 5,000 local people, the Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper reported Sept 15. The event will include an exhibition on environment, an environmental seminar, environment protection projects and a campaign to raise the public awareness of using plastic bags. Every citizen can take part in any practical activities, including discontinuing use of plastic bags, saving on electric consumption, encouraging people to protect the environment and reporting any environmental violations to authorities, a local official said. The city also will make a plan to step up inspections and supervision to handle serious offenders of environmental protection law. Launched in 1993, the first campaign has inspired an estimated 35 million volunteers in 130 nations worldwide each year to take responding actions. Vietnam is the pro-campaign country with the history dating back to 1994. (Sai Gon Giai Phong – Saigon Liberation Sept 13)
