GreenTalk 2019 Runner-up Nguyễn Thị Hoàng Anh – A Seed That Has Sprouted

“For me, and perhaps for all the other contestants, GreenTalk 2019 marked an important milestone of youth and personal growth. Before joining the competition, I was just a teenager who felt frustrated about environmental issues but powerless, unsure whether there was anything meaningful I could do besides quietly changing my own lifestyle to be a little greener.

Back then, I was still holding onto many vague dreams while standing at the threshold of life. But from the moment I filled out the registration form for GreenTalk 2019, I gradually began to define who I was and what I should do to contribute to the community and society, especially for the future of our generation.”

Nguyễn Thị Hoàng Anh – Runner-up of GreenTalk 2019

After GreenTalk 2019, what changes in awareness, thinking, or actions have you experienced while continuing to engage in environmental protection, particularly in reducing waste and plastic waste?

About a year after GreenTalk 2019 ended, many people joked that I had become a completely different person. They were surprised that a student who had once been quiet throughout middle school had become so active and enthusiastic.

But to be honest, I am still myself. I’m just becoming a better version of who I used to be, someone who is brave enough to look for companions and step into the “arena” of climate action.

Right after the competition, encouraged by the organizers, friends working in the field, teachers, and family members, I boldly founded UBEC – an environmental club under the Youth Union of Uông Bí High School.

To be honest, at that time I was facing many challenges:
how to run the club, how to train members with environmental knowledge, how to build a voice for UBEC, how to organize projects and campaigns without accidentally creating negative impacts on the community or environment, and especially how to keep young people motivated and passionate.

There were moments when I almost felt like collapsing under all those pressures. But instead of giving up, I either actively sought advice or was fortunate enough to talk with leaders, mentors, and friends working in this field. Step by step, together with UBEC, we slowly untangled each challenge.

Did you face difficulties when trying to create positive environmental influence and encourage people around you to adopt greener, simpler lifestyles?

There are many obstacles when trying to bring “green living” into people’s daily lives.

The first challenge is people’s busy livelihoods. It feels like an invisible barrier that makes it difficult for us to connect directly with the community. Protecting the environment cannot rely on emotions or temporary enthusiasm alone. Without proper knowledge, it may even cause unintended negative impacts.

That is why foundational knowledge is so important. We want to invite people to small workshops and environmental events. But everyone’s busy schedules often make this difficult.

What concerns me the most, however, is a certain mindset: “we only live once.”
Through my journey, I’ve come closer to understanding people from different perspectives, and I realized that this mindset still quietly exists within the community. Even if it is not openly expressed, it remains like a small switch still turned on somewhere deep in people’s thoughts.

Despite all of that, the thing I cherish and feel most proud of during my environmental journey is companionship. The green path I stepped onto is no longer a lonely one. There are now many people walking alongside me. Hehe.

What are your future plans as you prepare to enter university this year?

At this moment, I may need to pause briefly to focus on preparing for university and my personal future. But in reality, not much will change. I will continue trying to balance my studies with my gentle little “green journey.”

Taking this opportunity, the 17 year old Hoàng Anh would like to ask GreenHub to send a message to the Hoàng Anh many years from now:

I hope you will still stand firmly on your green journey and keep the promise you made at 16 with GreenHub. No matter what happens in the future, I will try to contribute to climate action. Even if I cannot always participate in organizations, I will continue to live a persistent green life.

Through this journey of environmental protection, many stories have happened that made me think more deeply about the world, about my country, and about the path I dared to imagine and pursue.

What I want to share with other young people who have not yet started this journey is this:

Protecting the environment is no longer something we “should” do. It is a responsibility we “must” take on, whether big or small.

Our generation does not live only for our own happiness. We must live to protect and repair what previous generations have left behind. We must live so that we do not become unwelcome guests on this planet or leave future generations looking back at us with disappointment.

And most importantly, do not let invisible barriers stop you from walking on a path filled with hope. Because youth is a journey — a journey that expands the world of young people who dare to dream and build the future.

A Message from Hoàng Anh

Thank you to the GreenHub team for giving me the opportunity to share my meaningful one year journey. Being featured in the “Heroes of Zero” series is a great honor.

But honestly, I don’t think I truly deserve to be called a “green hero.” I’m just a young person living the life I believe I should live and doing what I feel responsible for doing.

I truly hope that more green stories written by young people will appear in the future.

Heroes of Zero – Heroes from Zero.
No matter who we are, we can all contribute our abilities and efforts to solving the challenges our communities face.

Our names are beautiful, so let’s make sure they appear on the map of a green world created by young people.

❤

Nguyễn Thị Hoàng Anh
Runner-up – GreenTalk 2019

Heroes Start from Zero

So why not become a hero?

The HEROES: ZERO series is published every Sunday at 8:00 PM. Stay tuned for the next episode!

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