The garbage collected is exchanged for potted plants. – VNS Photos Khánh Dương

HÀ NỘI — More than 1,000 volunteers from the US Embassy, associations, organisations and universities, joined hands to pick up garbage in Thống Nhất Park Saturday morning to mark Earth Day here.

Under the theme “Let’s join and act to ensure clean water sources in Việt Nam,” the event aimed to encourage the participation of many groups to manage and prevent water pollution, and clean up heavily polluted water.

Garbage was collected from around the park, grassland and lake, and exchanged for potted plants.

Nature lovers were also encouraged to join a cycling event, as part of the environmental education activities at the park.

Hoàng Quốc Lâm, a representative from the Environment Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, which was one of the organisers, called on the public to contribute by disseminating information and education on environmental protection, as well learning to adapt to climate change and protect water resources.

Ted Osius, US Ambassador to Việt Nam (right) collects garbage with volunteers.

Many people are dependent upon Hạ Long Bay, Red River, and the Mekong River for their livelihoods, but the resources there are threatened and need to be protected for future generations, and cleaned up in some cases, said Ted Osius, US Ambassador to Việt Nam.

There is much awareness right now about the environmental dangers to all these extraordinary resources, he said.

“The bottom line message is we have to do all we can to make sure that future generations — the children — will have clean water to drink, safe food to eat and beautiful places to go to, as they grow up,” he told Việt Nam News.

The Earth Day 2017 event in Việt Nam was organised by the Centre for Environmental and Community Research.

This year, the worldwide theme is ’March for Science’, which emphasises the importance of research and scientific discovery, as part of the decision-making process.

April 22 was chosen by the United Nations to be Earth Day in 1970. Since then, millions of people from 192 countries have joined the event annually to promote public awareness about environmental protection. — VNS