In some countries, like South Korea, the government and environmental organizations are working hard to get rid of all plastic use. This means: no more plastic bags, take-out containers and plastic straws. South Korea is very strict about recycling. In fact, everyone has to separate their trash before they throw it out. This is not true in Vietnam. When you throw away garbage, trash and recyclable items are mixed together. They usually end up going to the same place. This means that plastic that could have been recycled, is never touched again.
There are many reasons for this problem. One reason is that plastic is sometimes more convenient to use. Do you remember that many people stop on the side of the road to grab food? For instance, when you buy banh mi or some fruit from a vendor, your items are placed in plastic so you can eat them on the go. Just think of all of the plastic you might use if you get fast-food through a drive-thru, here?
Also, Vietnam, like many other countries, has a problem with littering. When someone litters, they throw garbage on the ground or even into water, instead of in a trash can. I see people in the United States littering. Sometimes when I am driving down a road, I see other people throw trash right out of their car window! In Vietnam, some people throw garbage on the ground next to where they are standing. I see both old and young people doing this. Yesterday, a child threw a finished sucker on the ground and it landed on my shoe! There are no laws that stop people from doing this. Also, young people learn habits from old people. So, in this way littering is seen as being okay.
