Today we celebrate Earth Day 2020!

No doubt, the planet we live on is a miracle, a miracle that exists approximately for already 4.54 billion years. And still, we are destroying the only home we know. Every minute a rainforest area is destroyed of the size of 42 football fields. Every day 150 species become distinct forever from our planet. And in the years between 1961 and 2016, glaciers lost over 9000 billion tons of ice. That makes 335 billion tons every year. That is why the urgent message of today´s earth day is: Take climate action! Let us preserve our incredible home. Climate change is the biggest challenge to the future of humanity.  The aim of our efforts should, therefore, not only be to change our lifestyles and habits today but forever.

 

Environmental Issues in Vietnam

As a result of rapid economic development, population growth, and urbanization, Vietnam faces significant environmental challenges. However, citizens are often unaware of the full extent of the environmental hazards they are exposed to. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City belong to the most polluted cities in Southeast Asia. But air pollution is not the only challenge Vietnam is facing. The main issues include forest degradation, loss of biodiversity, water pollution, and solid waste management. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), because of a lack of Governmental resources to address these issues, Vietnam´s environmental situation is deteriorating. Currently, Vietnam has no industrial waste management and control system. Therefore, most industrial waste is still disposed of together with domestic waste without proper treatment. 

But Vietnam is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change. The increased risk exists because of its geography, the already existing exposure to natural hazards, pattern of economic development, and densely populated deltas and coastal areas, as well as, vulnerable minority populations in remote upland watersheds. The most dangerous consequences of climate change in Vietnam poses increased temperatures, worsening droughts, and floods, sea-level rise, and increased frequency of storms.

What can you do?

Together with Teresa, we try to run the orphanage as environmentally friendly and sustainable as we can. There are many ways how you can support us in making it possible!

  1. Donate your old electronics

We are currently looking for old, but still working electronic devices. Do you maybe have an old laptop, tablet, phone, camera, or e-reader lying around at home? Disposing e-waste leads to harmful substances contaminating the soil of the landfills and thereby our groundwater and air. By tossing them out, valuable raw materials and energy are wasted. Contact us and donate them to LittleBigDreams e. V.! They will be used for educational purposes at Teresa´s orphanage, such as learning English with a program designed for Vietnamese students.

  1. Take a look at our donation packages

Click here to view our various donation packages. You can, for instance, donate a chicken or a pig and, thereby, support Teresa´s orphanage to get self-sustainable. Moreover, you can gift a child a bicycle so that the children can reach the school fast and in an environmentally friendly way. There is also the option to donate a tree, which will be planted in the big orphanage´s garden. Trees produce oxygen, contribute to biodiversity, and absorb CO2. Did you know that a tree can bind 10kg of CO2 per year?

  1. Support our Garden Project

Take a look at our newest project. Teresa’s dream and goal are to expand the plantation of vegetables and fruit and to possess more animals so that the orphanage will be self-sustainable and can sell its surpluses. In the dry season, there is usually not enough water to water the plants. Therefore, the plan is to build concrete water tanks that collect rainwater in the wet season (June – October), then closed and reopened in the dry season (October – June). That way, expanding the plantation and creating a more sustainable system will be possible. These tanks are commonly used in the area and will be built from befriended construction workers from the local community.

Our plan

We have the vision that one day Teresa´s orphanage can be wholly self-sustainable and runs in an environmentally friendly way. We already collect ideas on how to come closer to this goal. For instance, we brainstormed on how to reduce plastic use at the orphanage. The good news is the orphanage already has its own well and water filter system. Therefore, plastic bottles are not needed.  We think it is crucial to convey to the children at the orphanage the importance of living environmentally friendly. For that, we already have some project ideas but are looking forward to hearing what comes to your mind.

Only together can we face the challenge of climate change. Everyone can and should contribute to preserving the only home we have. Every action counts! Let us start today!

 

https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2020/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Vietnam

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/vietnam/enviro.htm

https://www.usaid.gov/vietnam/climate-change

https://asiatimes.com/2019/04/growing-environmental-awareness-in-vietnam/

https://www.space.com/24854-how-old-is-earth.html

https://www.abenteuer-regenwald.de/wissen/abholzung

https://www.zeit.de/wissen/umwelt/2019-04/klimawandel-gletscher-schmelzen-meeresspiegel-eisverlust

https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/411620/umfrage/anzahl-der-weltweiten-fluege/

https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/tiere/150-arten-sterben-pro-tag-aus-groesstes-artensterben-seit-ende-der-dinosaurier-zeit-droht-16660249.html